MARVEL RIVALS DEVS PLAY 4D CHESS WITH LEAKERS

Ever wondered what happens when game developers get tired of leakers spoiling their surprises? Marvel Rivals' team just answered that question by pulling a spy-movie move that would make Nick Fury proud.

THE GREAT MARVEL BAMBOOZLE

According to recent reports, the developers of Marvel Rivals have been playing mind games worthy of Professor X himself, planting fake character files in their game to catch potential leakers. It's like setting up a honeypot trap, except instead of honey, they're using Paste-Pot Pete as bait (and if you're asking "who's Paste-Pot Pete?" - exactly).

THE REAL ROSTER REVEALED

The actual roster reads like an Avengers party guest list that got mixed up with the X-Men's phone book. We're looking at the full Fantastic Four lineup, everyone's favorite murder-bot Ultron, daywalker extraordinaire Blade, powerful psychics Jean Grey and Emma Frost, the cosmic powerhouse Captain Marvel, and... Hit Monkey? Yes, the assassin primate made the cut. Rounding out the confirmed list are Angela, The Hood, Deadpool (because of course), MODOK, and Valkyrie.

THE FAKEOUT SQUAD

The fake roster is where things get interesting - and a bit obvious in hindsight. While characters like Cyclops, Professor X, and Gambit might seem like reasonable additions, their inclusion alongside more obscure choices like Locus and the made-up "Ja Jing" was apparently designed to set off alarm bells for anyone paying attention.

THE BOTTOM LINE

This clever bit of corporate espionage shows that game developers are getting more creative in their battle against leaks. It's like watching a chess match between developers and leakers, except one side is using some of the pieces from another board game entirely.