Marvel Rivals Immediately Walks Back Controversial Mid-Season Rank Reset

Marvel Rivals has done an immediate about-face, walking back the mid-season rank reset it announced yesterday in the face of fan furore. Developer NetEase had initially said that with the second half of season 1 arriving on 21st February, players' competitive ranking would be dropping some four divisions; that's no longer the case.

Not even 24 hours later, another dev diary was posted, and a contrite NetEase acknowledged what it optimistically described as a "wealth of feedback", noting the studio is aware of the time and effort already required to rank up in the game: "A common concern was the pressure associated with having a rank reset every half-season, which has made participating in competitive mode less enjoyable."

In addition to introducing The Fantastic Four's Human Torch and The Thing, it seems that next week's update will maintain the status quo, so fear not, your hard-won gains will remain safe: "Players will retain their ranks and scores from the end of the first half. To earn new rewards, players must complete 10 matches in Competitive mode and meet the relevant conditions by the end of the season. Rewards will include a new Gold rank costume and a variety of Crests of Honor, featuring distinct designs for Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All."

Were you concerned about the short-lived changes NetEase proposed but has since withdrawn? In the comments section below, expose yourself to life-changing cosmic rays.