NetEase has implemented a ban on a specific tactic used to gain an unfair advantage on the console versions of Marvel Rivals. Keyboard and mouse adapters, hardware used to allow players to use control options on consoles where a standard keyboard is the standard, are officially against the rules.
This was confirmed via an official blog post on the Marvel Rivals website, in which NetEase said it had added in-game detection software that could identify the use of such hardware and issue bans accordingly. Additionally, the developers are asking players to keep an eye out for anyone they believe is using such techniques and getting away with it, and to report them in-game.
iGamesNews
Keyboard and mouse adapters are not malicious in nature, like other more professional controllers that intentionally apply auto-aim functionality. Instead, they're a niche toolkit that allows players to use their preferred control method for console games. However, in competitive online games like Marvel Rivals, the potential for unfair advantage does arise when using such hardware. In layman's terms, a skilled mouse and keyboard player may be able to aim better than characters like Hawkeye and Black Widow on a console keyboard because of the greater freedom of mouse movement/aiming. Since this is offered due to optional hardware that other players may not own, it is banned.
If you need proof that keyboard and mouse can completely change the balance of power between teams, all you really need to consider are the meta differences between the PC and console versions of Marvel Rivals, or any competitive game for that matter. On PC, characters that require more accuracy for better damage output (see Hela, Hawkeye) tend to be highly rated by the community. On the other hand, characters like Moon Knight or the Punisher that don't require this kind of targeted targeting to perform well perform particularly well on consoles. There's also the fact that console-specific aim assist isn't present in the PC version, as the developers have determined that players don't need as much help when hitting the ball.
Bringing PC targets into console lobbies poses all kinds of problems, so a ban has been put in place. According to the aforementioned blog post, penalties for using such gear may include “temporary or permanent account suspension, removal from leaderboards, or other penalties on a case-by-case basis.”
Are you a Marvel Rivals console player? What do you think of NetEase’s ruling? Let us know below!