Marvel Rivals Fans Launch Bounty System to Combat Griefers, Sparking Backlash
In a bold and controversial move, Marvel Rivals enthusiasts have taken game policing into their own hands by creating a website that pays players to grief those accused of ruining matches. This initiative, intended to curb toxic behavior, is instead raising alarms about escalating in-game harassment and privacy risks.
What Is Griefing and Why Is It a Problem?
Griefing refers to players who join online multiplayer games with the sole intent of disrupting others' experiences. In Marvel Rivals, this can involve attacking teammates, deliberately losing, or idling to throw matches. It's a pervasive issue across many games, frustrating legitimate players and undermining competitive integrity.
Intlist: A Flawed Solution to Griefing
Launched earlier this week by EchoRivals, a self-described former pro player on X, Intlist allows users to contribute to bounties against players they believe are throwing matches. Others can then join games with these targets, intentionally lose, and claim a reward—keeping 80% of the pool after fees. EchoRivals blames developer NetEase for the site's creation, citing inadequate action against griefers and the use of engagement-oriented matchmaking (EOMM), which NetEase denies employing.
EOMM is a system designed to maximize player retention by adjusting matchups based on win-loss streaks, rather than skill level. In an X post, EchoRivals stated, 'Marvel Rivals won't fix EOMM. They won't punish griefers. They won't protect your ranked games. So we did.' The post adds that Intlist will shut down only if NetEase removes EOMM and bans throwers.
Community Outcry and Abuse of the System
However, the real-world impact of Intlist is concerning. Players on the Marvel Rivals subreddit express frustration, with Cryocian noting, 'It's so insanely stupid that this even exists at all because it's a minor annoyance at worst for the thrower and rage inducing for anyone randomly matched with them.' Others, like JoanOfSarcasm, report encountering more throwers since the site's launch, leading them to quit the game.
Worse, the bounty system is ripe for abuse. JRex922 points out that innocent players could be targeted for petty reasons, such as revenge after a competitive loss. Reports indicate that bounties have been placed on Twitch streamers and high-ranking players, not just known griefers, exacerbating harassment in an already toxic environment.
Privacy Breaches and Site Downtime
Intlist's problems extend beyond gameplay. The website is currently down for maintenance after EchoRivals admitted in a Discord server that it 'detected unauthorised access' and exposed email addresses linked to bounty posts. This breach risks players' privacy, as targets' identifiable information, like Twitch usernames, is shared publicly.
Call for Developer Intervention
Fans are urging NetEase to step in and ban players guilty of throwing matches, rather than relying on vigilante solutions. The studio has yet to respond to Intlist, leaving the community in limbo. As the situation unfolds, the debate highlights the challenges of managing online toxicity and the unintended consequences of player-driven enforcement.
Ultimately, while Intlist aims to address griefing, it may only worsen Marvel Rivals' ecosystem, creating a cycle of retaliation that harms ordinary players and compromises their safety.
