Marvel Rivals to issue penalties for console players using mouse and keyboard

NetEase Games, the developer of Marvel Rivals, has declared using a mouse and keyboard on consoles as cheating.

This comes at a time in which Marvel Rivals has seen a spike in the usage of keyboard and mouse adapters to mimic controller inputs. These are the most common adapters, according to NetEase Games' statement on January 14:

Marvel Rivals will detect these adapters and others thanks to the combination of a "strong detection tool" and human assistance, and players who persist in using mouse and keyboard on console will be punished.

According to NetEase Games, the penalties can range from temporary or permanent bans, removal from leaderboards, or other types of punishment "depending on the circumstance."

"We believe that gaining an unjust advantage through such methods significantly impacts the gaming experience for our players," NetEase Games said. "Therefore, whether on PC or console, we will take measures to vanquish this nefarious behavior."

Marvel Rivals is one of the most popular live services at the moment as it managed to fill the void left open by the growing unpopularity of other hero shooters like Overwatch. It makes sense that NetEase Games want to act quickly and ensure the game has as few cheaters as possible.

Although the usage of mouse and keyboard isn't considered an infraction by other games, it's problematic in a game like Marvel Rivals as these PC peripherals are much better for aiming than the usual PS5 or Xbox Series X controller.

After all, this is the main reason why Marvel Rivals keeps console and PC players separate in Competitive matches.

The reaction is seemingly mixed, based on players' comments on the post Marvel Rivals made on X.

Even though there are people who endorsed this measure, there are a significant number of players questioning why Marvel Rivals doesn't support keyboard and mouse on console.

One comment in particular offered a good solution that could leave everybody happy.

"Make matchmaking by input type," the player wrote. This would get rid of any advantage that console players who use a mouse and keyboard adaptor have.

However, this would likely take much time to implement as NetEase Games would have to redesign how Competitive matchmaking works. So, for now, if you're playing with a mouse and keyboard on console, it's best to learn how to play well with the controller.

That's all for now. However, stay tuned to esports.gg for more Marvel Rivals news.