I couldn't hack Marvel Rivals, but Marvel Snap taught me more about PvP etiquette in 6 months than any game has before it

I couldn't hack Marvel Rivals, but Marvel Snap taught me more about PvP etiquette

Marvel Snap proves that less toxicity means more fun

In the ongoing rivalry between free-to-play Marvel titles, Marvel Snap stands tall. Players in Marvel Rivals, on the other hand, tend to hurl every possible insult. From the disturbingly creative “kys” to the childish “Strange is gay” — the latter thrown at a friend who, as Doctor Strange, didn’t instantly open a portal for an impatient Jeff the Shark — the experience can be both astonishing and infuriating.

The constant negativity in live service games has long pushed me away from most online PvP experiences. Even with voice chat off, text channels offer endless opportunities for players to bully teammates and opponents alike.

This toxic behavior isn’t limited to shooters. I used to play Dead by Daylight and soon recognized how simple actions — crouch spamming, flashing the flashlight repeatedly, or excessive emote use — are often seen as BM, or “bad manners.” Once I learned that, it became hard to ignore. It’s absurd, and I know it’s foolish to let it affect me so deeply, but repeated encounters with griefers make it tough to stay calm.

Why Marvel Snap feels different

Then came Marvel Snap. As a vibrant and straightforward mobile card battler, it redefined my sense of online competition. Its design trims away nearly all the social friction found in typical multiplayer games, leaving little room for harassment. Instead of providing endless chat tools or schadenfreude-filled taunts, it channels the focus back to actual gameplay.

“Marvel Snap’s simple structure makes good manners the easiest victory condition.”

Through its limited communication tools and fast-paced design, Marvel Snap taught me more about respectful competition in six months than any other game has in years.

Author’s Summary

Marvel Snap succeeds not through complexity but by quietly encouraging better PvP manners and cleaner competition, proving that simplicity can create a healthier gaming community.

GamesRadar+ — 2025-11-06