Marvel Rivals has discreetly added a way for players to report smurf accounts. The practice of creating alternate accounts is a long-standing challenge in multiplayer games. Although Marvel Rivals launched less than six months ago, NetEase's shooter is already grappling with smurf accounts in ranked matches.

For the uninitiated, “smurfing” refers to high-level players creating new accounts or deliberately lowering their rank to face less skilled opponents. Social media is rife with Marvel Rivals players venting frustration over how these accounts ruin their gaming experience. Some also blame streamers for popularizing the “unranked to GM” challenge, turning smurfing into an issue plaguing other titles like Overwatch 2. Now, to the surprise of many, Marvel Rivals has taken a step to address this pervasive problem.

Marvel Rivals has introduced an option to report smurf accounts. As highlighted by Redditor IntoTheRain78, players can report smurfs by right-clicking on the username, selecting the Negative Behavior option, and checking the smurfing box. The OP speculates that this feature might use hardware identification, an anti-cheating measure seen in League of Legends, to avoid unfair bans for players switching platforms or pro gamers new to Marvel Rivals. The post also mentions that, according to an unnamed Japanese website, reported smurfs will receive an initial warning.

The introduction of the smurf reporting feature has been met with skepticism by the Marvel Rivals community. Many players view it as a superficial gesture, doubting whether any real action will follow the reports. Some Redditors echoed this sentiment, expressing disbelief that the feature will lead to meaningful consequences. Others raised concerns that the reporting option might be abused, leaving skilled players unfairly penalized while playing Marvel Rivals.

So far, NetEase has not revealed its plans for handling smurf accounts or preventing false reports. While the community awaits more details, the developers have also introduced new customization options in the latest update, including new cosmetics for Doctor Strange and Peni Parker.