Marvel's answer to Overwatch issues apology for leaked contract that would have banned streamers from saying anything bad about the game

Marvel Rivals hero highlight showing destructive environments — (Image credit: NetEase Games)

The developer of Overwatch-like hero shooter Marvel Rivals has apologized to content creators following a leaked terms and conditions clause being shared over the weekend, appearing to bar creators from negatively reviewing the game.

Having launched its alpha playtests on May 10, NetEase took to the Marvel Rivals Twitter to "address the concerns we’ve seen regarding the agreement terms of Content Creator Programs and, above all, we would like to apologize for any unpleasant experiences or doubts caused by the miscommunication of these terms."

The "excessively restrictive terms" in question allegedly forbade creators from expressing negative sentiment about the game at its current state in development, as shared on Twitter by streamer Brandon Larned. The screenshot of what appears to be a terms and conditions contract describes a "non-disparagement" clause, restricting the signer from engaging in "discussions that are detrimental to the reputation of the game". The paragraph goes to to include "disparaging or satirical comments about any game-related material", "malicious comparisons with competitors", or "subjective negative reviews" as key offenders against this term. Essentially, it's a T&C clause that appears to prevent content creators from reviewing the game fairly.

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"We actively encourage Creators to share their honest thoughts, suggestions, and criticisms as they play," the apology tweet from Marvel Rivals reads. "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 Tweet rounds off with Marvel Rivals promising to rectify the mistake, saying: "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."

Marvel Rivals is currently carrying out closed alpha tests, with no details yet given on when the next one might launch.

The full Marvel's Rivals roster leaked last week, revealing the 39 heroes making their way to the game.

Jasmine is a Senior Staff Writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London, she started her games journalism career as a freelancer with TheGamer and Tech Radar Gaming before joining GamesRadar+ full-time in 2023. As part of the Features team, her duties include attending game previews and key international conferences such as Gamescom and Digital Dragons in between regular interviews, opinion pieces, and the occasional news or guides stint. In her spare time, you'll likely find Jasmine thinking/talking about Resident Evil, purchasing another book she's unlikely to read, or complaining about the weather.