Marvel Rivals, developed by NetEase, is getting placement matches to tackle smurf accounts, but they won’t be ready at Season 4 launch in September. The developer said the system is complex and needs extra work before it appears in ranked play.
Smurfs ruin ranked play. NetEase’s lead combat designer Zhiyong addressed the problem in a developer diary, saying “it’s a complex feature with a lot of moving parts,” and warning that “placement matches won’t be ready for Season 4, but we are pushing forward as quickly as we can”. That won’t eliminate smurfing entirely. Placement matches should mean new players are placed against opponents close to their skill after initial calibration, giving ranked ladders a fighting chance against smurfs who jump straight into competitive matches and exploit new accounts.
Seasonal rank resets will still happen, so returning players can affect early-season matchmaking for a while. Players hoping for the placement system at launch will have to wait. NetEase is moving ahead but wants the system stable before it touches the ranked ladder.
Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow for quick updates and more later on X and Bluesky.
