Marvel Rivals Matchmaking Is Rigged? The EOMM Controversy Claims NetEase’s Top Priority Is Making You Lose Games, Buy More Skins

Marvel Rivals is everywhere in the industry right now, and there is no going back anytime soon as the game is what many are simply calling ‘fun’. Unfortunately, there goes way more behind the scenes to fully understand what it takes to make the title appear that way.

Rivals, developed under Netease Games, has been under fire recently due to allegations that its matchmaking system is intentionally rigged. At the center of the controversy lies the use of an Engagement Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM) system, which, in a nutshell, manipulates players’ emotions to maximize profits for the studio.

EOMM, a controversial algorithm often used in competitive online games, is designed to prioritize engagement over fairness. Instead of ensuring matches are balanced, the system instead crafts situations where players experience a mix of wins and losses.

The goal for games to use EOMM is to ultimately keep players hooked, taking them through the multiple experiences of the thrill of victory and the frustration of defeat.

Marvel Rivals is said to use this mechanic in order to make players feel good when they first log on. It makes them feel the fun in the game and allegedly manipulates them into buying more skins due to the player thinking of the long-term benefit.

The obvious signs of EOMM being present in the game include not only the drastic changes in victory and defeats but also the exaggeration in the number of bots playing the round, which can vary, and so can their skill level if the scenario calls for it.

Marvel Rivals allegedly creates a psychological reward loop, forcing players to be drawn back into the game and making them determined to achieve the next win after a frustrating loss.

It also extends to more than just bots being present in the game. If the game sees fit, it can also alter your and your enemies’ hitboxes, the amount of damage being done, and more technical manipulations without leaving a trace.

It is important to note that so far there is ultimately no proof that Marvel Rivals makes use of such mechanics. However, the collective experience of thousands of players has made many of them come to the conclusion that EOMM might just exist in the game, much like this one player.