Marvel Rivals Dev Promises Buffs for Strategist Experience After Support Player Strike

NetEase Games, the developer behind Marvel Rivals, has announced plans to alleviate the frustrations of Strategists players, just days after the community initiated a widespread Support strike. While Season 2 of Marvel Rivals has been largely successful with the introduction of new characters, maps, and modes, as well as promises of faster seasons and an expanded roster of playable heroes, the balance changes have stirred new challenges. Specifically, the Strategist class, which primarily serves as the game's Support pool, has been overshadowed by the dominance of Vanguards and Duelists.

Since the launch of Season 2, the diminished effectiveness of the Support class has sparked heated debates within the Marvel Rivals community. With other roles gaining more power, Strategist players have faced not only tough matches but also toxicity from teammates who often criticize them in chats for perceived underperformance. The situation escalated last week when numerous players took to social media, vowing to avoid the healer role until NetEase addressed their concerns and improved the gameplay experience.

"We just want basic respect," expressed one Reddit user. "We're not asking to be glorified or seen as the 'hardest' role - because I don't think we are. We just want basic respect. It's tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you're playing your role the way it's meant to be played."

I Need Healing

In response to the strike and the ongoing challenges faced by the Strategist class, NetEase has committed to taking action. In a Dev Talk post on their website, the developer outlined a dual strategy to ease the pressure on Support players by buffing the Strategist role and enhancing the rewards in Competitive mode.

NetEase plans to increase the "threat levels" of Strategists in an upcoming patch, potentially boosting heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark, while nerfing the survivability of Vanguards such as Captain America and Groot. Additionally, Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will see a reduced damage range. Specific details on which characters will be affected are yet to be disclosed.

"Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta," NetEase stated. "As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes."

In Competitive mode, NetEase has observed slight imbalances since Season 2 began, with Duelists enjoying a performance rating advantage over Vanguards and Strategists. To address this, the developer intends to adjust the performance rating calculations to ensure a more equitable experience across all heroes.

"Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can't guarantee perfection 100% of the time," the Dev Talk post added. "However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!"

Season 2 of Marvel Rivals introduced Emma Frost as its latest Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to feature Ultron. As the community awaits the impact of the upcoming balance changes on the Support strike, fans can also look forward to a potential addition of swimsuit skins teased by Marvel.