Marvel Rivals' Character Popularity and the Recent Mod Controversy
Official game data reveals interesting character popularity trends in Marvel Rivals. In "quick play," Jeff reigns supreme, outperforming Venom and Cloak & Dagger. However, the competitive landscape shifts dramatically. On PC, Luna Snow, Cloak & Dagger, and Mantis dominate, while console players favor Cloak & Dagger, Penny Parker, and Mantis.
A surprising twist: Mantis, despite leading the popularity charts in competitive mode, also holds the dubious distinction of being the most frequently defeated hero, surpassing Hela, Loki, and Magic on both PC and consoles. Consoles, in particular, showcased a balanced competitive scene with 14 additional characters boasting win rates exceeding 50%.
Conversely, unpopular characters include Storm, Black Widow, and Wolverine in "quick play," with Nemore taking the bottom spot in competitive modes.
The game's recent surge in popularity, fueled by over 500 mod submissions in a single month, has unfortunately been overshadowed by controversy. Nexus Mods, a prominent modding platform, removed modifications replacing Captain America's head with images of Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Nexus Mods' owner, TheDarkOne, addressed the situation in a private Reddit discussion, explaining that both Trump and Biden-related mods were removed simultaneously to avoid accusations of political bias. This action, however, has curiously been met with silence from YouTube gaming commentators.
