Marvel Rivals' Character Popularity and Mod Controversy: A Data Dive
Official website data reveals interesting trends in Marvel Rivals' character popularity. In "quick play," Jeff reigns supreme, outperforming Venom and Cloak & Dagger. However, competitive play paints a different picture. On PC, Luna Snow, Cloak & Dagger, and Mantis lead the pack, while on consoles, Cloak & Dagger, Penny Parker, and Mantis dominate.
A surprising twist emerges: Mantis, despite her popularity, is also the most frequently defeated hero in competitive modes, leading on both PC and consoles, surpassing Hela, Loki, and Magic. Consoles show a broader success rate, with 14 additional characters boasting win rates exceeding 50%.
Conversely, unpopular characters include Storm, Black Widow, and Wolverine in "quick play," while Nemore takes the bottom spot in competitive modes.
The game's recent surge in popularity, with over 500 mods submitted in a single month, has unfortunately led to controversy. Nexus Mods removed modifications replacing Captain America's head with images of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, sparking significant player backlash.
Nexus Mods owner, TheDarkOne, clarified the decision in a private Reddit discussion, stating that both Trump and Biden-related mods were removed simultaneously to avoid accusations of political bias. This action, however, has seemingly gone unnoticed by YouTube gaming commentators.
