Deadpool might not take himself seriously, but plenty of Marvel Rivals players do. The fourth‑wall‑breaking antihero just got a new maid skin in the hero shooter — a cosmetic that’s as loud as it is divisive.
Shrouded in pink frills and bows, this version of Deadpool prances around while pretending to be a cat. Everything from Deadpool’s sticker-clad planner to his dainty mannerisms play up the girlypop nature of the new cosmetic. His katanas, which are emblazoned with hearts and wings, would look right at home in an episode of Sailor Moon.
A garish skin like this was never destined to appeal to everyone, but most players would do the sensible thing here and simply not purchase the skin. Some detractors, however, are complaining that Marvel Rivals is “forcing gay costumes on ppl now,” and the ignorant bigotry has gone viral. The X user who originally typed that sentiment isn’t the only person who has expressed anxiety over developer NetEase’s alleged DEI agenda, but the community is treating it as representative of a specific type of Marvel fan.
“What is this lame shit?” one YouTube commenter wrote on a CJR Gaming video showcasing the skin. “Gooner game now,” another declared with a broken heart emoji.
These dismayed fans may have only watched a movie or two, or only experienced the video-game versions of Marvel’s antihero. They like Deadpool’s humor, but they fundamentally see him as a masculine character. Those who haven’t read the comic books wouldn’t know that this seemingly outlandish cosmetic actually captures Deadpool’s sense of humor perfectly. Deadpool is canonically pansexual — so he’s theoretically open to getting down with anyone. (Never mind that the point of Deadpool is to make fun of the archetypal macho superhero.) It’s not impossible to think Wade Wilson might have a maid costume hanging in his closet somewhere.
Let’s also not forget that, at its heart, Marvel Rivals is a shameless game. The hero shooter has become infamous for its brazenly sexual hero skins, most of which belong to female characters. NetEase has claimed that it does not use these eye-catching skins as bait to get players into the game, and has said that any skin accused of doing so is merely honoring the lore. So if you’re recoiling at the sight of Deadpool shoving his heart-covered lingerie in your face, perhaps consider that you’re just a fair‑weather fan. Or, you know, ignore it.