The gaming community of *Marvel Rivals* has been buzzing with excitement and speculation over potential future characters, thanks to diligent dataminers uncovering names hidden within the game's code. However, as the list of these datamined heroes grew, so did the rumors that some of these names might be nothing more than a playful ruse by the developers at NetEase and Marvel. The recent addition of the Fantastic Four seemed to lend some credibility to the datamined leaks, but skepticism persists within the community about the authenticity of other names.
In a recent interview, we had the chance to address these rumors directly with *Marvel Rivals* producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo. When questioned about the possibility of trolling the community, Wu emphasized the complexity of character development, stating, "So firstly we want to say that we don't recommend anybody to make adjustments to the files [of the game]. Also, you can see that for each character's design actually we come through a very complicated process and we make a lot of concepts, trials, prototypes, development, et cetera. So there could be some information left in the code, and it might mean that we have tried those directions and they may appear or may not appear in our future plans. And whether or not they will appear in our future pipeline is highly depending on what kind of gameplay experience our players would expect in our game."
Koo added a humorous perspective, likening the situation to finding a notebook full of ideas without context, and firmly denied any deliberate attempts to mislead dataminers. "No. We would rather spend our time developing the actual game," he stated, reinforcing their commitment to enhancing *Marvel Rivals*.
During our conversation, we delved deeper into the process of selecting new characters for the game. Wu and Koo explained that the team plans updates approximately a year in advance, aiming to introduce a new character every month and a half. The selection process involves considering the current roster's balance and variety, with NetEase creating a list of potential additions based on the needed skillsets and play styles. This list is then shared with Marvel Games to begin the design process, taking into account community feedback and upcoming Marvel projects across different media, such as films or comics, to tie in new characters effectively.
This approach explains the presence of multiple character names in the game's code, as NetEase continuously explores numerous ideas to keep *Marvel Rivals* engaging and well-balanced. The game has been well-received since its launch, and the addition of characters like the Human Torch and The Thing, set to join on February 21, only adds to its appeal. Additionally, discussions about a potential release on the Nintendo Switch 2 hint at the game's expanding reach.
