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Marvel Rivals boasts big player count even in closed beta 

Hulk powering up Ironman in Marvel Rivals

The latest Overwatch competitor, Marvel Rivals, has posted impressive player count numbers despite being in a closed beta.

The NetEase Games superhero shooter Marvel Rivals launched its closed beta yesterday and has already hosted a large number of players. Earlier this year, NetEase announced its collaboration with Marvel in developing a 6v6 hero shooter. The announcement was met with skepticism by fans who questioned why yet another hero shooter was needed on the market. However, players have shown plenty of interest in the closed beta. 

Marvel Rivals’ closed beta launched with 21 Marvel characters from across the comics, cartoons, and films. There are characters from The Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, the Spiderverse, and many deep cuts that haven’t yet been featured in films or on television. Each character has abilities, and special attacks pulled straight from the comics. With a full roster of superheroes and villains, the game is off to a super start. 

Marvel Rivals closed beta player count

During the closed beta, Marvel Rivals saw a peak of over 50,000 players playing on Steam, cementing its place as a new Overwatch challenger. 

The real player count is actually higher, as the closed beta is also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. PlayStation and Xbox player counts are not made publicly known. Players have reported finding matches within seconds of booting the game on consoles with no complaints about wait time surfacing on the game’s forums. 

According to Steam Charts, the concurrent player count for Marvel Rivals averages around 30,000 to 35,000, a very healthy number considering it’s just a closed beta. Early previews call the game a polished experience that can only get better. 

How to play Marvel Rivals 

Players interested in participating in the Marvel Rivals closed beta have plenty of opportunities to do so.

While it’s a closed beta, getting into the game is straightforward and has multiple ways. Players can access the beta by applying for it on Steam itself. Another way is to watch a Marvel Rivals stream on Twitch and get a drop for a code on their preferred platform. Players who reach level 6 in the beta can also get extra invite codes to bring their friends to the game.

Marvel Rivals team fight

There has yet to be an official release date for the free-to-play Marvel Rivals. Thankfully, interested players have already played the game twice this year. The alpha test was held in May and gave players a free Scarlet Witch skin. The current beta will run until August 5, giving players plenty of time with the game. 

Written by Bilawal Bashir

Bilawal is a software engineer who loves video games, comic books, and anime. But he will never love pineapple on pizza. In over two decades of gaming, he has only broken two controllers. His work has also been featured by TheGamer and WhatIfGaming.

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