A recent Marvel Rivals tournament sparked major drama that even caught the attention of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks on TikTok. The Marvel Rivals subreddit is flooded with posts criticizing how streamer Kingsman265_ was treated during the event.
For those unfamiliar, here’s what happened. The tournament was meant to be casual, but a $40,000 prize was added late, creating tension between players who wanted to compete and those just playing for fun. Teams included a mix of skill levels, from Diamond 1 players to Top 500s, and there were no hero bans, which added to the chaos.
Kingsman265_ was performing the best on his team and suggested that teammate zazzastack switch from Black Widow to Winter Soldier for a better chance to win. At the time, zazzastack was 0-5 on Black Widow, a hero known for being a difficult pick. Instead of discussing it calmly, team leader Cecee lashed out, calling Kingsman names and shutting down the conversation. The rest of the team joined in, making the situation worse.
Things escalated when zazzastack’s boyfriend, Kaplunk, created a biased document to make Kingsman look bad. Tournament organizer BazimZB banned Kingsman without hearing his side, with Cecee approving the decision. After his removal, Kingsman’s team quickly fell apart, showing he had been carrying the matches.
The fallout has been intense. Cecee apologized and took a break from social media but lost a sponsorship due to her behavior. Zazzastack also faced criticism, with her Black Widow gameplay now a joke in the community. Kaplunk privated his Twitter, while BazimZB dismissed fans’ outrage, causing further anger. Even Kingsman’s duo partner Luciyasa received some backlash for not supporting him.
The situation highlights the clash between casual and competitive players and the dangers of poorly managed tournaments. Some context explains Cecee’s reaction—she may have been frustrated from past toxicity—but it doesn’t excuse the behavior. The incident has sparked wider discussions about how women in gaming are treated online, even when sexism isn’t involved.
The silver lining is that Kingsman265_ has come out stronger. After his story went viral, major streamers like XqC and Jay3 spoke in his support. His Twitch viewership jumped from 200 to over 4,400 viewers, he gained hundreds of subscribers, and he became a Twitch partner. Despite the drama, Kingsman’s career has taken off, turning a negative experience into a major boost for his streaming presence.
