Marvel Games and NetEase Games have revealed their upcoming 6v6 team-based multiplayer superhero game featuring characters of the Marvel Universe, and it's called Marvel Rivals. The Overwatch-style shooter will pit two teams of six heroes against each other on battlefields such as Tokyo 2099 and Asgard that are built around destruction. You can watch the official trailer for Marvel Rivals below:
Developers who worked on the Battlefield and Call of Duty franchises are developing Marvel Rivals for the PC. Marvel Rivals will be a free-to-play team-based game with an expanding lineup of Marvel characters that are played from a third-person perspective. New superheroes and supervillains will be added over multiple seasons, but NetEase announced that the complete launch roster will include Spider-Man, Black Panther, Magneto, Storm, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Loki, Star-Lord, Groot, Mantis, Namor, Rocket Raccoon, Peni Parker, Scarlet Witch, The Punisher, and Luna Snow. For fans unfamiliar with Luna Snow, she is an ice mage/K-pop star that debuted in the video game Marvel Future Fight.
At least 12 of those heroes and villains will be playable in the upcoming alpha test, but we can expect the game to expand with more fan-favorites as new seasons are released. Jay Ong talked about the project, and why it will fit well within the team-based shooter genre.
In a press release, Marvel Games boss Jay Ong talked about the game and the team's passion for the project:
Marvel Rivals is one of our most ambitious game development projects. Since the conceptualization of the game and throughout our collaboration, our Marvel team has poured our hearts and souls into this project, and we are thrilled to work with the incredible team at NetEase Games to help deliver the ultimate Super Hero team-based PVP shooter
Marvel Rivals Team-Based Gameplay Details
As the announcement trailer revealed, Marvel Rivals will feature superheroes and supervillains using their trademark abilities in battle. Loki transforms into other characters, using their superpowers; Black Panther summons a gigantic version of Bast to attack his enemies; Doctor Strange conjures portals for his team to travel through.
Marvel Rivals will feature Team-Up moves, in which multiple heroes and villains can combine their powers for highly-effective synergy. For example, the Hulk can lend Iron Man intense gamma radiation to power up his repulsors; and Guardians of the Galaxy members Rocket Raccoon and Groot can become a rootin'-shootin' duo.
Check out more screenshots for Marvel Rivals in the image gallery below:
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NetEase Games/Marvel Games
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NetEase Games/Marvel Games
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NetEase Games/Marvel Games
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NetEase Games/Marvel Games
It appears that Galacta, the daughter of Galactus, is overseeing the game's 6v6 battles, which are narratively connected to a story about converging timelines and a war between Doctor Dooms. With so many heroes and villains featured in Marvel Rivals, different teams will have different strategies for stopping either Doctor Doom from taking over all of reality. This is the justification of this conflict between the characters.
Speaking to Polygon, Thaddeus Sasser, game director on Marvel Rivals, who worked on games such as Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Ghost Recon franchises for more than 20 years, said that “being able to play as your favorite hero in a multiplayer game is something that was super appealing to me, and I think it’s something that appeals to a lot of players. Think about some of the famous characters from Marvel comics — there’s a whole list of things you can start to imagine happening in the game. Also, having magical superpowers in a multiplayer game is something that hasn’t really been done to death. It’s still kind of relatively fresh and new, and the way we’re doing it, and some of the tricks we’ve got up our sleeves should be pretty exciting for new players.”
Sasser also revealed to the outlet that the characters in Marvel Rivals won't be locked into specific class, and that they will have a range of powers. There will be something similar to team roles, like DPS, tank, and support, to help gamers figure out how a hero or villain will fight with the team.
“We call it a shooter, because of the style of play,” Sasser explained to Polygon, noting that Marvel Rivals will feature a mix of ranged, close-quarters, and melee combat styles. “A hero like Hulk, why would you give him a gun?”
When can gamers start playing Marvel Rivals?
An exact launch date for Marvel Rivals hasn't been announced yet as developers at NetEase are still fine-tuning some of game's rules, particularly selecting characters and what restrictions will apply to teams, according to Sasser. More information about the game modes will be revealed in the near future, but interested gamers will get to experience Marvel Rivals in May 2024, when the shooter's alpha test is expected to launch.
