Balancing Act: Addressing the Instalocking Dilemma in Marvel Rivals

The gaming community often faces recurring issues, and the recent launch of NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals has brought a familiar problem to light. With the introduction of 33 beloved characters from Marvel comics, including 18 DPS (duelists), a significant trend has emerged. Despite the variety of high-caliber Strategists and Vanguards, a considerable number of players gravitate only towards the Duelists. This fixation leads to an imbalance in team compositions, overshadowing other roles and discouraging players from exploring the game's diverse character roster.

Many players express frustration over this phenomenon, yet there appears to be a faction that defends this behavior on social platforms. A potential remedy exists in a system similar to that found in Overwatch 2. However, such a change could risk altering the essence of Marvel Rivals.

The dislike for instalockers is a sentiment shared worldwide, as their actions counter the intention of diverse class systems in hero-based shooters. The predicament within Marvel Rivals echoes this sentiment, especially following discussions on the r/MarvelRivals subreddit, where the issue was brought to attention. It's perplexing that some players aim to combat instalocking by doing precisely that, yet they are not entirely at fault. With more Duelists available than Strategists and Vanguards combined, it’s natural for players to gravitate towards this category.

During development, NetEase Games aimed to create an engaging experience for players across the board. While they encourage exploration of different heroes, the desire for a Role Queue system remains prevalent among gamers. This feature, seen in Overwatch 2, restricts the number of heroes per class to promote balanced team compositions.

However, implementing a Role Queue in Marvel Rivals might lead to complications. Not only could it slow matchmaking times, but it could also promote queue dodging. While penalties could mitigate these issues, the introduction of such a system could deter new players during these early stages of the game. Instead, NetEase Games appears to be emphasizing the addition of new heroes to enrich the character lineup, focusing on attracting gamers to try various classes, especially more compelling Strategists and Vanguards.