Marvel Rivals has revealed what’s coming with their Season 1.5 update, and besides the release of Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm, there are also a bunch of changes within the existing game that address player concerns.
In addition to certain buffs and nerfs for heroes, NetEase has also confirmed they are adding a Hide Own Name feature; but how does this really help players?
Hiding Names on Marvel Rivals
In a recent developer update, it’s been revealed that players now have the option of hiding their names for a short period during a match. “We are rolling out a hidden name feature in Competitive Mode for players who reach Diamond 3,” said lead combat designer Zhiyong, “Once it’s activated, your true identity will be under wraps during the loading screen, hero selection, and the start of the match. Other players won’t be able to see your name right away, and after a short period in the battle, your real name will pop back up.”
Apparently, this move has been made to forbid players from doing targeted bans for certain players—something that’s been hotly discussed in the community; and a problem that had also plagued the Overwatch forums.
What is Target Banning?
For context, Marvel Rivals has a feature where players can ban two heroes per match. What happens when players know who their opponents are, is they can ban any characters that they know a certain player is good at.
By hiding the names of the players, nobody will know who they are going up against, and the decision to ban heroes would be more based on their team’s composition rather than targeting the strengths of specific players.
How is the Community Reacting?
For now, it does seem like the community is pleased with the feature, and most complaints are coming from players who consider getting a target-ban ‘a sign that they are really good at the game.’ Though it’s normal for players to have certain ‘mains’ that they stick to, there are some who believe any high-ranking player should be able to swap out characters depending on any situation.
If anything, some players had said they already had this discussion when it comes to Overwatch, and it’s just funny how Marvel Rivals has managed to keep bringing up old OW issues like the inclusion of Role Queue as well as the issue with targeted bans.
Can’t Teach an Old Dog
Despite Marvel Rivals’ status as the ‘Overwatch killer’, it does seem like the game has been getting along by learning from the mistakes of Overwatch. While there are some things that the devs at NetEase are adamant about keeping, it does seem like they are constantly peeking at Overwatch’s notebook to see how they’ve addressed the same problems that Rivals is currently going through. If anything, imitation is the highest form of flattery.
The Season 1.5 patch drops on Feb. 21. Marvel Rivals is now available for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.