Move Marvel Rivals to an SSD and verify the game files first. That is the safest and most directly supported response to a PC load that sits at 99% for a minute or longer. If it persists, check drivers, shaders, and network settings according to the symptoms—because 99% is a symptom, not one confirmed cause.
The most supported first fix is to install or move Marvel Rivals to an SSD, then verify the game files. The official Marvel Rivals FAQ specifically recommends an SSD when the game remains at 99% for a minute or longer. An SSD is not a guaranteed cure—some players still report the problem on SSDs—but it is the highest-priority storage change to try.
After that, work through the fixes in order: confirm your PC meets the requirements, verify the installation, update Windows and your graphics driver, address shader-cache problems after updates, and check proxy or VPN settings if the 99% screen comes with login failures or disconnects. Avoid repeatedly entering live matches while testing; the game may start without finishing your load and may apply a leave or timeout penalty.
What the 99% loading screen actually means
“99%” does not identify one universal fault. The client may still be loading local map and character assets, completing shader work, or communicating with game services. The symptom can therefore look different from one PC to another:
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- The match begins while your client remains at 99%.
- Character or map assets appear late.
- Audio is missing or starts after the match has begun.
- You enter the match late, time out, disconnect, or receive a leave penalty.
- The screen is accompanied by login errors rather than a purely slow load.
Do not assume that every 99% case is a server outage, and do not assume that every case is caused by a hard drive. Marvel Rivals’ official guidance connects prolonged 99% loading with using an SSD, while player reports include both HDD-related improvements and persistent SSD cases. Treat the SSD recommendation as the best-supported practical intervention—not a promise.
Fix Marvel Rivals stuck at 99%: the troubleshooting order
1. Check the PC requirements and available storage
For the PC version, the published minimum requirements include:
| Component | Published minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit, version 1909 or newer |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics API | DirectX 12 |
| Storage | 70 GB available space |
| Graphics hardware | NVIDIA GTX 1060, AMD RX 580, or Intel Arc A380 equivalent |
The official listing recommends an SSD for a better experience. Minimum specifications do not guarantee fast loading, particularly if the game is on a mechanical hard drive, the drive is nearly full, or Windows has little room for temporary files and updates.
To check your storage, open File Explorer, select This PC, and look at the free space on the drive containing Marvel Rivals. Keep additional headroom beyond the game’s listed 70 GB requirement for patches, unpacking, shader data, and temporary files. If the game is on an HDD, move it to an SSD before spending time on more invasive fixes.
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2. Move Marvel Rivals to an SSD
This is the most directly supported fix for a long 99% loading delay. If you need additional storage, choose a 1TB NVMe SSD only after checking that your desktop or laptop has a compatible M.2 slot, or use a compatible SATA SSD when it does not. The correct form factor and interface depend on your computer; an NVMe drive is not automatically compatible with every system.
Steam
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Right-click Marvel Rivals and select Properties.
- Open Installed Files or the storage-management option shown by your current Steam version.
- Use Steam’s move-installation option to select a Steam library on the SSD.
If the SSD does not appear, create a Steam Library folder on that drive first through Steam’s storage settings. Do not interrupt the move. Start the game after Steam reports that the transfer is complete.
Epic Games Store or Loading Bay
Epic or Loading Bay may not offer the same in-place move workflow. If your launcher does not provide a reliable move option, install Marvel Rivals again to the SSD. Make sure the SSD has enough free space before starting; a complete reinstall can consume substantial bandwidth and time, so try file verification first when it is available.
An SSD can shorten local asset and file-access delays, but it does not repair corrupted files, driver problems, shader issues, or network authentication failures. If 99% loading continues after the move, continue with the steps below.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3. Verify or repair the game files
File verification is safer than immediately deleting the game. It checks the installation and downloads or repairs files that are missing or damaged. Close Marvel Rivals before starting.
Steam
- Open Steam Library.
- Right-click Marvel Rivals and choose Properties.
- Select Installed Files.
- Click Verify integrity of game files.
Epic Games Store
- Open your Epic Games Library.
- Find Marvel Rivals and select the three-dot menu.
- Choose Manage.
- Select Verify.
Loading Bay
Open Marvel Rivals in Loading Bay and use the launcher’s file-integrity or repair option. The exact label can change with launcher updates, so look for Verify, Repair, or File Integrity. Allow the process to finish and restart the launcher before testing.
4. Update Windows and your graphics driver
Marvel Rivals’ official guidance requires a supported Windows version and current graphics drivers. Driver updates can also trigger a new round of shader compilation, so loading may temporarily behave differently immediately after an update.
- Windows: open Settings > Windows Update, install available updates, and restart.
- NVIDIA: use the official NVIDIA driver page or the current NVIDIA software.
- AMD: use AMD’s official driver support page or Radeon software.
- Intel: use Intel’s official driver support page for Arc graphics.
- Laptops and prebuilt PCs: check the computer manufacturer’s support page if its customized driver is required.
If ordinary updating does not help and the problem began after a driver change, use the manufacturer’s clean-install option where available, following its instructions. Avoid third-party “driver updater” utilities as your first choice; obtain drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Windows Update, or the PC manufacturer instead.
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5. Consider shader compilation and shader-cache problems
Shader work is a plausible contributor when the 99% problem starts after a game patch or graphics-driver update, but the available official information does not prove that shader compilation causes every 99% loading case.
Marvel Rivals has published guidance for clearing the NVIDIA shader cache in situations involving crashes or GPU-related failures. If you use an NVIDIA GPU and the issue began after an update, follow the official cache-clearing instructions, then restart Windows and launch the game again. Do not repeatedly delete unrelated folders or game files based on unverified guides.
The developer has also introduced an experimental shader-compilation mode intended to reduce memory use and performance problems on some PC configurations. Its availability and label may change with game versions. If the setting is present in your current installation, read its in-game description and test it one change at a time. Shader compilation can occur after a new game version or graphics-driver update, so the first launch afterward may take longer than later launches.
6. Check proxy, VPN, and game-accelerator settings if the symptom is network-related
Network troubleshooting is more relevant when 99% loading is accompanied by login failure, timeout messages, disconnections, or a match that cannot establish a session. If the game is simply slow while local assets load, changing network settings may do nothing.
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- Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy.
- Review the manual proxy and automatic setup options.
- Disable a proxy you did not intentionally configure.
You can also inspect the WinHTTP proxy from an elevated Command Prompt:
netsh winhttp show proxyIf it reports an unwanted proxy, reset it with:
netsh winhttp reset proxyRestart Windows afterward. Only reset a proxy when you understand that it is not required by your school, employer, security software, or network administrator.
Temporarily close VPNs, game accelerators, and traffic-filtering tools for a controlled test. Community reports are mixed: some players say a VPN or Cloudflare WARP helped, while others report no improvement. A VPN is therefore not a universal Marvel Rivals fix and can introduce another source of latency or connection failure.
If Wi-Fi is unstable, testing with a Cat6 Ethernet cable for PC gaming can help distinguish wireless interference from a game or PC problem. Wired networking is a diagnostic step, not an officially established cure for the 99% loading state.
7. Reduce graphics settings only when performance is part of the problem
Lowering graphics settings can help with poor frame rate, stuttering, or GPU memory pressure. It may not solve a loading-stage bottleneck caused by storage, damaged files, shaders, or authentication. Use it as a performance step rather than the primary 99% fix.
If you can reach the settings menu, lower texture quality and other memory-heavy options, apply the changes, and restart the game. If the game fails before you can change settings, prioritize the SSD, file verification, and driver checks instead.
8. Test in a low-consequence mode while troubleshooting
Do not repeatedly test the problem by joining ranked or other high-consequence matches. Players report cases where the match begins while their client remains at 99%, followed by a timeout or leave penalty. Use Practice Range or another low-consequence mode where possible, but do not assume that any mode is guaranteed to prevent penalties.
If you were penalized because the client could not finish loading, record the time and match details and include them in your support request. Support—not a local Windows tweak—must review any account-side penalty.
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What not to assume
- “An SSD always fixes it.” It is the official first recommendation for prolonged 99% loading, but some SSD users still experience the symptom.
- “It must be a server outage.” The same screen can result from local storage, files, shaders, drivers, or network communication.
- “Switching from Steam to Epic will repair it.” Some community reports describe improvement after changing launchers, but this is anecdotal and creates another download and account-management burden.
- “Run the game as administrator.” This appears in some community guides, but the reviewed official sources do not establish it as the standard fix. Try file verification, storage, drivers, and network checks first.
- “Disable antivirus or the firewall.” Broadly disabling security software is unnecessary and risky. If security software is clearly blocking the game, use a narrowly scoped allow-list exception for the relevant files, test briefly, and restore normal protection.
- “Reinstall immediately.” Reinstall only after verification, SSD migration, driver checks, and relevant network checks fail. Reinstalling costs time and bandwidth and does not prove that the underlying cause has been removed.
Before buying an SSD for Marvel Rivals
The game’s official guidance supports moving the installation to an SSD, but it does not specify one universal model. Check your computer before ordering:
- Desktop: confirm whether you have an available M.2 slot, a spare SATA data connection, and a suitable power connector.
- Laptop: check the service manual for an available M.2 slot or 2.5-inch SATA bay; some laptops have no upgradeable storage.
- Interface: an NVMe drive requires compatible M.2 support. A SATA SSD is a different interface.
- Capacity: leave room for the game, patches, shader data, and normal Windows operation. A 1TB drive is a practical capacity for many gaming PCs, but compatibility matters more than the advertised capacity.
Buying an SSD is an upgrade for storage and load performance, not a guaranteed Marvel Rivals repair. If the game is already on a healthy SSD, check files, drivers, shaders, and network conditions before replacing hardware.
When a wired connection is worth testing
A wired connection is worth testing when other online games also disconnect, Wi-Fi signal quality changes around the house, or Marvel Rivals shows login and timeout symptoms. Connect the PC directly to the router, close VPN or accelerator software, and repeat the same low-consequence test.
If Ethernet changes nothing and ordinary websites already work, the issue may be local game communication, services, or the client rather than Wi-Fi. Do not buy networking hardware solely because the loading number stops at 99%.
When to contact Marvel Rivals support
Escalate through the official Marvel Rivals Support bot or the support resources in the game’s official Discord when the steps above do not resolve the issue. Include enough detail for support to compare your case with known client, hardware, or service problems:
- Launcher: Steam, Epic Games Store, or Loading Bay.
- Whether Marvel Rivals is installed on an HDD, SATA SSD, or NVMe SSD.
- CPU, GPU, RAM amount, and the drive’s available free space.
- Windows edition and version.
- Graphics-driver version and approximate installation date.
- When the problem started, especially whether it followed a game patch or driver update.
- Whether the match begins while the screen is at 99%.
- Whether audio continues, assets appear late, or the game disconnects.
- Approximate time of the failed match, screenshots, error messages, and logs requested by support.
- Any leave or timeout penalty that followed the failed load.
State which steps you completed—SSD migration, file verification, driver update, shader-cache procedure, and proxy/VPN testing—so support does not send you through the same checklist again.
Optional general Windows maintenance
If Marvel Rivals is only one of several programs loading slowly, or Windows is also reporting disk-space, startup, or performance problems, a general Windows PC diagnostic tool may help identify broader issues. This is optional maintenance, not an official Marvel Rivals fix. Review every proposed cleanup or repair, keep backups, and do not use a third-party utility as a substitute for official GPU drivers or Marvel Rivals support.
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Does an SSD fix Marvel Rivals loading at 99%?
An SSD is the best-supported first fix because Marvel Rivals’ official FAQ recommends SSD installation when 99% loading lasts a minute or longer. It is not guaranteed to fix every case, especially when the cause is corrupted files, shaders, drivers, or network communication.
How do I verify Marvel Rivals files?
Use Steam’s Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. In Epic Games Store, open the game’s Manage menu and select Verify. Loading Bay has its own file-integrity or repair option.
Can I test the 99% loading bug without risking a penalty?
Test Practice Range or another low-consequence mode where possible, but no mode should be assumed to be penalty-free. If a timeout or leave penalty was applied because the client could not load, include the match time and details in a support request.
Could a VPN or proxy cause Marvel Rivals to stop at 99%?
Check Settings > Network & internet > Proxy, then inspect WinHTTP with netsh winhttp show proxy. If an unwanted proxy is present, netsh winhttp reset proxy can reset it; restart afterward. Only change managed network settings when authorized.
The Bottom Line
Start with the official recommendation: put Marvel Rivals on an SSD and verify its files. Then update Windows and the graphics driver, consider shader issues after updates, and inspect proxy or VPN settings only when login or disconnection symptoms point to networking. If the 99% load persists on a verified SSD, collect system details and logs and contact official Marvel Rivals support rather than repeatedly risking match penalties.
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