Summary
A Donald Trump character mod for the game Marvel Rivals has been removed from Nexus Mods, reportedly due to its sociopolitical nature, violating the modding platform's established rules against such content. The developer, NetEase Games, has yet to comment on the situation or the broader issue of character mods within the game.
Marvel Rivals, a hero shooter released recently, has quickly gained millions of players. The game's modding community has been active, creating various modifications, including alternate skins based on Marvel Comics and films, and even crossovers with other franchises like Fortnite.
A mod replacing Captain America's model with Donald Trump circulated on social media, sparking interest and even requests for a similar Joe Biden mod. However, both mods are now inaccessible on Nexus Mods, resulting in error messages.
Reasons for Removal:
Nexus Mods' 2020 policy explicitly prohibits mods related to US sociopolitical issues. This policy, implemented during the contentious 2020 presidential election, aims to maintain a neutral platform. While the removal of the Trump mod has been largely accepted by the Marvel Rivals community – with many citing the incongruity of Trump's likeness with Captain America's – some have expressed dissatisfaction with Nexus Mods' stance on political content. It's worth noting that despite this policy, Trump-related mods persist in other games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and XCOM 2.
Developer Inaction:
NetEase Games, the developer of Marvel Rivals, has not publicly addressed the use of character mods, including those featuring controversial figures. The company's current focus appears to be on resolving gameplay issues and addressing player account problems.
