You'd probably be called a fool now if you cancelled Marvel Rivals, as the game has proven itself to be a huge hit. But, there was a time when sceptics eyed it suspiciously, seeing it as a cheap Overwatch clone.
Even NetEase itself had its doubts, just for different reasons. According to Bloomberg, CEO William Ding wasn't happy with paying for the rights to use Wolverine and Spider-Man for the game, and there were talks about the company using its own heroes, or shutting down the project entirely.
With characters so well-known, of course Disney likely charged a pretty penny for their use in a game. However, considering the success Marvel Rivals has seen since, it's probably worth the upfront cost to use those characters.
