The highly anticipated Closed Alpha Test for Marvel Rivals went live this weekend. But rather than people talking about the gameplay itself, controversy regarding content creator contracts for the game dominated the conversation online.
While the bulk of the players participating in the Closed Alpha Test were selected by random, some content creators were invited to partake in the test. However, it was reported that the contract they had to sign contained a clause that prevented them from criticizing the game.
Stramer and retired professional Overwatch player Brandon Larned, aka Seagull, revealed on X/Twitter that the non-disparagement clause prevented content creators from making any public statements or engaging in discussions "that are detrimental to the reputation of the game."
This included "making disparaging or satirical comments about any game-related material, such as game features, characters, or music," as well as "engaging in malicious comparisons with competitors or belittling the gameplay or difference of Marvel Rivals or providing subjective negative reviews of the game."
As a game still in the closed alpha stage, I wouldn't expect anyone to be posting full-fledged reviews of Marvel Rivals. But one would think that the developers would appreciate any feedback about the game — especially the negative ones — so that they can improve upon it before launch.
What's especially shady about this contract, however, is that the Marvel Rivals FAQ made no mention of it. In fact, the site specifically stated that there is no NDA for the Closed Alpha Test. So the fact they were secretly forbidding content creators from speaking negatively about the game didn't sit well with many.
Following a weekend of overwhelmingly negative reaction, NetEase issued an apology "for any unpleasant experiences or doubts caused by the miscommunication of these terms."
"The Content Creator Program is a small-scale project that aims to aid in the production of incredible content by supporting Creators through giving them more resources," NetEase said in a statement on Twitter/X. "We actively encourage Creators to share their honest thoughts, suggestions, and criticisms as they play. All feedback, positive and negative, ultimately helps us craft the best experience for ourselves and the players."
"We sincerely apologize for the confusion, suspicion, and frustration caused by these excessively restrictive terms and thank you for sharing with us," the statement continued. "We cherish and appreciate every suggestion given by our players and always respect your feedback. We are currently working with Creators who have expressed these concerns and are revising the current version to be less restrictive and more Creator-friendly. Thank you for bearing with us while we make these adjustments."
The Marvel Rivals Closed Alpha Test will continue to run until May 20th so hopefully we start to get some honest impressions and gameplay clips. The 6v6 team-based free-to-play shooter has only been announced for PC thus far. There's currently no release date.