Website that let Marvel Rivals players pay each other to throw matches pivots to "transparency initiative" after NetEase get mad

Devs roll out "active server-wide detection system" to stop "malicious idling" and other shenanigans

Marvel Rivals developers NetEase have introduced new systems for detecting thrown matches. This follows a bizarre wave of people getting bribed to take a fall, instigated by a third-party website who are now advertising themselves as some kind of community advocacy initiative.

The website in question is Intlist. They made headlines last week for letting players of various popular games put cash bounties on other players, paid out whenever a player threw a match against the target. Games affected include Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch and Valorant. The impact on Marvel Rivals was severe enough that NetEase posted a rebuke on Twitter, writing "this behavior not only undermines the integrity of our game but also tarnishes the experience for honest players who are committed to fair competition."

The developers promised to launch "a specialized investigation protocol" to catch people taking the bounties, with punishments "including, but not limited to, permanent bans", while increasing the penalties for reported "negative gameplay", such as "malicious idling (AFK)".

In a follow-up tweet on Sunday (via GR), NetEase declare that they've implemented an "active server-wide detection system" that "uses a combination of big data analysis and manual review to enhance the detection of malicious throwing behavior". They've also introduced a compensation system for targets of match-fixing bounties, which restores points automatically if the system decides you lost a match because somebody on your side indulged in a little shithousery.

Intlist, meanwhile, have abruptly reinvented themselves as a place for people to report match-throwing. That is, "a completely free documentation platform — no bounties, no payments. Just transparency for the community". Definitely feels like NetEase have sent them a sternly worded letter, and I would not be surprised to see the same business spring up elsewhere under a different name.

At the risk of getting a stern letter from NetEase myself, I'm interested in the dark craft of videogame match-throwing. Seems like a lark! Just going AFK is surely too obvious, though I guess you could dress it up by e.g. simulating a cougar home invasion over voice chat. Simpler strategies could include tactically missing all your headshots or forgetting to use your ultimate, though I do all that anyway without trying. Have you ever thrown a match? Come on, we're all friends here. I promise I won't tattle on you to Iron Man.