NetEase permanently bans nearly 500 Marvel Rivals cheaters after anti cheat rumors spread

NetEase has permanently banned 488 Marvel Rivals accounts after finding players using and promoting unauthorized third party tools. The studio shared the action in a new blog post, where it also pushed back against rumors that the game’s anti cheat system can be disabled through launch parameters.

The bans followed a recent weekend update, after NetEase said some players began using what it described as unauthorized third party enhancements. After investigating, the company found hundreds of accounts that violated its rules around fair play. Those accounts were permanently removed from the game.

NetEase also said this will remain the standard punishment going forward. Any account verified to be using cheats, illicit assist programs, or client tampering will face a permanent ban. The studio also warned that repeat offenders can face stronger action, including IP and hardware bans.

The funniest detail is that many banned cheaters were still stuck in Bronze

The ban wave has drawn attention not only because of its size, but also because of the ranks listed in NetEase’s post. The studio published a long list of banned accounts with usernames mostly censored, along with their ranks. According to the report, the largest group of banned players came from Bronze, the lowest competitive rank in the game.

That detail quickly became the most talked about part of the story. The report says 184 banned accounts were Bronze players, while only three had reached One Above All, the top rank. Grandmaster and Diamond each had 65 banned players. It is possible that some of those Bronze accounts were new or alternate accounts created to protect main profiles, but the result still makes the cheating wave look even worse.

NetEase also addressed a specific rumor about the anti cheat system. Some players apparently believed that changing launch parameters could disable the anti cheat. The studio said that claim is completely false. According to NetEase, the anti cheat starts at the same time as the game client and cannot be disabled separately. The launch parameter in question only hides a pop up window and does not turn off the anti cheat itself.

For regular players, the message is simple. NetEase wants Marvel Rivals to remain a fair competitive game, and it is willing to remove accounts that damage that experience. This matters because cheating can quickly harm trust in online shooters, especially when ranked play depends on players believing matches are legitimate.

The move also places Marvel Rivals alongside other competitive multiplayer games that have taken a public hard line against cheating. Apex Legends and Marathon have also made clear that cheating can lead to permanent bans.

The ban wave may not end cheating entirely, but it sends a clear warning. Using cheats in Marvel Rivals can cost the account permanently, and repeat attempts may bring harsher restrictions. For everyone else, it is a reminder that climbing the ranks is still meant to come through practice, teamwork, and actual play.