Organizer of Marvel Rivals tournament acknowledges mistake in disqualifying player over Black Widow incident.

A few days after the controversy surrounding a Twitch streamer who was removed from a Marvel Rivals tournament, the organizer, Basim, has admitted that he made a poor judgment call regarding the disciplinary action. During a recent stream, Basim acknowledged that viewers who were upset about the ban were completely “justified” in their feelings, emphasizing that no one should be penalized for respectfully asking a teammate to switch from a less effective hero.

To recap the situation: Last weekend, Basim hosted a $40,000 Marvel Rivals tournament featuring numerous Twitch streamers showcasing the game’s latest hero, Deadpool. One former participant, Kingsman265, shared a video claiming he was kicked from the event after suggesting to his teammate, zazzastack, that they should choose a different character instead of Black Widow, known for her poor win rate. Despite Kingsman265’s reasoning that they needed to prepare for specific enemy characters, zazzastack, who typically plays Black Widow, refused to change her pick.

The disagreement escalated to the point where Basim intervened and banned Kingsman265 from the tournament. Initially, Basim defended his decision, stating he had seen footage of the team’s exchanges and believed his event wasn’t meant to be overly competitive. He suggested that those seeking a more serious experience should participate in esports matches. Kingsman265, however, was frustrated, as winning the tournament could have helped him pay for college tuition. The ban gained significant attention in the community after the event concluded, especially since zazzastack ended up with a negative kill/death ratio after losing most of her matches.

Fast forward a couple of days, and Basim has changed his stance.

“They’re absolutely right, 100 percent, no question about it,” Basim stated during a Twitch broadcast, addressing the critics who felt he mishandled the situation with Kingsman. “There’s no beating around the bush. I don’t know why it’s difficult to admit when you’re wrong and when you messed up. I made a decision based on haste and misinformation.”

While footage showed the teammates getting heated during their discussions, Kingsman265 claimed that his teammates were toxic and dismissive. One teammate even admitted to bullying him, which makes Kingsman265’s reactions seem more composed in comparison. Despite the drama, Kingsman265 has urged his viewers not to harass those involved, especially since some have reportedly received death threats.

Interestingly, getting kicked from the tournament may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Kingsman265. His video revealing the ban has garnered 1.5 million views, and influencer videos discussing the incident have also attracted millions of views. His Twitch stream has seen a massive surge in popularity; in December 2025, he averaged just under 200 concurrent viewers, but now he regularly pulls in thousands, recently hitting a peak of 15,000. This surge has propelled him into the top 0.03% of Twitch streamers, a feat he likely wouldn’t have achieved had he participated in the Marvel Rivals tournament, where success was uncertain.

Kingsman265 has also managed to recover the $3,000 he lost from being removed from the tournament, thanks to a generous supporter, not to mention the influx of new subscribers and donations. He has even started telling his viewers to stop sending him money.

The drama has caught the attention of NetEase, the developer of Marvel Rivals. In a recent stream, Kingsman265 revealed that he received credits from NetEase to purchase skins for his main character, Magik.

“No way, there’s no way that’s real,” Kingsman265 exclaimed in disbelief. Despite all the newfound attention, he remains committed to his original goal of completing his college degree.