Summary
A Donald Trump character mod for the game Marvel Rivals has been removed from Nexus Mods, reportedly due to its sociopolitical nature, violating the platform's established rules. NetEase Games, the developer of Marvel Rivals, has yet to comment on the matter of player-created character modifications.
Marvel Rivals, a hero shooter released recently, has quickly gained millions of players worldwide. Players are experimenting with various strategies and character interactions. The use of mods to alter character models is prevalent, ranging from alternate skins based on Marvel Comics and films to less conventional choices, such as replacing default models with those from other games like Fortnite.
A Nexus Mods user's Donald Trump mod, replacing Captain America's model, gained traction on social media, even prompting searches for a corresponding Joe Biden mod. However, the Trump mod (and apparently the Biden mod) has been removed from Nexus Mods, resulting in an error message when searched.
Reasons for Removal:
Nexus Mods' 2020 blog post explicitly stated a policy against mods involving US sociopolitical issues. This policy, implemented around the 2020 presidential election, led to the removal of the mod.
Social media reaction has been mixed. Many Marvel Rivals players anticipated the ban, citing the incongruity of Trump's likeness with Captain America's character. Others expressed dissatisfaction with Nexus Mods' stance on political content. It's noteworthy that while many Trump mods have likely been removed from Nexus Mods, others remain available for games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and XCOM 2.
NetEase Games, the game developer, has not publicly addressed the use of character mods, including those featuring controversial figures. As a new game, NetEase's current focus appears to be on resolving gameplay issues and addressing wrongful account bans.
