Marvel Rivals' Character Popularity and the Nexus Mods Controversy
Official game data reveals interesting character popularity trends in Marvel Rivals. In "quick play," Jeff reigns supreme, outperforming Venom and Cloak & Dagger. However, competitive play shows different favorites. On PC, Luna Snow, Cloak & Dagger, and Mantis lead the pack, while on consoles, Cloak & Dagger, Penny Parker, and Mantis take the top spots.
A surprising twist: Mantis, despite her popularity, is also the most frequently defeated hero in competitive mode, leading on both PC and consoles, surpassing Hela, Loki, and Magic. Consoles saw a broader spread of success, with 14 additional characters boasting win rates exceeding 50%.
Conversely, unpopular characters also emerged. Storm, Black Widow, and Wolverine lagged in "quick play," while Nemore occupied the bottom rung in competitive modes.
The game's recent surge in popularity, with over 500 mods submitted in a single month, has unfortunately sparked controversy. Nexus Mods, a prominent modding platform, removed modifications that replaced Captain America's head with images of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. This action ignited strong reactions from users.
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 bias. The statement clarifies that the removal was not politically motivated but aimed at maintaining neutrality.
Curiously, this controversy appears to have received little to no coverage from YouTube gaming influencers.
