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Somewhere in the halls of NetEase Games, someone must have looked at a guy wielding a bow and arrow and thought,“You know what? Let’s make him absolutely terrifying.”And thus began the saga of howMarvel Rivals’most unassuming hero became its most feared sniper, leaving even the mighty Thor wondering if his godly powers were all for naught.
The community has been buzzing about this particular Hanzo-inspired marksman since day one, and not just because he makes Storm—an actual goddess of weather—look like she’s throwing paper airplanes. What probably started as an admirable attempt to make a regular human stand toe-to-toe with superhumans has somehow turned into a fascinating case study of “maybe too much of a good thing.”
But here’s the real kicker: in a game where gods walk among mortals and super-soldiers punch reality-benders, it’s the guy with a quiver full of arrows who’s making everyone question their life choices. Talk about overcompensating!
Infinite arrows and massively generous hitboxes
Hawkeye has quickly emerged asMarvel Rivals‘most controversial character, and not just because of his“just can’t seem to miss”aim. While most heroescarefully manage their resources and abilities, Clint Barton seems to have stumbled upon some sort of arrow-duplicating miracle that puts even Storm’s weather manipulation to shame:
One might think unlimited ammo would come with some drawbacks.
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But as many players have discovered, the hits just keep on coming:
The generosity doesn’t stop at the ammunition supply. Remember when you had to actually aim in shooter games? Apparently, that’s so last season:
Even the mighty Thor, who should be laughing off arrows like they’re mosquito bites, finds himself questioning his godhood:
While nobody expects Barton to physically collect arrows mid-battle—that would be absurd—some reasonable handicaps could bring him in line with other heroes. A longer drawing time between shots would make those one-shot kills feel earned, whilemore realistic hitboxes might encourage playersto actually aim their shots. Missing six arrows should probably come with more consequences than “seventh time’s the charm!”
When overcompensation meets game balance
The situation has led to some interesting theories about NetEase’s character design philosophy. As one player astutely points out:
This observation cuts to the heart of the matter. In trying to ensure that every hero feels viable,NetEasemay have overcorrected just a tad. After all, it’s a bit odd when Storm—who can literally control the weather—has to carefully ration her abilities while our arrow-happy friend gets to turn every match into his personal target practice.
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The irony reaches new heights when considering Storm’s current status as one of the least-played characters.Like the game’s only other perma-flier hero, Iron Man, she struggles with survivability despite her aerial advantage, and her damage output pales in comparison to Barton’s arrow barrage. Somehow, being a regular guy with good aim (and generous hitboxes) has become more powerful than commanding the elements.
The solution isn’t to banish Hawkeye to the bottom tier—he deserves his moment in the spotlight. But when your resident archer is making Thor question his life choices and Storm wonder why she bothered learning to control the elements, perhaps it’s time for some adjustments. A skilled Hawkeye should still strike fear into the hearts of enemies, but maybe not more than an actual god of thunder.
What adjustments would make Hawkeye more balanced while keeping him viable inMarvel Rivals? Should other heroes be brought up to match his effectiveness? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Soumyajit Mukherjee
Gaming Writer
Articles Published :966
Soumyajit Mukherjee is a Gaming Writer at FandomWire, known for his deep dives into tactical shooters and co-op games. Since joining in June 2024, he’s focused on breakout multiplayer titles like Helldivers 2 and Marvel Rivals, bringing sharp analysis and veteran instincts to every story. His gaming journey began at a local café with the OG Modern Warfare 2, and from that very first frag, he’s been chasing the rush ever since.A former competitive Rainbow Six Siege team captain, Soumyajit has played and written about everything from CS:GO, Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends to Rocket League, Call of Duty, and Battlefield. He’s proudly PC-first and has been since said LAN days… but with GTA 6 looming on the horizon, a long-overdue PS5 might finally sneak onto his setup.
