Marvel Rivals Dev Says They're Not Trolling Dataminers - 'We'd Rather Spend Our Time Developing the Game'

Marvel Rivals dataminers suspect the developers are playfully misleading them with lists of potential future characters hidden within the game's code. However, NetEase and Marvel maintain they're focused on game development rather than elaborate pranks.

Last month, dataminers uncovered potential future heroes within Marvel Rivals' code, some of which were quickly confirmed with the Fantastic Four's official announcement. However, as the list expanded, speculation arose that some names were intentionally misleading.

The community remains divided on the authenticity of the datamined characters. We directly questioned Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo about this alleged "troll." While denying any deliberate deception, they advised caution in interpreting the code's contents. Wu explained that the extensive character design process—involving concepts, trials, and prototypes—leaves traces in the code, representing explored possibilities, not necessarily future plans. Koo likened it to finding an abandoned notebook filled with brainstorming notes. He emphasized their priority is game development, not elaborate trolling.

The process of adding characters was also discussed. Updates are planned roughly a year in advance, aiming for a new character release every six weeks. NetEase prioritizes balancing the game's roster and adding variety, focusing on adding new characters rather than extensively tweaking existing ones. This involves identifying needed skill sets and character types, generating a list of possibilities, and then collaborating with Marvel Games on initial designs. Community interest and upcoming Marvel media plans (films, comics) also influence the final selection. This explains the numerous character names in the code—a reflection of NetEase's ongoing brainstorming.

Marvel Rivals launched successfully, and each new character addition enhances the game. The Human Torch and The Thing are the latest additions, arriving February 21st. We also discussed the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 release (details available elsewhere).