Marvel Rivals developers address datamining rumors: No intentional trolling, just a lot of ideas.
Dataminers recently unearthed a treasure trove of potential future characters within Marvel Rivals' code. While some predictions proved accurate (like the Fantastic Four's arrival), the sheer volume of names sparked speculation: were some deliberately planted red herrings?
NetEase and Marvel Games executives Weicong Wu and Danny Koo addressed these claims directly. While acknowledging leftover code from various design concepts and prototypes, they firmly denied any intentional misleading of dataminers. Wu explained that the extensive design process, involving numerous concepts, trials, and prototypes, inevitably leaves traces in the game's code. The inclusion of a character in future updates depends heavily on player feedback and the desired gameplay experience.
Koo likened the situation to finding an old, discarded notebook filled with brainstorming notes, emphasizing that the team explores numerous character designs and play styles. He stated unequivocally that the team prioritizes game development over elaborate pranks.
The character selection process, they revealed, involves a year-long planning horizon, aiming for a new character release every six weeks. NetEase assesses the roster's balance and variety, proposing potential additions to Marvel Games. Community engagement and Marvel's broader plans (films, comics) also factor into the final decision. This explains the extensive list of characters in the code – a reflection of NetEase's ongoing ideation process.
Marvel Rivals continues to impress, with the Human Torch and The Thing joining the roster on February 21st. The conversation also touched upon the possibility of a Nintendo Switch 2 release (details available elsewhere). In short, while the datamined character list offers intriguing possibilities, it's crucial to approach it with cautious optimism.
