Good news for Steam Deck, Mac, and other Linux-based gamers who enjoy playing the superhero shooter Marvel Rivals – they can now play without the fear of unjust bans. NetEase, the developers of the game, recently issued bans of up to 100 years to players suspected of cheating. However, they failed to differentiate between legitimate compatibility layers and actual hacks. Following backlash, NetEase has apologized to affected players and lifted the bans.
According to a statement on NetEase’s Discord, “We sincerely apologize for this situation and want to assure you that we do not and will not ban players who are playing fairly and without cheating. We have identified the reasons behind these false bans, lifted them, and compiled a list of affected players.” This move showcases that justice can be served through apologies just as effectively as through superhero interventions.
Although I haven’t personally played Marvel Rivals, it’s worth noting that Valve has rated it as playable on the Steam Deck. This could have led to a significant number of SteamOS players being wrongly banned. Proton, the compatibility layer integrated into SteamOS, has had issues triggering anti-cheat systems in the past. Despite concerns, NetEase opted for a more lenient approach compared to other developers.
Kudos to NetEase for handling the situation with fairness, even though certain restrictions still apply within the game. It’s a step in the right direction for the gaming community.
