This rulebook is currently being updated for the Fall ‘25 season. Content is subject to change before the start of the season.
View the Competition Rulebook for league details.
Introduction and Purpose
These official rules (rules) of the PlayVS Scholastics Esports League apply to each of the teams who have registered and met the requirements for the 2025-2026 school year, as well as their head coach, assistant coaches, vice principals, athletic directors, starters, substitutes (collectively team members), and other members.
1. Game Rules
1.1 Game Account Connections
Players are required to connect the Marvel Rivals UID of their Marvel Rivals account to their PlayVS profile before competing in a match. Marvel Rivals UID is located on your Career Overview page (Top right corner player icon) or at the very bottom left of your screen.
Players without a connected Marvel Rivals UID are ineligible to participate in the match.
Per 6.2.7 Connected Accounts of the league’s Competition Rulebook, teams must address missing game account connections before establishing a game of record. Reaching a game of record without confirming game accounts or addressing missing game account connections is not grounds for a match restart or loss.
With Marvel Rivals having a unique game account process in-game, matches are allowed to be played if a player is competing from a different account than the account connected to their profile.
This alternate account must meet the following criteria:
Belong to the competing player.
Shared by the team's coach, including the reason for the alternate account being used in competition.
1.2 Roster Requirements
Team members must be eligible to compete on behalf of their school as listed in section 2. Team Member Eligibility of the league's Competition Rulebook.
Each league page will list the number of players necessary to fill a team’s roster and bench. No individual may simultaneously hold two or more roles as listed above. All players and coaches are expected to be present physically or virtually for all official PlayVS matches. The roster and bench must be finalized before the roster lock date, as listed in section 3.4 Roster Submission of the league’s Competition Rulebook.
1.3 Substitutions
Substitutions must be made before the start of each game by using the Match Assistant to change the roster and re-confirm rosters during the roster confirmation step.
Once a game of record is established, substitutions are not allowed. Once the game is complete and the results are recorded, player substitutions may be made before the start of the following game.
In the event the Match Assistant is unavailable, rosters and substitutions must be confirmed before the start of each game unless otherwise approved by a League Official and stated by a PlayVS Admin in the Match Lobby Chat.
Players on the bench may be used for any match their team is competing in within their assigned league. Eligible substitutes for a match will be displayed on the Bench tab of the team’s roster card. Only the players shown on a team’s bench can be used as substitutes in an official PlayVS Match.
If a player on the starting roster cannot compete in the match and there are no available substitutes, competition may continue without that player as long as it does not disadvantage the opposing team.
1.4 Game of Record
A Game of Record (GOR) in Marvel Rivals is established in the following conditions:
Any attack or ability is landed on an enemy hero.
Line-of-sight is established between players on opposing teams.
Elapsed time for the round is one (1) minute or more.
Once GOR is established, game restarts will only be allowed under limited conditions as listed in section 7.4 Game Restart of the league’s Competition Rulebook.
1.5 Stoppage of Play
During any pause or stoppage, players may not leave the match area unless authorized by their coach. Coaches should communicate any disconnections or pauses inside PlayVS’ Match Lobby Chat.
Directed Pause
At any time and at their sole discretion, League Officials may order the pause of a match.Teams may complete the current game and finalize the results.
Player and Coach Pauses
As long as there are no team engagements (such as team fights, or skirmishing around objectives), players and coaches may pause/unpause a match using the in-game pause function by:
Pressing Escape.
Clicking PAUSE on the menu.
Identifying the reason for the pause in Match Lobby Chat.
Once paused, all coaches and players must return to the PlayVS Match Lobby page, where both coaches should provide updates in the PlayVS lobby chat to address the situation.
Pauses that are expected to last longer than 10 minutes must be approved by a League Official, and verified by a PlayVS Admin in Match Lobby Chat.
When the pausing team is ready to unpause the game, a member of each team must confirm the resumption of play by selecting Initiate Confirmation or Ready.
Once all players are ready, the game may resume.
If a player pauses or unpauses a game without permission from the coaches, it will be considered unfair play, and penalties will be applied at the sole discretion of League Officials.
Player Disconnection
If a player disconnects from the online match during a game, a pause will be allowed. The player will have to reconnect back to match within 5 minutes or the game will be unpaused and teams will continue to play with the current players found in the lobby. For all disconnects, please provide a screenshot as proof of when the disconnection happens.
Marvel Rivals currently supports a reconnect from a player if the player’s client crashes or their internet is lost. If a player specifically chooses the Leave Lobby button from the menu, they will not be able to rejoin the game in progress.
If a player disconnection occurs, teams should communicate it using the in-game lobby chat and/or the PlayVS Match Lobby Chat.
If a GOR (Game of Record) has been established, the round must continue unless both teams decide to restart the current map.
If a GOR has not been established at the time of communication of the disconnect:
Both teams must end the current map by returning to the lobby.
Allow the disconnected player to rejoin.
Restart the map.
You cannot fill the spot of a disconnected player with a different player in the middle of a game. You must wait until after the game to substitute the disconnected player for another player.
Team Disconnection
If an entire team disconnects from the online match during a game, players that are still in the match will return to the game lobby.
If a GOR has been established, the map win will go to the team still connected to the game, unless both teams agree otherwise.
If a GOR has not been established at the time of communication of the disconnect:
Both teams must end the current map by returning to the lobby.
Allow the disconnected player to rejoin.
Restart the map.
The team will have to reconnect back to match within 5 minutes or the game will count as a win for the opposing team despite GOR being established or not. The disconnected team must share a message in the match lobby chat to notify the opposing team. If the team cannot reconnect in a timely manner, please immediately notify PlayVS Support.
1.6 Match Format
Format | Best-of-five (Bo5) games |
Game Mode | Competitive |
Team Size | 6 Players |
Custom Game Type |
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Room Settings |
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The match format listed above will be the standard format for all preseason, regular season matches, and playoffs.
For a detailed breakdown of each phase available for the league, see section 5.2 Phase Details of the league’s Competition Rulebook.
1.7 Specific Rules
Game Mode and Map Pool
Each match will follow the game mode order listed below with the map pool selection listed beside it.
Teams must follow the game mode order; if an incorrect game mode is selected for a game, the game must be restarted before a GOR (Game of Record) has been established. Failure to restart the game with the proper game mode may result in action being taken against the host’s team by League Officials.
Game Mode | Map Pool |
Game 1: Domination | Hell’s Heaven, Royal Palace, Birnin T’Challa, Krakoa, Celestial Husk |
Game 2: Convoy | Spider-Islands, Yggdrasill Path, Midtown, Arakko |
Game 3: Convergence | Symbotic Surface, Shin-Shibuya, Hall of Djalia, Central Park |
Game 4: Domination | Hell’s Heaven, Royal Palace, Birnin T’Challa, Krakoa, Celestial Husk |
Game 5: Convoy | Spider-Islands, Yggdrasill Path, Midtown, Arakko |
Game 6 (Tiebreaker ONLY:) Domination | Hell’s Heaven, Royal Palace, Birnin T’Challa, Krakoa, Celestial Husk |
View Tiebreaker Protocol for more details.
Map and Side Selection
Map Selection | Side Selection |
Home Team ➤ Picks map 1 | Away Team ➤ Selects side |
Loser of map 1 ➤ Picks map 2 | Winner of map 1 ➤ Selects side |
Loser of map 2 ➤ Picks map 3 | Winner of map 2 ➤ Selects side |
Loser of map 3 ➤ Picks map 4 | Winner of map 3 ➤ Selects side |
Loser of map 4 ➤ Picks map 5 | Winner of map 4 ➤ Selects side |
Tiebreaker Protocol
If the match is tied after game 5 is complete, an additional tiebreaker game will be played to determine the match winner.
The current tiebreaker game mode for PlayVS matches is Domination. The chosen map will be selected at random from the current available Domination maps. To do this, the lobby owner must complete the following steps:
Navigate to the map selection > Competitive tab.
Ensure Multi-Select is checked.
Activate all Domination maps which include the following:
Yggsgard - Royal Palace
Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda - Birnin T’Challa
Hydra Charteris Base - Hell’s Heaven
Selecting maps will outline them with a yellow border and checkmark.
Start the game and one of the domination maps will be chosen at random.
1.8 Skins and Customizations
Teams must adhere to the following rules regarding character skins and customizations:
Character Skins/Cosmetics
All characters must be set to their default skins before the start of each match.
Alternate character skins or cosmetic variations are prohibited.
Restarting Game for Skin Violations
If a game is started with a character using a skin, the game must be restarted.
The restarted game must be played on the same map with the same hero bans/locks as the original game.
Failure to remake the game with the same map and ban/lock phase will result in a game loss.
Matches played out to completion with skins will be counted as a Game of Record. The Ban/Lock phase must be completed before a team requests a restart for an accidental skin selection. The Ban/Lock phase should not be interrupted to address a skin violation.
Repeat Violations
Each team can restart 1 time per match without penalty.
If a team needs to restart a game more than 1 time due to an accidental skin selection, the offending team will be issued a game loss.
2. Player Equipment
2.1 Equipment
Each player on the starting roster must have access to school-provided equipment or must be permitted by the school to provide their own equipment in the following categories:
PC, PS5, or Xbox X|S
Compatible controller, or Mouse and Keyboard (for PC)
Stable Internet Connection
2.2 Consoles and Ximming
Ximming is a term used to describe the usage of mouse and keyboard on consoles without detection through the help of a XIM device. This enables console players to use prohibited devices instead of a controller to gain a competitive advantage.
The use of this in Marvel Rivals is strictly prohibited and bannable as per NetEase. Any players found to be ximming will be subject to penalties by PlayVS officials.
3. Match Process
3.1 Pre-Match Setup
Teams must adhere to section 6.2 Pre-Match Setup in the league’s Competition Rulebook as they prepare to join their match.
3.2 Match Setup
Teams will follow Marvel Rivals Match Instructions for lobby creation setup and joining the game lobby.
Confirm Lobby Settings and Map Selection
Ensure players are on their appropriate teams.
No spectators are in the spectator slots.
Any spectators must be in the coach slots to ensure that they can only watch their specific team.
Confirm the following Room Settings:
Spectator Access: No Spectating
Ban/Pick Settings: Tournament (Basic)
Confirm that the correct map is selected for the upcoming round.
Lobby Management
At all times, the home team is in charge of managing the lobby, including moving players, assigning sides, and selecting the correct game mode and maps.
Ban-Lock Process
Once all twelve players have reported to the official game lobby, one member of each team will confirm readiness for the ban-lock process using in-game chat. Once both teams confirm readiness, the room owner will start the game.
Clicking Start will take all participants to the ban-lock process, where team leaders (person at the top of their respective team’s side of the lobby) will take turns banning and locking heroes. Locking a hero prevents them from being banned later. The process proceeds in-game as follows:
| Ban Phase #1 | Lock Phase #1 | Ban Phase #2 | Lock Phase #2 | Ban Phase #3 |
1. | Right Team | Left Team | Right Team | Left Team | Right Team |
2. | Left Team | Right Team | Left Team | Right Team | Left Team |
Missed bans/picks will result in no hero being selected, resulting in the team losing the ban/pick.
After the ban-lock process is complete, up to six (6) total heroes will be removed from play depending on the number of heroes banned. Each team will then pick their heroes and enter the match.
3.3 Match FAQ
Spectating
In order to avoid giving any team an advantage, spectators must be removed from spectating unless both coaches have agreed to allow for a spectator by following section 7.7 Match Spectating from the league’s Competition Rulebook.
If a coach is using a spectator, the lobby host will need to ensure that spectators are under the coach slots for the respective team. This will ensure that they are only able to look at the POVs of their assigned team.
In-Game Content Updates
Marvel Rivals is a live-service multiplayer game that may release new heroes, maps, or competitive game modes while the season is occurring.
Heroes added to the competitive pool of Marvel Rivals during the regular season may be available for use in a PlayVS match.
All competing teams will be notified of any map pool or hero changes and/or additions at least one (1) week in advance to them being available.
Any new map or hero added to the competitive pool of Marvel Rivals after the regular season has ended will not be available for playoffs.
Any new competitive game modes added to Marvel Rivals will be assessed for the following season.
PlayVS will not add any new game modes mid-season to our competitive matches.
Any maps or heroes currently disabled in-game by NetEase will not be available to use in PlayVS official matches.
This rulebook will be updated as needed to act as a source of truth.
4. Post-Match Process
4.1 Results
If the match is completed using the PlayVS Match Assistant tool, in-game statistics and results will be recorded at each game's conclusion.
In the event that the PlayVS Match Assistant cannot be used, statistics will not be tracked, and the match results must be submitted manually within 1 hour of match completion. Players should take screenshots of the match results and share those with their coaches.
In the event of an error, coaches must contact PlayVS directly.