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Marvel Rivals could soon change the way it handles cosmetic items.
Recent datamines of the Season 4 build suggest a mysterious system called “Mysteries,” thought to be a placeholder name for loot boxes.
Strings like "cosmic mysteries number" and "BOX_OPEN_HISTORY_CHANGE" were found, bringing back talk of a shelved feature under testing.
NetEase hasn’t made anything official yet, but the discovery quickly set off debates in leak forums and the Rivals community, with players breaking down how the system might work.
Is Season 4 the Perfect Moment for Loot Boxes?
Season 4 offers enough content to serve as the perfect testing ground for a new feature.
Angela will become playable on September 12, 2025, with Daredevil expected to join later in the season.
New Arcade modes such as Conquest (Annihilation) and Free Fight will also be added alongside these heroes.
Marvel Rivals has already shown it can keep players hooked with frequent updates, as Season 3 introduced Phoenix and Blade and brought the roster up to 41 characters.
With that traction, NetEase would look at introducing new monetization during a major season.
What Can Netease Learn From Its Past Systems?
The game has shown before that monetization can be done without stirring debate.
Earlier this year, the devs rolled out the Combat Chest in Season 2.5. Not your regular loot box, but more of a mini-pass where rewards came through free and premium paths.
Players could unlock rewards at their own pace, with a daily XP cap in place to keep progression manageable.
Crucially, all Combat Chest rewards were guaranteed, and cosmetics rotated into the shop later on, so nobody felt left out.
The evidence suggests NetEase can implement changes safely, but loot boxes would raise the stakes in a dangerous way.
What Are the Risks of Adding Loot Boxes?
Loot boxes have been under fire for years, as critics argue they resemble gambling, and nations such as Belgium and Australia have placed limits on them.
If NetEase introduces loot boxes in Rivals, it will need to navigate strict international laws. Even beyond legality, the optics alone could be damaging.
Many players are still sensitive to loot boxes after years of backlash in other games, and some have already said they’d quit Rivals entirely if exclusives were locked behind such a system.
How Could Loot Boxes Be Made Acceptable?
If NetEase goes forward with it, the safest move is to keep loot boxes cosmetic-only so gameplay balance isn’t touched.
Drop rates, odds, and pity mechanics need to be fully transparent. Ideally, players should still have a direct-buy option for every cosmetic, even if availability comes later.
And perhaps most importantly, loot boxes shouldn’t replace existing freebies from events, battle passes, or accessory points.
At best, they should feel like an optional bonus, not a gatekeeping mechanic that limits player choice.
Whether loot boxes enhance or damage that reputation will come down to one thing: execution.
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