OPINION: Marvel Rivals Season 2 Draws Failed Attempt at Reigniting Gamergate
Here we go again. It’s been more than 10 years since Gamergate and apparently we haven’t moved on from more important things than complaining about how characters in games are presented to just enjoying video games for what they are – video games.
Marvel Rivals second season is upon us and days before it launches on April 11, 2025, people are already moaning about the appearance of X-Men’s Emma Frost, who will be introduced as a new Vanguard character in the season’s first half. Ultron will be joining in the second.
The issue isn’t even with the original appearance of The White Queen, it’s the skin players can choose to purchase as an add-on in the game. And of course, the usual battlegrounds are Reddit and X (Twitter).
However, judging from the comments, most have decided to take a level-headed approach and not blow things out of proportion and reignite Gamergate all over again. Making remarks about a comic book character’s appearance, as it turns out, is better left alone when there’s a lack of knowledge about said character.
Comic book heroes, male and female, have traditionally been portrayed with virtually unattainable physical attributes because they are the products of imagination. Setting comic book standards for what a human body should look like is a futile endeavor.
The Chinese mega company behind Marvel Rivals, NetEase, are in the business of ultimately making money. With the game in question being free-to-play, they must monetize other aspects of it. In this case, we’re talking about battle passes, skins, emotes, and in-game currencies.
Considering that Marvel Rivals was only released in December 2024, it’s been a massive success with a player base exceeding 40 million. According to analyst Zeng Xiaofeng from Niko Partners, a market research and consulting firm that specializes in video games, Marvel Rivals has generated over $200 million in revenue.
Not only do the people at NetEase not care about Western thoughts on masculine and feminine, they are actively banned from these ideals. China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) reviews and licenses all games for release in the country.
In 2021, NPPA called for a ban on “niang pao” – a derogatory term for effeminate males – in a policy that aims to reinforce traditional masculinity and discourage any blurring of perceived gender lines. Still, the same policy also outlines a disapproval of overly sexualized female characters with excessive cleavage and revealing clothing in general.
It’s clear, though, that NPPA doesn’t mind turning a blind eye to games like Marvel Rivals as it is likely to generate billions of dollars in the long run. And there’s nothing to suggest that the version of Marvel Rivals in China differentiate how the characters are presented in the game.
A vast majority of players looking forward to Marvel Rivals Season 2: Hellfire Gala, which will also include new maps, buffs and nerfs, and adjustment to Team-Up Abilities, choose not to focus on a skin for a single character. It’s slightly surprising that there are still those out there wishing to drag up the past from a decade ago.
Isn’t it time that we move on and direct our attention to more important matters in the gaming industry like price hikes of games, consoles, and PC parts? Let’s unite and rally with our wallets and not our emotions.
If there are still concerns out there about the depiction of characters in Marvel Rivals, send an email to NPPA directly. They are sure to listen to everyone outside of China trying to argue how they should run their country.
