NetEase has issued a direct warning to Marvel Rivals players engaging in intentional match throwing and malicious idling on their official discord. The developer called the behavior a “disturbing trend” and promised stricter enforcement, including permanent account bans.
We have recently identified a disturbing trend within our community: “incentivized throwing,” where players are enticed by third-party bounties to deliberately sabotage matches. This behavior not only undermines the integrity of our game but also tarnishes the experience for honest players who are committed to fair competition.
We have recently identified a disturbing trend within our community: “incentivized throwing,” where players are enticed by third-party bounties to deliberately sabotage matches. This behavior not only undermines the integrity of our game but also tarnishes the experience for honest players who are committed to fair competition.
In light of this, we want to make our position clear:
We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy against any form of malicious disruption. To combat this issue, we are implementing a specialized investigation protocol focused on identifying and addressing negative gameplay linked to these external bounties. Accounts found to be violating our policies will face serious repercussions, including, but not limited to, permanent bans. We strongly advise players against jeopardizing their valuable accounts and hard-earned progress for the sake of temporary incentives.
Moreover, to reinforce the principles of fair competition, we have enhanced our regulations regarding negative gameplay. Accounts found to be engaging in disruptive behaviors, such as malicious idling (AFK) or intentionally throwing matches, will incur significant penalties following reporting and verification.
If you encounter players who are maliciously idling or intentionally throwing games, we encourage you to utilize the reporting feature immediately. Your reports are crucial and will be thoroughly investigated by our dedicated team.
Maintaining a positive gaming environment is a collective responsibility. Thank you for your continued support!
The statement specifically targets players who sabotage games for third-party incentives like our previously covered Intlist.org. NetEase warned players not to risk their accounts and progress for temporary rewards. Intlist then went to X to respond to NetEase directly regarding their service.
The service was where players could pay to have matches thrown in retaliation against griefers. The pitch described an 80% payout model where someone would queue into a match, intentionally throw it, and collect payment.
The problem with bounty systems is obvious. Rewarding people to throw matches just creates more throwing. One player compared it to paying bounties for dead snakes—you end up with more snakes, not fewer.
Match throwing differs from simply playing poorly. NetEase’s enforcement targets deliberate sabotage like staying idle in spawn, repeatedly dying on purpose, or refusing to play the objective. Players who are just bad at the game or make questionable character picks aren’t the target.
Team-based competitive games struggle with this issue because one player can tank an entire match. Marvel Rivals faces the same problems as other hero shooters—low-friction account creation makes it easy for banned players to return, and short suspensions don’t deter repeat offenders.
How NetEase plans to crack down
The developer outlined an escalating penalty system. First-time offenders might face warnings or short suspensions. Repeat violators will see longer bans. Players caught throwing for payment or coordinating sabotage through third-party platforms face the harshest consequences, including permanent bans.
NetEase emphasized that external monetization schemes violate terms of service. Third-party platforms that profit from in-game behavior create legal and policy friction with developers. The company made clear these bounty services have no official connection to Marvel Rivals.
