Marvel Rivals is set to launch this December, and NetEase's answer to Overwatch has certainly piqued my interest. The upcoming hero shooter will pit some of the most famous Marvel heroes and villains against one another, as two teams of six fight for points on the scoreboard and territorial control.
A recent Marvel Rivals beta gave us a good sense of what to expect from this free-to-play shooter, with its fast action, lushly presented battlegrounds, and solid 26-character roster. Still, with that launch window fast approaching, there's still plenty to get up to speed on with this anticipated upcoming Marvel game. So while you wait, why not get up to speed on everything you need to know about Marvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals release date
NetEase has confirmed that the Marvel Rivals release date is December 6, 2024! It will also be free-to-play on all platforms listed below, and all 25 heroes will be available to play right away, no unlocking required.
Marvel Rivals platforms
The Marvel Rivals platforms are confirmed as PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Importantly, there is there will be full Marvel Rivals crossplay support between these platforms, with the only exception to this is that PC and console players will be separated for the Competitive ranked mode. Additionally, you won't need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass subscription to play on either of those consoles. NetEase has confirmed that there will be no Marvel Rivals PS4, Xbox One, or Switch editions.
Marvel Rivals trailer
As the above trailer shows, Captain America and the Winter Soldier are the latest characters to be joining the roster, bringing their own unique abilities to the hero shooter. Cap looks to be an incredibly nimble tank character and obviously uses his shield a lot to bash enemies and even deflect certain enemy attacks back at them. Meanwhile, Winter Soldier's tendril-infused robot arm lets him grapple enemies and perform some lethal ground slams, before following up with powerful pistol shots.
If you want to know a bit more about the setting for Marvel Rivals, be sure to check out the cinematic trailer too, which gives you an action-packed look at some of characters as they fight or team up across the multiverse and the timestream.
This is essentially the narrative justification for Marvel Rivals as, thanks to two diabolical Doctor Dooms – one past, one future – havoc is being wreaked on both time and space, forcing heroes to team up and fight for their worlds. If you need an MCU refresher to make heads or tails of these trailers, don't worry as we have a super helpful guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies in order for you as well.
Marvel Rivals gameplay
Taking the 6v6 Hero Shooter format popularized by Overwatch, the Marvel Rivals gameplay experience pits teams of incredibly varied heroes and villains against each other to complete objectives on maps from across the multiverse. Based on some time with the game, we reckon that it's got enough personality "to go toe-to-toe with Overwatch's own heroes, but the game struggles with information overload", and it's going to take a bit more for Marvel Rivals to escape Overwatch's shadow.
Of course, the main draw is the massive cast of heroes and villains to pick from. There will be 25 Marvel Rivals characters available to play as at launch, taken from all over the comic maker's superhero repertoire. As the above trailer shows, Captain America and the Winter Soldier are the latest characters to be joining the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Loki, Storm, and Star-Lord.
Every character has a range of passive and active abilities to use and there are a lot of possible playstyles available, from brawling tanks and aggressive flankers to more protective backline characters and super supports. The heroes your teammates choose can also determine which Marvel Rivals Team-Ups activate, granting extra buffs and powers to certain heroes with the right combination, adding an extra layer to team composition.
Regarding maps and modes, these have been limited so far, seeing players push or resist a moving payload or fight for control over a single objective across both Tokyo 2099 and Yggsgard. With that many heroes to choose from, however, matches can be very chaotic and varied even with a handful of maps, and more will be present for the game's full launch. There will also be also a Marvel Rivals ranked mode for those looking for something a bit more competitive.
Will there be another Marvel Rivals beta?
NetEase is yet to share more details on another Marvel Rivals beta, so the short answer is "we don't know." The most recent beta test, which ran until early August was a closed test, meaning participation was invite-only, so we wouldn't be surprised to see an open beta in the next couple of months to iron out balancing issues and, importantly, stress test the servers before launch.
Again, absolutely nothing has been confirmed and this is speculation based on other games and previous tests for Marvel Rivals, but keep an eye out for potential news on how to get Marvel Rivals keys or access for any upcoming tests.
Whether Marvel Rivals will make its way into our list of the best Marvel games remains to be seen, but while you wait for it to land on December 6 check out some of the other new games of 2024 that are on the way.
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