Despite Marvel Rivals' mod ban, fans of the hero shooter are dropping more custom skins than ever: "Modding Marvel Rivals lives on"

Marvel's Rivals
(Image credit: NetEase)

NetEase Games recently enacted an official ban on Marvel Rivals mods, which should mean no more custom skins - but as is always the case with eager fans, the community has found a way and it seems modders aren't going anywhere any time soon.

It's been a wild first season for Marvel Rivals so far, to say the least. Between its record-high player count and the addition of new characters like Mister Fantastic, a lot has been going on - but it hasn't all been positive. The fresh season also marked the implementation of a ban on mods following various custom anime-themed skins and the recent Trump and Biden debacle on Nexus. Considering the developers' point of view, the ban is unsurprising.

As dev Del Walker explained, there's a plethora of reasons behind the mod ban - the potential to cheat, NSFW or political mods, and possible legal problems since "lots of mods infringe on copyrighted designs or assets." None of this has stopped fans from continuing to produce and download mods, however. As one player writes in a post alongside a clip showcasing a new custom One Piece skin, "Modding Marvel Rivals lives on."

It lives on indeed, despite needing "extra steps to pull off" - Nexus Mods' "new this week" tab under the website's Marvel Rivals page proves as much. Over 200 new mods have dropped just this past week alone despite NetEase's ban, many of which include custom skins. There are all flavors of themed downloads drawing from other popular media now, too, whether it be colorful League of Legends champion or God of War skins.

Fans seem to be well aware of the ban and how to circumvent it as well, with many of the newer mods' descriptions proclaiming "full compatibility" with Marvel Rivals' first season and its accompanying patch. There's no telling what the future has in store for modders or how and whether or not NetEase will crack down once again, but one thing is likely for certain - as long as there's an active community, mods are sure to be found.

Check out some great new games coming this year and beyond for even more to look forward to.

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

Read more
Marvel Rivals Infinity Comics promo image
As Marvel Rivals bans custom skin mods, one developer with experience on "multiple live service games" explains why
Captain America in the Marvel Rivals 'Stars Aligned' launch date trailer.
Nexus Mods got death threats after removing Trump and Biden mods for Marvel Rivals, owner says it's been site policy for years: "It's so dumb, and these people are so dumb"
Venom, Spider-Man, Peni Parker, Scarlet Witch, Magneto, and Storm pose in artwork for Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals devs lift bans on players mistakenly banned for cheating: "We do not and will not ban players who are playing fairly"
Invisible Woman in her Marvel Rivals character reveal trailer, surrounded by projectiles
Marvel Rivals bans popular third-party plugin: "We deem this program as cheating," but "fear not" if you've been using it
The Fantastic Four seen running towards Dracula in Marvel Rivals' Season 1 'Eternal Night Falls' trailer.
It's time to stop calling Marvel Rivals an Overwatch 2 killer now that its features have already surpassed it
Thor looking into the camera with a steely stare
Mere hours after enraging Marvel Rivals players with the announcement of a mid-season rank reset, NetEase Games quickly u-turns: "Players will retain their ranks and scores"
Latest in Third Person Shooters
Jeff the Land Shark as he appears in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals has an unintentional Team-Up ability for Jeff the Land Shark and Doctor Strange, who can join forces for a bug that sends foes into an inescapable void
Four Helldivers lined up on base ship
A year after Malevelon Creek became Helldivers 2's fiercest battleground, it looks like the Automatons are coming back for more
Helldivers 2 screenshot showing someone using a big gun
Helldivers 2 boss says "death and rebirth" is a natural part of the games industry, but it's "unnecessarily brutal" right now "because we don't diversify enough"
The Invisible Woman in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals devs know exactly how popular Invisible Woman is, and say that "body shape or silhouette" add to a character's popularity in a way far more innocent than the internet deserves
Helldivers 2 Warbond
Helldivers 2 players "became obsessed" with Malevolon Creek, but it was Gabe Newell who really kicked off one of Super Earth's bloodiest battles
Heroes and villains face off in Marvel Rivals key art
Marvel Rivals exec isn't afraid of roster bloat after NetEase promised new heroes every 6 weeks: "There's no limit for the sky. We just throw everything at it"
Latest in News
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots
The surprise theme of today's Nintendo Direct was classic PlayStation franchises getting a comeback without Sony's involvement
Hogwarts Legacy how many spells
Unannounced Hogwarts Legacy DLC reportedly canceled, partly because the studio wasn't sure it'd be worth players' money
Ultimate X-Men #14
Ultimate X-Men #14 pays homage to a classic Wolverine moment as the Shadow King returns
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Ubisoft reaches deal with Tencent to create $4.3 billion mini-Ubisoft subsidiary to "spearhead development" on new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six games
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2
The Last of Us showrunner says he isn't worried about fan reaction to season 2: "The best way we could respect our fans and honor them is to not worry about them"
Black Myth: Wukong
English is no longer the biggest language on Steam as Chinese gamers embrace PC gaming even harder after Black Myth: Wukong