"Marvel Rivals Dev Plans to Enhance Strategist Experience After Support Player Strike"

Marvel Rivals' developer NetEase Games has announced plans to alleviate some of the challenges faced by Strategist players, just days after a community-wide Support strike gained momentum. The response comes following widespread player feedback highlighting an imbalance in gameplay dynamics between classes.

Much of Marvel Rivals Season 2 has been well-received. Fresh heroes, new maps, and exciting modes have kept the momentum going as the development team promises faster content updates and more playable characters moving forward. However, balance adjustments have introduced unforeseen issues—particularly for the Strategist class, which serves as the game’s primary Support role. Many players feel overshadowed as Vanguards and Duelists gain more dominance on the battlefield.

The reduced effectiveness of the Strategist class has sparked ongoing discussions within the Marvel Rivals community since the start of Season 2. With other roles gaining increased power, many Support players report not only difficult but also toxic matches, where teammates resort to blaming them via text or voice chat. This tension escalated recently when hundreds of players took to social media to declare they would avoid playing Support until NetEase provided clarity on how it intends to improve the experience.

“We just want basic respect,” said one Reddit user. “We’re not asking to be glorified or seen as the ‘hardest’ role—because I don’t think we are. We just want basic respect. It’s tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you’re playing your role the way it’s meant to be played.”

I Need Healing

Whether the strike has had any real impact or players are simply opting out of a frustrating role, NetEase has acknowledged the concerns. In a Dev Talk post published today, the studio outlined its strategy to ease pressure on Strategists through a dual approach—buffing the Support class while making Competitive mode more balanced and rewarding.

According to the update, Strategist “threat levels” will be adjusted in an upcoming patch. Potential buffs may include improvements for heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark, while certain Vanguards such as Captain America and Groot could see reductions in survivability. Additionally, Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will experience a reduction in damage range. Exact details on affected heroes have yet to be confirmed.

“Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta,” NetEase stated. “As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes.”

Competitive mode has also seen shifts in performance metrics since the launch of Season 2. Duelists have enjoyed an edge in terms of performance ratings, while Vanguard and Strategist players have found themselves at a disadvantage. To address this, NetEase plans to recalibrate performance rating calculations to ensure fairer outcomes across all hero classes.

“Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can't guarantee perfection 100% of the time,” the Dev Talk continued. “However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!”

Marvel Rivals Season 2 introduced Emma Frost as its newest Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to feature Ultron soon. While the community awaits confirmation on whether these balance updates will satisfy those participating in the Support strike, fans can look forward to a recent Marvel tease that could introduce a collection of swimsuit skins to the game in the future.