NetEase has deployed a new detection system and a ranked point compensation mechanism in Marvel Rivals after a coordinated "incentivized throwing" scheme spread through the game's community.
How the Bounty Scheme Worked
Throwing in competitive games is nothing new. What emerged in Marvel Rivals was a more organized and financially driven version of it, where real money changed hands to make it happen.
A third party website and a Discord server were used to post bounties on specific players. Other players would then queue into ranked matches with the target and intentionally lose, collecting the reward afterward. The website took a cut of each payout. The site has since been shut down, though the Discord server was also reported as part of the operation.
NetEase Responds
The spread of the practice prompted a public statement from the developers. "We have recently identified a disturbing trend within our community: 'incentivized throwing,' where players are enticed by third-party bounties to deliberately sabotage matches," NetEase said. "This behavior not only undermines the integrity of our game but also tarnishes the experience for honest players who are committed to fair competition."
NetEase followed up with concrete countermeasures shortly after.
Detection System and Victim Compensation Protocol
NetEase's response has two parts. First, a new detection system is now live across all servers, using big data analysis combined with manual review to flag malicious throwing. Confirmed violations result in "strict additional penalties" against offending accounts, though NetEase didn't specify what those penalties entail.
The second piece is the Victim Compensation Protocol. Players who lose ranked points because a teammate was confirmed to be throwing will have those points automatically restored. The compensation covers not just the player targeted by a bounty, but anyone on the losing team affected by the behavior. Players also receive a mail notification once compensation is issued.
The protocol also covers situations where teammates abandon matches partway through, leaving the rest of the team to fight shorthanded. Full details on whether compensation includes in-game currency or other rewards beyond ranked points are expected when the full update releases.
NetEase noted the changes were shaped by community feedback and encouraged players to keep reporting throwing incidents through the game's report system to help detection improve over time.
Still an Ongoing Problem
The bounty website is down, but NetEase acknowledged that throwing isn't going away. Both the detection system and the Victim Compensation Protocol are now live. How well the detection holds up as bad actors adapt remains to be seen.
