Summary
- A Donald Trump mod for Marvel Rivals appears to have been banned due to sociopolitical issues, violating Nexus Mods rules.
- NetEase Games, developer of Marvel Rivals, hasn't responded to issues over character mods.
Since its launch nearly a month ago, Marvel Rivals has captivated millions of players worldwide, drawing them into a competitive environment where they hone their skills with various Marvel heroes to climb the leaderboards.
As a hero shooter, Marvel Rivals offers an engaging experience where players can develop clever strategies and leverage unique character synergies to secure victories. Additionally, some players enhance their gameplay experience by incorporating mods, which allow them to customize hero models. These modifications range from skins inspired by Marvel Comics and movies to integrating Fortnite's models of Captain America and Spider-Man over the default characters.
Recently, a Nexus Mods user uploaded a Donald Trump mod for Captain America, one of Marvel Rivals' popular Vanguards. This mod quickly circulated on social media, with some users even seeking out a Joe Biden mod to create a themed match. However, Nexus Mods appears to have banned and removed the Trump mod, as attempts to access it now lead to an error page indicating it's no longer available. Similarly, the Biden mod is also unsearchable on the site.
Why Was the Donald Trump Marvel Rivals Mod Removed?
In 2020, Nexus Mods announced a policy to ban mods related to sociopolitical issues in the United States, urging users to report any violations. This policy was introduced around the time of the contentious election between then-President Trump and his challenger, Joe Biden, who ultimately won.
On social media, many Marvel Rivals fans were unsurprised by the ban, citing the inappropriateness of using Captain America's model for Trump. A smaller group expressed dissatisfaction with Nexus Mods' decision to ban political imagery entirely. This isn't the first instance of Trump being featured in video game mods; although many such mods have likely been removed from Nexus Mods, mods featuring the former president are still available for games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and XCOM 2.
Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals' developer, NetEase Games, has not yet addressed the use of character mods, particularly those depicting controversial or political figures. As a relatively new game, NetEase has been focused on resolving gameplay bugs and addressing wrongful bans among players.
