Cheating has been a constant struggle for developers and players in online multiplayer games.
Marvel Rivals is taking a tough stance on cheaters, and NetEase Games' punishment is so severe that it has rattled the community.
In this article, we’ll examine these unusual bans, the reasons behind them, and how they’re affecting Marvel Rivals' competitive future.
What You Need to Know About 100-Year Bans
Not long after Marvel Rivals Season 1 launched, NetEase launched a strong anti-cheating initiative.
This season's update introduced new anti-cheat systems, such as asset hash checking, to block mods or alterations to the game.
They rolled out a solid detection system to prevent players from using keyboard and mouse adapters (aka "Ximming") on consoles, ensuring that no one gets the unfair aiming accuracy usually reserved for PC gamers.
One of the biggest results of this crackdown was a player's 100-year ban for using a converter to play with a mouse and keyboard on their console.
The ban lasts until December 19, 2124, so the player can’t return unless something unexpected happens.
This heavy-handed penalty quickly grabbed attention, with a screenshot of the ban notification making the rounds on social media and triggering mixed reactions.
The 100-year ban might feel extreme, but it’s enough to make cheaters think twice.
With this heavy penalty, NetEase is making it obvious that cheating will not be accepted and that players can’t just create a new account to avoid the consequences.
A ban this long makes it harder for cheaters to find a way around it and log back in under a different alias.
Overall, the community seems to back the developers' decision, with plenty of praise for their firm stance, but others are flat-out saying it's absurd.
Although cheating is common in free-to-play shooters, it becomes a real problem when players rely on hacks like aimbots or aim-assist tools.
This type of cheating can upset the competitive balance, especially since ranked mode doesn’t support cross-play between consoles and PCs.
The 100-year ban is meant to catch cheaters, especially the ones using converters, which is the top offense.
Marvel Rivals flags shady players through real-time tracking and reports from other players.
While players typically use the in-game system to report cheaters, NetEase also runs its own checks.
Even so, the system isn't foolproof; sometimes, players who weren’t cheating are mistakenly banned.
For example, players running Marvel Rivals on macOS or Linux with tools like Proton or CrossOver, which the game doesn’t officially support, were temporarily banned since the system flagged those tools as suspicious.
NetEase quickly addressed the issue after receiving community feedback, removing the 100-year bans, and promising to improve the accuracy of its detection system.
Players have appreciated how quickly NetEase acted. Many say that the competitive mode feels much better now that cheaters won't spoil the experience.
Looking to the future, NetEase will likely keep boosting the anti-cheat measures as Marvel Rivals grows.
Beyond that, players can count on frequent updates, new characters, and improvements to matchmaking to keep Marvel Rivals fair and fun for all.
The 100-year bans might sound over the top, but it's nice knowing the devs have your back if you're playing fair.