Marvel Rivals Review, News, Characters, Patch Notes and More

Marvel Rivals is a new hero shooter, developed by NetEase Games and Marvel Games. It launched on December 6, 2024.

Marvel Rivals got more than 10 million players across all platforms in just three days of its launch.

During the first launch weekend of the game, Marvel Rivals gained peak concurrent players of 480,990 users on Steam, putting the game at the top of the top five most played games on the site. It achieved 444,286 concurrent players within 24 hours.

The game can now reach an estimated average number of 603,178 users daily. Marvel Rivals has a total of 33 playable characters from its hero and villain lineup-all free for players.

On Steam, Marvel Rivals has a generally positive rating with around 76% of 35,000 reviews positive. The overall review score is roughly 7/10.

The game is a third-person, team-based PvP action using the iconic characters from the Marvel Universe.

Marvel Rivals takes inspiration from the Overwatch hero shooter and includes many gameplay mechanics and objectives that come from it.

Players can select from a rooster of 33 characters each categorized into three distinct roles: Vanguard (tank), Duelist (damage) and Strategist (support).

The game features familiar modes, such as point capture and escort missions, where players must collaborate to achieve objectives using the unique abilities of their heroes.

The Game Features a Lineup of Characters Including:

• Iron Man
• Black Widow
• Hulk
• Scarlet Witch
• Spider-Man
• Doctor Strange
• Star-Lord
• Wolverine

Is Marvel’s Rivals Free to Play?

Yes, Marvel Rivals is free-to-play. Players can download and play the game without an initial purchase on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

The game itself is free, but there are microtransactions for optional purchases like a Luxury Battlepass, premium currency (Lattice), and cosmetic items like character skins.

Is Marvel Rivals PC Only?

Marvel Rivals is not exclusive to PC, it’s also available on PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

It will not be available on previous generation consoles like the PS4 or Xbox One and there are no plans for a Nintendo Switch version.

Furthermore, Marvel Rivals is a crossplay game from PC to console, except in competitive ranked modes, users will be separated based on their platforms for balanced gameplay.

Is Marvel Rivals Coming to Mobile?

To date, there is no announced plan for the release of Marvel Rivals on mobile platforms. Game director Thaddeus Sasser also said that currently, there are no discussions for the mobile version of the game or the Nintendo Switch release.

Marvel Rivals Ranks or Ranks in Marvel Rivals

1. Bronze
   • Bronze III
   • Bronze II
   • Bronze I
2. Silver
   • Silver III
   • Silver II
   • Silver I
3. Gold
   • Gold III
   • Gold II
   • Gold I
4. Platinum
   • Platinum III
   • Platinum II
   • Platinum I
5. Diamond
   • Diamond III
   • Diamond II
   • Diamond I
6. Grandmaster
   • Grandmaster III
   • Grandmaster II
   • Grandmaster I
7. Eternity (No subdivisions)
8. One Above All (No subdivisions)

All rank from Bronze to Grandmaster, the player has to earn 100 points to move up in the next subdivision.

At the top ranks, the game shifts to a point-based system for Eternity and One Above All, where rankings are based on points earned rather than divisions.

Players can win points and lose points from losses. A special feature called Chrono Shields can stop demotion for a while if players fall below a certain threshold.

Players can obtain many different types of rewards from ranking in different positions of a season including rank skins and borders of nameplate.

Marvel Rivals Skin

In Marvel Rivals there are multiple kinds of skin available that are available via multiple different means free rewards, competitive achievements as well as special events.

Free Skins

• Hela – Empress of the Cosmos: Part of Season 0 Battle Pass with Chrono tokens worth 400. 
• Star-Lord – Jovial Star: Gained by unlocking Heroic Journey (400).
• Storm – Ivory Breeze: Also from Heroic Journey achievements (200 points).
• Moon Knight – Golden Moonlight: Unlock this skin by reaching Gold rank in competitive play.
• Iron Man – Armor Model 42: Obtainable via a redeemable code.
• Peni Parker – VEN#M: Exclusive for PlayStation Plus subscribers.
• Spider-Man – Scarlet Spider: A PlayStation exclusive skin.
• Magneto – Will of Galacta: Earned through Twitch Drops by watching streams for 4 hours.

How to Claim Free Skins

Players can claim skins by the achievement of certain achievements by rising through ranks in competitive play or joining promotional events such as Twitch Drops. For instance, to access the Moon Knight skin one has to achieve Gold rank in Ranked matches.

Competitive Rewards

Promotional Codes

Iron Man Armor Model 42 skin: Redeemable with the code nwarh4k3xqy (valid until March 5, 2025).

Marvel Rivals Characters

Marvel Rivals has a wide library of 33 playable characters at launch broadly categorized into three roles: Duelists, Strategists and Vanguards.

Duelists

• Black Panther
• Hawkeye
• Hela
• Iron Man
• Magik
• Moon Knight
• Namor
• Psylocke
• Scarlet Witch
• Spider-Man
• Star-Lord
• Storm
• The Punisher
• Winter Soldier
• Black Widow
• Squirrel Girl
• Iron Fist

Strategists

• Loki
• Jeff the Land Shark
• Rocket Raccoon
• Mantis
• Luna Snow
• Adam Warlock

Vanguards

• Doctor Strange
• Venom
• Hulk
• Groot

Marvel Rivals Steam

Marvel Rivals can be accessed on Steam for free and is a game that released on December 5, 2024.

Active Marvel Rivals Codes and How to Redeem them

As of December 2024, one code for Marvel Rivals is currently active. The code is redeemable by players for various rewards.

Additional Exclusive Rewards

• Scarlet Spider Costume: It is available for PlayStation players.
• Peni Parker Season 0 Bundle: It includes cosmetics and 300 Chrono Tokens, available for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

How to Redeem Codes

1. Launch the Game: Start Marvel Rivals on your platform.
2. Access the Options Menu:
   • On PC, press Esc.
   • On consoles, press the Pause button.
3. Select Bundle Code: Navigate to the options menu and choose the Bundle Code option.
4. Enter the Code: Type or paste the code (e.g., NWARH4K3XQY) into the designated field.
5. Hit Use: Click the Use button to redeem your reward.

If you have redeemed a code successfully, you will also be presented with a preview and will have the opportunity to equip your prize immediately.

Marvel Rivals Patch Notes

Released on December 10, 2024, the last update of the month brought plenty of essential bug fixes together with gameplay tweaks.

The patch corrected an exploit where Doctor Strange could charge his ultimate ability by achieving environmental kills using his portals. This exploit has been disabled, meaning that he cannot recover energy through knockouts on terrain.

Fixed problems with the fact that characters could get stuck or clip through the environment especially on maps such as Hydra Charteris Base: Hell’s Heaven and Klyntar: Symbiotic Surface.

Fixed bugs related to various heroes’ ultimate abilities, such as:

• Adam Warlock’s ultimate causes teammates to get stuck upon revival.
• Thor and Loki have the same problem when revived by Hela’s team-up ability.
• Jeff the Land Shark’s ultimate causes characters to get stuck.
• Winter Soldier’s ultimate may lose damage if enemies landed on the target area.

Fixed an issue where heroes could carry over ultimate energy from one round to the next in competitive modes like Convoy or Convergence. Corrected vehicle range display issues when switching rounds.

Additional Fixes

• Fixes desynchronization and lag in highlight recordings crosshair.
• Fixed saves related to the highlighting of locations and missions in the display of progress on the screen for the Season Event.
• Multiple text errors and overall game stability improvements were addressed.

Marvel Rivals Premise and Story

The central narrative in Marvel Rivals is about a catastrophic event named Timestream Entanglement that was caused by two variants of Doctor Doom – Doom, the present-day one and Doom, the one from the future that is 2099.

The reckless experiments involving the timelines lead to the fusion of numerous timelines, creating several realities, which are called the Chronoverses.

Timestream Entanglement: This is a special event that combines different timelines within the Marvel universe, bringing together many variants of famous heroes and villains. Each character’s motives and personalities may vary since they come from other different universes.

The game comes with a mix of familiar and lesser-known Marvel Universe characters, just like with Marvel’s Avengers or Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

This leads to timelines entangling and therefore, familiar foes turn into friends and vice versa. Loki and Hela are among the characters that take advantage of this confusion for their benefit. Some characters, such as Avengers, try to get the timeline back to normal.

Role of Doctor Strange: Trapped in the Mirror Dimension, Doctor Strange teams up with Scarlet Witch to prevent these realities from collapsing. Using the magic of chaos, they stabilize the situation.

Spider-Man and the Web-Warriors: They fight for the protection of the Web of Life and Destiny against the forces of Doom.

There are many characters in the game from across the multiverse, all showing different interpretations from comics and films.

Players fight on iconic locations like Asgard, Tokyo 2099, and other realms that fans of the franchise love.

Marvel Rivals Gameplay Mechanics

Marvel Rivals is a 6v6 team-based hero shooter with elements of other genres primarily action and strategy.

Players Engage in Matches Across Game Modes Including:

• Convoy Mode: One team escorts a payload while the other defends against it.
• Domination Mode: Teams compete to control designated points on the map.
• Convergence Mode: Players capture progressive mission areas with strategic planning.
• Conquest Mode: A classic team deathmatch where the objective is to eliminate opponents.

Each character has a standard attack for basic damage and unique abilities that serve specific roles. Abilities operate on cooldowns, requiring players to time their usage effectively during matches.

This balance between standard attacks and special abilities ensures that no single character dominates gameplay.

Controls

The game has controls that are easy for new players to learn. Basic movements include standard actions such as jumping, dodging, and using abilities.

Each character has unique abilities that can be activated with simple button presses. Players can quickly learn their heroes’ skills through tutorials and practice modes.

Although the basic controls are simple to learn, mastering each character’s abilities takes time. Characters have different roles that add complexity to team dynamics and strategies in gameplay.

The game features advanced mechanics such as Team-Up abilities that are activated when specific character combinations are chosen.

Marvel Rivals Visuals

Departing from most the recent photorealistic graphics many games come with in the AAA section of these contemporary titles, Marvel Rivals takes on a colorful fantastical art style more along the lines of anime and comic book. It feels completely different from other hero shooters like Overwatch and Apex Legends.

Developed using Unreal Engine 5, Marvel Rivals utilizes features such as advanced graphical capabilities, Lumen Global Illumination, and screen space reflections.

Players have the option to customize their graphics settings to optimize performance. Recommended settings include lowering shadow quality and effects detail to maintain higher frame rates without sacrificing visual fidelity. For example:

• Global Illumination: Reducing this setting can boost FPS.
• Shadow Quality: Lowering this can improve frame rates by up to 20%.

Some players have experienced performance issues such as FPS drops during intense gameplay moments even on high end systems. Adjusting graphics or capping frame rates can help out in such situations.

Marvel Rivals Multiplayer Modes

1. Convoy
   • One team, the attackers, has to escort a vehicle called the Convoy to set checkpoints while the other team, the defenders, tries to stop them. The defenders can prepare defenses before the match begins and the attackers have to work in unison to keep the Convoy moving forward. The match contains two checkpoints that must be crossed.
2. Domination
   • Teams compete to capture and hold points on a mirrored map. Victory requires winning 2 out of 3 sets. Teams must capture a central point with progress measured by time spent controlling it. Contesting teams can trigger overtime if they engage in the area.
3. Convergence
   • The offense team has to capture three checkpoints within a set time, while the defenders try to prevent them from doing so. Teams alternate between offense and defense, and the victory is achieved by capturing all checkpoints or having the most points when time runs out.
4. Conquest
   • A team deathmatch mode where teams earn points by eliminating enemy heroes. The first team to reach 50 points or the team with the most points when time expires wins.
5. Custom Game
   • Players can create or join custom matches with friends allowing for tailor made gameplay experience.
6. Practice vs. AI
   • A training mode where players can hone their skills against computer-controlled opponents across different levels of difficulty.

Marvel Rivals Monetization and In-Game Purchases

Marvel Rivals is free to play, as players may download and experience the game without paying. All aspects of gameplay such as heroes, maps, and modes, are available in the game and do not require players to pay or purchase these elements.

In-Game Currencies

Cosmetic Purchases

• Epic-Quality Bundle: Costs 1,600 Units (originally worth 2,200 Units).
• MCU Epic-Quality Bundle: Priced at 1,800 Units (worth 2,400 Units).
• Legendary-Quality Bundle: Costs 2,400 Units (originally valued at 3,300 Units).

The Season 0 Battle Pass is priced at 490 Lattice offering five costumes and related cosmetics valued at around 8,000 Units. Starting from Season 1, the price will increase to 980 Lattice, with double the items offered.

Players can claim Battle Pass rewards even after the season ends, ensuring access to previously earned cosmetics.

Even without buying the Luxury version of the Battle Pass, players can earn a high-quality skin and cosmetics due to achievements and events.

The Developers have stated that there are no mechanisms of pay-to-win available in Marvel Rivals. All the gameplay-related content heroes, maps, and modes available are accessible without spending money on them.

Marvel Rivals Performance and Optimization

There are various frame rates reported, with players getting drops from smooth gameplay at 120 FPS down to 20 FPS in heavy situations. It can be frustrating to see this, especially in a competitive environment where smooth gameplay is necessary.

Optimized for 1080p resolution, average players can expect around 102.5 FPS, and a 1% low of 61.5 FPS.

High-end systems are not immune to frame rate drops particularly during chaotic gameplay scenarios.

Some players report micro-stuttering, which disrupts and can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.

Recommended Graphics Settings

Marvel Rivals Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• High skill ceiling with complex character abilities.
• Diverse roster of 33 characters.
• Engaging team dynamics and unique team-up abilities.
• Destructible environments that enhance gameplay strategy.
• Fast matchmaking and enjoyable gameplay experience.

Weaknesses

• Balance issues among characters.
• Some mechanics feel borrowed from other games particularly Overwatch.
• Lack of rewarding progression systems.
• Sometimes, the game may experience lagging in intense gameplay.

Latest News About Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals, which was recently released on December 6, 2024, has reached 10 million players in just 72 hours. It is considered to be one of the biggest competitors for Blizzard’s Overwatch because of its hero shooter format.

On December 10, Marvel Rivals received its first post-launch patch that was focused on bug fixes rather than implementing major balance changes. The update is expected to enhance the gameplay experience by fixing several issues, including an exploit involving Dr. Strange, which allowed him to gain energy through unintended means.

Recent leaks have come to show that Marvel Rivals intends to introduce 12 new heroes and villains, some of whom are well-known characters like Blade, Captain Marvel, and Jean Grey.

The game reached a peak of nearly 481,000 concurrent players on Steam during its launch weekend, making it one of the top five most-played games on the platform.

The game was launched with its first season, titled Season 0: Doom’s Rise, featuring a storyline involving multiple versions of Doctor Doom.

As of now, Marvel Rivals is positively rated on Steam with over 76% positive reviews out of more than 35,000 reviews.

NetEase Games has stated that it will have further content updates in the near future that include other characters and maps.

As of December 9, 2024, about 426,854 players are currently playing Marvel Rivals on all platforms. The game has a daily active user count of about 603,178.

GamesRadar criticizes Marvel Rivals for balance and calls it Overwatch-like. He or she even implies a score of something like 6/10.

XboxEra says Marvel Rivals is an excellent start for the franchise, which could even earn it a higher rating in the region of 8/10.

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