NetEase Denies ‘Rigged’ EOMM Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals Amid Growing Player Backlash

Marvel Rivals (Credit: Netease)

NetEase, the studio behind Marvel Rivals, has publicly denied claims that the game uses Engagement Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM) following mounting community backlash over perceived "rigged" matchmaking.

In a recent post on X, the developer stated that Marvel Rivals "does not use EOMM" and promised to release a video soon explaining how its matchmaking and ranking systems actually work.

This statement comes after weeks of heated discussions across Reddit, Steam forums, and YouTube, where players have accused the game of deliberately manipulating match outcomes. Many say they’ve noticed patterns of extreme win-loss streaks, unbalanced teams, and swings in difficulty that feel too calculated to be a coincidence.

The suspicion is that such a system could be designed to keep players emotionally engaged — giving them big wins to hook them, then frustrating losses to keep them chasing that next victory, often nudging them toward spending on cosmetics or sticking around longer.

According to reports from the community, frustration over matchmaking has been simmering since early 2025 but intensified around the launch of Season 3. Popular content creators xFatherDarkx have released in-depth analyses of match history patterns in his video "EOMM is DESTROYING Marvel Rivals," arguing that the game subtly engineers match outcomes for player retention rather than fair competition.

Fueling these suspicions is a 2024 paper published by NetEase engineers discussing a shift from traditional skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) to a more "engaging" AI-driven approach. Although NetEase insists they are not using EA’s patented EOMM system, critics claim the studio might be applying a proprietary equivalent, sometimes referred to as "EnMatch," making the denial feel like a matter of semantics.

Players point to specific scenarios: dominating one match effortlessly, then being paired with underperforming teammates in the next; suddenly facing much stronger opponents after a winning streak; or encountering varying numbers of low-skill bots seemingly inserted to influence the match’s outcome. Some even allege subtle technical manipulations, such as altered hitboxes or damage output, though there’s no concrete proof of such changes.

The controversy has already had a tangible impact. Some streamers have boycotted ranked play, while others have stopped playing altogether until more transparency is provided. Calls for reform range from reinstating pure SBMM to adding map voting and better ban systems. While matchmaking is the central issue, it has also sparked broader debates about competitive integrity in live-service games.

Steam Charts data shows that Marvel Rivals is still enjoying strong popularity (128,405 in

24-hour peak), but prolonged mistrust could erode its player base. Hopefully, NetEase's upcoming video explanation will help clear things up.