%20(12).png)
- Marvel Rivals is a fun and visually exciting team-based shooter, but its player base is quickly earning a reputation for being one of the most toxic in modern gaming. From constant flaming and name-calling to AFKs and players deliberately throwing matches, the negativity is affecting the overall experience.
- Players are already dealing with rampant smurfing, suspicious gameplay, and teammates who either refuse to cooperate or only show up when it looks like the match is winnable. The lack of effective punishment systems makes trolling feel consequence-free and more frequent.
- If the developers want Marvel Rivals to have any long-term success, they need to address the community’s behavior head-on—with stricter penalties, better reporting tools, and actual rewards for playing as a team. The game has serious potential, but it’s being buried under layers of player toxicity.
Marvel Rivals Has the Most Toxic Player Base Right Now – Here's Why
Let me preface this with something important: Marvel Rivals is actually a solid game. The hero design? Cool. The moment-to-moment gameplay? Fast and flashy. The potential? Massive. But there's one major problem keeping this game from becoming something truly special—and no, it's not the balancing or the bugs.
It's the player base.
More specifically: it's the sheer amount of toxicity baked into almost every match.
.jpg)
Where Did All the Chill Players Go?
I’ve queued into hundreds of matches across Overwatch, Valorant, Apex—you name it. And somehow, Marvel Rivals already feels like it's leading the pack in the “most unhinged team chat” competition.
I’m talking rage quitting, AFKers, people blatantly throwing games, and my personal favorite—stream sniping just to troll. Every match feels like a gamble, not because of enemy skill, but because you’re constantly wondering which teammate is gonna turn into a live-action Reddit thread.
You could be winning, carrying even, and someone will still flame you because you picked the “wrong” support or forgot to pocket their Bucky. It's exhausting.
Boosters, Smurfs, and Cheaters, Oh My!
Let’s talk smurfs. And no, not the cute blue kind.
Almost every other lobby has someone casually mentioning “oh that’s their alt” or “they’re just boosting someone.” And don’t even get me started on how many times I’ve seen someone land every headshot with pixel-perfect accuracy and then mysteriously go AFK after being called out. It’s giving definitely-not-legit-but-okay-sure vibes.
The result? Everyone’s suspicious. Everyone’s on edge. Everyone’s yelling.
Even when a player is just good, it’s now a question of “cheater or not?”
Why So Salty?
Here’s the part I don’t get. It’s a new game.
Why are people this angry, this early?
The second someone makes a mistake, the claws come out. You’ll hear “worst support I’ve ever seen,” “why are you even playing this game?” or “just uninstall” before the match even hits halfway. And then the classic move: going AFK in base because their main got banned in draft. Real mature, guys.
It’s like everyone watched a compilation of toxic Twitch ragers and decided that’s the energy they wanted to bring to their games.
Team Chat Is a Warzone
I’ve genuinely had more positive experiences in voice chat on League of Legends. And that’s saying a lot.
In Marvel Rivals, the second you speak up to suggest a strat, someone’s guaranteed to tell you to “shut up” or drop some next-level personal insult. And if you don’t say anything? They’ll flame you for “not comming.”
Lose-lose situation. It’s like being stuck in a team-building exercise with your middle school bullies.
AFK Culture and Troll Picks
Wanna play a team-based game where half your team refuses to play as a team? Marvel Rivals has you covered.
AFKers are rampant. Troll picks? Constant. And no, I’m not talking about people trying fun comps—I’m talking about players intentionally throwing, feeding, and mock-spamming emotes at their own teammates.
You’ll see them dance in spawn, flame in chat, then suddenly sprint back into the fight the second the team’s about to win—just to grab the W without doing anything.
And the worst part? The system doesn’t punish it fast enough. Reports feel like they go into a black hole, and there’s no immediate feedback loop like other modern games have introduced. These trolls know it. And they thrive in that silence.
There Is a Way Forward
I don’t want to sound all doom-and-gloom—because Marvel Rivals still has massive potential. The core game is fun. The heroes are creative. The visuals pop. But if the devs don’t step in soon and clean up the community, it’s going to fizzle out under the weight of its own salt.
What can they do?
- Stricter penalties for AFK and throwers
- Real-time warnings or cooldowns for toxic behavior
- Post-match reporting that actually provides feedback
- Mute and block functions that stick between games
- Promote actual teamwork—maybe even reward it
Give players a reason to not be jerks. Make being a good teammate worth something.
So to the players making this game harder than it has to be: chill out. It’s literally a Marvel shooter. Not the World Finals of esports. Have fun. Play a raccoon with a rocket launcher. Help your healer. Touch some grass between matches.
And to the devs: you’ve got something special here. Protect it.
Until next time, keep your comms clear and your tilts under control with more gaming sanity checks at Land of Geek Magazine!
#marvelrivals #toxiclobbies #gamerant #fpscommunity #teambasedgames
