The developers of Marvel Rivals, the upcoming team-based PvP shooter from NetEase Games, have reportedly taken an unusual approach to dealing with leaks—by planting fake character data in the game files. This clever tactic appears to be designed to mislead data miners and identify potential leakers before real content is exposed.
With the game’s closed beta generating significant interest, Marvel Rivals has already faced multiple leaks regarding new characters, abilities, and skins. However, this latest move suggests that the developers are actively fighting back against unauthorized reveals.
How Are Developers Planting Fake Characters?
According to reports from data miners and leakers, Marvel Rivals’ game files contain references to certain Marvel characters that are highly unlikely to appear in the game. Some of these names have included:
- Obscure or forgotten Marvel characters that don’t fit the game’s roster style.
- Characters with incorrect abilities or lore descriptions, suggesting they were intentionally misleading.
- References to non-Marvel figures, possibly added as decoys.
Leakers initially believed these characters were upcoming additions to the game, but as more people analyzed the files, patterns emerged that suggested deliberate deception.
“At first, we thought we had found some unreleased characters, but after comparing notes, it became obvious that some of these were outright fakes. Someone at NetEase is definitely messing with leakers.” – Anonymous Data Miner
Why Would NetEase Do This?
The gaming industry has seen numerous high-profile leaks, and companies are constantly looking for ways to protect their intellectual property. By planting fake characters and misleading data, NetEase may be aiming to:
- Identify and track internal leakers
- If a fake character appears in a leak, developers will know exactly where it originated, making it easier to track down the source.
- Disrupt the credibility of leaks
- If fans see multiple leaked character names and later realize some are fake, they may doubt the accuracy of future leaks, reducing their impact.
- Control the narrative and maintain hype
- Keeping real character reveals a surprise allows NetEase to build excitement through official marketing rather than leaks.
