Summary:
- NetEase denied using Engagement-Optimized Matchmaking after weeks of player backlash and speculation.
- Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals is based on servers, party size balance, and competitive scores and not engineered streaks.
- The community remains divided: some welcomed transparency, while the others still suspect hidden manipulation in results.
Marvel Rivals’ matchmaking continues to spark controversy. Players have suspected that NetEase was secretly using Engagement-Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM) when they started to notice strange win–loss streaks. EOMM reportedly rigs outcomes so that players would go for more games.
The game’s Lead Combat Designer Zhiyong finally spoke on the official YouTube channel on August 21, 2025 to clear things up. He explained how Marvel Rivals matchmaking works and firmly denied that EOMM was being used.
The Drama Leading Up to the Reveal
The Marvel Rivals matchmaking debate didn’t start with the new video. It actually began on August 11. During a Rivals Assembled interview, Creative Director Guangguang was asked about the game’s matchmaking system. He said an explanation was coming, but his vague answers only made players more suspicious.
The next day, the official X account denied using EOMM and promised proof soon. But by then, the community was already deep into theories. Many players pointed to screenshots of ranked matches showing repeating win–loss patterns, which they took as evidence of a hidden system forcing win rates to stay around 50%.
Suspicion grew even more when old references to NetEase’s 2020 OptMatch document resurfaced. That document talked about technology for “enhancing player satisfaction” by shaping matches to feel competitive. For critics, this seemed like confirmation that Rivals must be quietly using EOMM, even though the developers denied it.
How Matchmaking in Marvel Rivals Really Works
The new video gave the clearest look yet at how Marvel Rivals matchmaking really works. Zhiyong explained that it is mainly built around three key factors:
- Node Selection and Servers – The system first checks which servers are available so players can connect with a delay that feels reasonable. Keeping latency under control is the priority here.
- Team Composition – The system then compares party sizes when forming matches. For instance, a 3-player group would usually be placed against another 3-player group. But sometimes this makes a slightly odd setup, like 3-2-1 versus 3-1-1-1, which can feel unbalanced.
- Competitive Score – Every player has a score that represent their rank and performance. After two possible teams are chosen, the system balances them by looking at the average score across both sides.
If a match doesn’t appear quickly, the search slowly widens to include players with higher or lower ranks. Zhiyong admitted this can create unusual cases like one very skilled player being placed in a weaker lobby, but without that adjustment, players would end up waiting far too long just to start a game.
Addressing the “EOMM Agents”
One of the biggest arguments in the community was about win and loss streaks. Some players thought the game was making those streaks happen on purpose. But Zhiyong, one of the developers, said very clearly that this isn’t true.
He explained, “We do not use EOMM,” meaning the system isn’t designed to engineer wins or losses. According to him, streaks just happen naturally because of probability, how roles get distributed, and the ups and downs of how teams play together.
Even so, the developers admitted the system is not perfect. Solo players can still end up against organized groups, or sometimes teams get built with awkward hero combinations that feel unfair. But NetEase says these situations are not signs of manipulation they’re just compromises made to keep the matches going quickly.
Conclusion
Marvel Rivals matchmaking is not exactly in the clear yet, even after the explanation. The players still demand answers, and many are still confused or suspicious amidst the big debates. If the system was rigged to make them lose on purpose, just so they’d chase more wins and play more games, then NetEase should be held accountable. To keep its players and credibility, Marvel Rivals needs to show players that every win and loss is real and truly earned.
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