Marvel Rivals’ Vanguard problem is ruining the game’s balance

With Season 1.5 of Marvel Rivals well under way, fans are speaking out about the persistent issues with game balance and skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) that are threatening to overshadow the hero shooter. This 6v6 game has been engaging millions of players since its 2024 launch by NetEase Games thanks to its roster of more than 37 Marvel icons; nevertheless, subsequent patches have shown weaknesses in the game’s competitive system.

Many fans have voiced their frustrations with the matchmaking system, claiming that it is unfair and forces talented players to play with teammates that aren’t a good fit, or puts them through terrible losing streaks. This dissatisfaction, along with the unreliability of the servers, has led many to demand that NetEase revamp SBMM in order to make it more accurate to players’ abilities and guarantee fair matches.

However, what adds more fuel to the fire is an unfair number of Duelists compared to Vanguards in the game. With twenty Duelists, like Winter Soldier and Iron Man, who do damage, the eight Vanguards, like Hulk and The Thing, feel like a footnote in the lineup, which has further frustrated players.

Marvel Rivals players slam NetEase devs for uneven ratio between character roles

According to Marvel Rivals players like Jarrys88, the imbalance between the number of Duelists vs Vanguards encourages a Duelist-heavy meta, where nimble damage dealers take precedence over the more traditionally tanky frontline protectors that teams rely on to provide stability.

The recent inclusion of Human Torch and The Thing to the game in Season 1.5 has failed to alleviate the discontent as in Season 1 alone, the game added two Duelists, one Vanguard and one Strategist. Furthermore, players continue to choose flashier Duelists over Strategists and Vanguards, leading to chaotic quickplay matches and are now requesting that NetEase increase the number of Vanguards, bringing back tactical depth and team synergy in Marvel Rivals as they seek parity in the roster.

For some, the more worrying issue is the flood of incoming leaked heroes like Blade, who is again rumored to be a Duelist and will soon be added as a playable character to the roster right before Season 2 chimes in. Besides that, other leaked heroes like Deadpool and Phoenix are also speculated to be DPS characters who will bring their aggressive abilities to the battlefield.

At the same time, players are also arguing that characters like Mister Fantastic and Wolverine could easily have been classified as Vanguards due to their “tankier nature” and damage dealing capabilities, but are left in the Duelist category due to low base health.

While NetEase plans to add more heroes with upcoming Marvel Rivals seasons, fans could only hope to see if their favorite leaked hero is tankier enough to fit the Vanguard bill, or will it be just another hero in a flock full of Duelists.