"Marvel Rivals Dev Plans Buffs for Strategist Experience After Support Player Strike"

NetEase Games, the developers behind Marvel Rivals, have recently outlined their strategy to alleviate the challenges faced by Strategists, just days after the community initiated a widespread Support strike. Season 2 of Marvel Rivals has introduced new characters, maps, and modes, propelling the hero shooter forward with promises of faster seasons and an expanded roster of playable heroes. However, the balance adjustments made have shifted the power dynamics, particularly affecting the Strategists class, which primarily serves as the game's Support pool.

Since the launch of Season 2, the Marvel Rivals community has been vocal about the diminished effectiveness of the Support class. With other roles gaining more battlefield influence, many Strategists have experienced not only tough but also toxic gameplay, with teammates often blaming them through text and voice chats. The situation escalated when hundreds of players took to social media to announce their boycott of the healer role, demanding improvements from NetEase.

"We just want basic respect," stated one Reddit user. "We're not asking to be seen as the 'hardest' role - because I don't think we are. We just want basic respect. It's exhausting to be labeled brain dead or worthless when your performance stats are solid and you're fulfilling your role as intended."

I Need Healing

In response to the Support strike and the shifting class dynamics, NetEase has announced plans to address the concerns surrounding the Strategist class. In a Dev Talk post published on their website, the company detailed a dual approach to ease the pressure on Support players: enhancing the Strategist role and making adjustments to the Competitive mode to make it more rewarding.

NetEase plans to increase the "threat levels" of Strategists in an upcoming patch, which may involve boosting characters like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark. Conversely, certain Vanguards, such as Captain America and Groot, will see nerfs to their survivability, while Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will have its damage range reduced. The specifics of these changes are yet to be disclosed.

"Given that this is a mid-season balance adjustment, our goal is to be cautious and keep changes minimal to improve the experience of specific heroes without significantly altering the overall meta," NetEase stated. "As we transition into S2.5, with Ultron's introduction and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider more comprehensive balance changes."

The Competitive mode in Marvel Rivals has also seen slight adjustments to performance stats since Season 2 began. Duelists have enjoyed an edge in performance ratings, while Vanguards and Strategists have faced a disadvantage. To address this, NetEase will modify the performance rating calculations to ensure a fairer experience across all heroes.

"Balancing the game and adjusting rankings is a complex task, and we cannot promise perfection every time," the Dev Talk added. "However, we remain committed to listening and responding quickly to enhance your gameplay experience. Keep an eye out for official patch announcements for further updates. Thank you for your support and patience!"

Season 2 of Marvel Rivals introduced Emma Frost as a new playable Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to bring Ultron into the fray. As we await the impact of these upcoming balance changes on the Support strike, you can check out recent Marvel teasers that could introduce a collection of swimsuit skins to the game.