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Rather than hiding the option in the game’s settings, Marvel Rivals makes console-only crossplay matchmaking simple with a tick of a box. This makes us wonder: why can’t other multiplayer games make it this easy?
Marvel Rivals is the latest craze in hero shooters, and while we can’t predict just how popular it will remain in the coming months, one thing is sure: The title has already managed to attract online cheaters and hackers. This was true during the closed beta testing, where the developers shared that they had banned 190 players, all for the use of third-party software and client hacking. It’s not a big number, but now that the game is public, the likelihood of encountering an online hacker is far larger than it previously was. Sure, their anti-cheat measures are probably working around the clock and banning players, but like all online games, the battle against cheaters and hackers is neverending.
Marvel Rivals Console-Only Crossplay Alleviates Cheating Concerns for Most, By Giving Options Accessible From Matchmaking
So it’s surprising to see a big push for crossplay, not just across consoles but all platforms, which has amounted to some pretty frustrating encounters in some games. Aimbots, wallhacks, god mode, and anything you can imagine exist in almost all online games. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the many recent examples that come to mind, especially when Ranked got switched on, forcing console players to play with PC players. That’s not to say that hacking can’t happen on consoles, as there are ways to do it, but compared to PC, a wide-open platform where these tools are easily accessible, well, there’s a good reason why so many console players are starting to look for ways to turn crossplay off.
But stop me if this is something you’ve done, where you wonder where exactly the option is, and it ends up with you having to search online for the answer, followed by navigating through a bunch of menus to turn the feature off. I know I’ve done that in plenty of games, and I wonder why they make finding the option take so many steps. For something related to matchmaking, you would think that the option to change the setting would be right there alongside the other matchmaking-related menus, but it’s not. You must go through about 4-6 menus to find it, which turns crossplay off entirely, restricting you to only consoles within the same ecosystem. Fortnite is even worse, with our count taking 18-20 items you must navigate before finding the crossplay options.
Now, not to sound like I’m complaining about doing a few button presses, because I don’t mind it; it is what it is, and it only takes seconds to navigate to the setting. Still, that’s not to say that accessing the option can’t improve, and that’s sort of what NetEase thought about when creating the matchmaking options for Marvel Rivals, as they’ve included the option for console-only crossplay right from the matchmaking menu.
It’s a minor yet major quality-of-life feature that is easy for anyone to access. Not to mention, it advertises the feature front and center so everyone knows about it.
There’s some benefits to having it right there too, as again, everyone can see it. It’s advertised, which likely means that the matchmaking pool isn’t completely dead like in some games that hide the option. Of course it’s launch, so matchmaking being as fast as it is, is no surprise, but this could potentially mean it won’t be an issue once player count starts slowing down. Only time will tell there, but having the option there certainly isn’t hurting it.
There are many little menu items that Marvel Rivals does better than other multiplayer games, like instantly queueing up players for the next match and making playing with friends on other platforms super easy by searching for their nickname, and so much more other quality-of-life features other games can learn from. Even if you aren’t a fan of Marvel Rivals, there’s no denying that it has some really good things going for it that I hope other games adopt.
Apex Legends Crossplay Settings Are Still King
Now, one major multiplayer game comes to mind when it comes to handling crossplay the right way, and that’s Apex Legends. Apex has console-only crossplay by default, which means you’ll only be paired with other console players when you matchmake. The only way around this is whenever you invite or join someone on PC, in which case the game opens crossplay between all player types since your party has a PC player.
Otherwise, if you only play with players on consoles, you’ll only get paired up with other players on consoles. It’s an excellent system that’s on by default, though it doesn’t allow you the option to pair with PC players (if you play on consoles) and vice-versa when you solo queue. Many have found this approach to matchmaking fair, as it eliminates the potential of encountering online hackers without having to go into any settings to do so.
All Studios Should Consider Putting Console-Only Crossplay Should Be Placed Front and Center
Look, we get it. We’re not saying that all the cheaters come from PCs, but it’s hard to deny that a lot of cheat sellers are used for PCs. For consoles, it’s usually XIMs and other hardware-related hacks, which aren’t just harder to come by compared to buying something on the internet, but these stuff is usually costly as well.
Thankfully, that, too, won’t be a concern for Marvel Rivals, as NetEase has told MP1st that they have designed a system to ward off Cronus/XIM users on consoles.
Will we see future multiplayer games feature console-only crossplay that is as accessible as Marvel Rivals? We sure hope so. The real solution is getting rid of cheaters altogether, but that seems like a pipedream for now. Until then, having console-only crossplay readily available — and easily accessible for gamers — is the next best thing.
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