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Marvel Rivals has upset players yet again with some peculiar balances that buff some of the strongest heroes
PC Gamer reports that Marvel Rivals has sparked another player backlash after NetEase released an emergency Season 9 balance patch that buffs several already powerful heroes. The criticism matters because it feeds a wider argument over whether the game is being balanced for competitive fairness or for a more chaotic, broadly “fun” meta, with some players and creators saying the latest changes worsen existing frustrations.
The article says the patch arrived just one day after Season 9 launched and included buffs for characters such as Cyclops, Gambit and Black Widow, as well as broader improvements for Strategists including Invisible Woman, Jubilee, Rocket Raccoon and Ultron. It highlights Gambit’s added self-regeneration and Bridge Boost healing, and notes that Strategists’ healing-to-ultimate-energy conversion efficiency was set to 70%, only 5% below its pre-Season 9 level, while Vanguards and Duelists reportedly took a 15% reduction. NetEase said the changes were intended to respond to shifting battlefield data and pressure on Strategists, but players quoted in the piece argued that strong characters were being made even stronger.
In short
- Marvel Rivals players are angry about fresh Season 9 balance changes
- Several already strong heroes were buffed again
- The patch has intensified debate over fun versus fair balance
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
NetEase's data-driven position is that Strategists underperformed as a role overall, justifying category-wide buffs rather than controversial selective nerfs to beloved characters. In team-based games, role viability matters more than individual character strength, and this approach restores balance whilst maintaining player satisfaction. Even if some Strategists seemed strong individually, aggregate role performance apparently justified strengthening them all.
The case against
The criticism is that universal buffs worsen rather than fix balance, accelerating power creep and narrowing viable roster diversity. The correct approach would target weak Strategists specifically or address overpowering characters in other roles—not raise everyone's power level. The patch's rapid implementation mere hours after launch suggests insufficient analysis and testing before deployment.
Explained simply
Marvel Rivals is a team-based competitive game developed by NetEase where players control Marvel characters in battles. The game regularly receives updates that adjust how powerful each character is, to prevent any single character from being too dominant.
A balance update arrived shortly after the start of Season 9 and strengthened several characters that were already considered amongst the game's most powerful. The patch also gave particular advantages to certain character roles, such as support characters, whilst weakening others in comparison.
NetEase stated the balance update was intended to respond to game data and pressure on support characters. However, players and content creators have argued that strengthening already powerful characters contradicts competitive fairness, fuelling a wider debate about whether the game should prioritise balanced competition or entertainment value.