"Immediate termination of such conduct is required": Marvel Rivals now enforces smurfing punishment, affecting not only smurfs but also some unsuspecting players who are inadvertently caught in the crossfire of this game manipulation tactic.
## The Smurfing Issue in Marvel Rivos
In the competitive gaming world of Marvel Rivals, the practice of smurfing—where experienced players create secondary accounts at a lower skill level to dominate less skilled opponents—has become a contentious issue. This behaviour disrupts the game's balance and is perceived as unfair by many players.
## Consequences for Smurfs
- **Warnings and Bans**: Offenders are initially issued warnings to cease the practice, with failure to comply leading to penalties ranging from temporary bans to season bans and rank resets[1][3]. - **Rank Resets**: Some players are forced to start over at a lower rank, such as Bronze, as a consequence of being caught smurfing[4].
## Impact on the Game and Players
- **Innocent Players**: Unfortunately, some innocent players may also be affected by these penalties due to false positives in the system, leading them to be forced to play at lower tiers[3]. - **Community Response**: The community has mixed reactions to these penalties. While some appreciate the effort to reduce smurfing, others feel unfairly targeted due to incorrect system detections[2][4].
## The Fight Against Smurfing: Future Improvements
- **Placement Matches**: Implementing placement matches to better assess a player’s skill level and reduce the incentive for smurfing could help in accurately placing players and minimizing false positives[4]. - **System Calibration**: Improving the system’s accuracy in detecting genuine smurfs while minimizing false positives is crucial to maintaining a fair competitive environment[2][3].
## A Case Study: Ottr's Smurfing Penalty
Recently, streamer Ottr received a penalty notice for smurfing during a Spider-Man to Celestial run[1]. The player's ban was self-extended, suggesting an automated system for enforcing smurfing penalties[2]. This case highlights the effectiveness of the system in detecting and penalizing smurfing behaviour.
## The Ongoing Battle Against Smurfing
Despite these measures, the issue of smurfing in Marvel Rivals remains a challenge. The ease of creating new accounts in a free-to-play game, along with the availability of new chrono shield card items that allow players to lose games without consequence, continues to fuel the problem[5].
NetEase, the game's developer, has been actively addressing the issue since its launch and continues to push for measures to discourage smurfing[6]. The new penalties for smurfing, while a positive development, face uncertainty in their effectiveness due to the aforementioned challenges.
[1] Ottr, a Marvel Rivals streamer, received a penalty notice for smurfing during a Spider-Man to Celestial run. [2] The player's ban was self-extended, suggesting an automated system for enforcing smurfing penalties. [3] Further penalties for smurfing in Marvel Rivals may include bans of varying lengths or a season ban and rank reset. [4] A season ban in Marvel Rivals means the player will have to start from bronze next season. [5] Smurfing in Marvel Rivals involves buying new accounts and ranking them as high as possible, leading to poor bronze players getting curb-stomped. [6] NetEase has recently been pushing to discourage smurfing in Marvel Rivals.
- In the world of international gaming competition, the issue of smartphone gamers creating secondary accounts, a practice known as 'smurfing', to win in lower skill level games with gadgets and technology is a controversial topic.
- Instead of playing fairly, these 'smurfs' buy new accounts and use 'technology' to rank them high, leaving innocent players at a disadvantage, especially during 'season' matches.
- netEase, the game developer, has been trying to combat this issue by implementing measures such as 'warnings and bans', 'rank resets', 'placement matches', and improving the system's 'calibration' to reduce false positives.
- Despite these efforts, the problem persists due to the ease of creating new accounts and the availability of 'cards' like chrono shields that allow players to lose games without consequences, making it harder to maintain a fair competitive environment.
- The ongoing battle against smurfing in gaming, not just in Marvel Rivals, requires constant vigilance and continuous improvements in technology to ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for all.
