Marvel Rivals team apologises for seeking to restrict negative coverage

NetEase plans to revise the “excessively restrictive terms” of its content creator program

The team behind Marvel Rivals has apologised for seeking to restrict negative coverage of the game from content creators.

In order to participate in its content creator program, players were required to sign an agreement which included a “non-disparagement” clause that forbade them from providing “subjective negative reviews of the game”.

Following a backlash from content creators including popular streamer Brandon Larned, developer NetEase said it would revise the terms, which it acknowledged were overly restrictive.

Extremely disappointed in @MarvelRivals.
Multiple creators asked for key codes to gain access to the playtest and are asked to sign a contract.
The contract signs away your right to negatively review the game.
Many streamers have signed without reading just to play
Insanity. pic.twitter.com/c11BUDyka9
— Brandon Larned (@A_Seagull) May 12, 2024

“We would like to take this opportunity to address the concerns we’ve seen regarding the agreement terms of Content Creator Programs and, above all, we would like to apologize for any unpleasant experiences or doubts caused by the miscommunication of these terms,” reads a statement attributed to the Marvel Rivals team published on X.

“The Content Creator Program is a small-scale project that aims to aid in the production of incredible content by supporting Creators through giving them more resources. We actively encourage Creators to share their honest thoughts, suggestions, and criticisms as they play. All feedback, positive and negative, ultimately helps us craft the best experience for ourselves and the players.

“We sincerely apologize for the confusion, suspicion, and frustration caused by these excessively restrictive terms and thank you for sharing with us. We cherish and appreciate every suggestion given by our players and always respect your feedback.”

Announced for PC in March, Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play 6v6 team-based shooter which is played from a third-person perspective.

It’s being developed by a new internal team at NetEase Games, which said it’s “composed of global talent who previously worked on hit franchises such as Call of Duty and Battlefield”.