M Alzamora 
Marvel Rivals may be free to download, but many players want to know if it’s actually free-to-play or has unexpected costs.
The latest 6v6 team shooter to hit the market, Marvel Rivals seems to be an instant success. Over 440,000 downloaded and played the game on Steam on its first launch day, already taking it down a different path than the failed Concord. And with Marvel Rivals also available on Xbox Series and PS5, the actual player count number is likely way higher.
However, games that market themselves as free-to-play often have their own way of making money off players. Players need to know if Marvel Rivals is actually free-to-play or if they’ll have to cough up to win.
Is Marvel Rivals actually free to play?
Marvel Rivals is a completely free game to download and play with optional microtransactions for cosmetic upgrades.
Since the first trailer aired, developer NetEase has made it clear that Marvel Rivals would be a free-to-play game. The game will seemingly follow the same model as Dota 2 or Overwatch, where all gameplay content like characters and game modes are free. However, skins for characters and profiles will cost money.
Players unlock access to all 33 heroes upon launching the game. As more heroes are added, those will also be added to the free pool to pick from. Additionally, Marvel Rivals has a free battle pass track that offers at least one epic costume. No purchase is necessary to get an in-game advantage, as is often common with online multiplayer games.
Marvel Rivals does contain microtransactions that may cost players a pretty penny if they don’t watch their wallets. Fortunately, any money spent will only go to making one’s hero look cool.
All paid content in Marvel Rivals
Optional cosmetics and content in the luxury battle pass are the only paid features in Marvel Rivals.
Players have the option of buying lattice, a premium in-game currency that costs approximately $1 for 1 lattice. The more lattice players buy, the lower the price per.
For Season 0, the luxury battle pass costs 490 lattices, or $5. In future seasons, this will increase to 980 lattices for $10 to account for the longer season and increased amount of rewards. Players can expect the luxury pass hero outfits and related cosmetics, including one legendary costume. Additionally, once purchased, the luxury pass remains open for as long as it takes to complete it.
All other priced items are visual cosmetic character additions rather than anything that will have an impact on gameplay. As in other similar games, the cheapest way to get cosmetics is by purchasing their respective bundles. These bundles cost between 1,600 and 2,400 units depending on rarity, or between $16 and $24. Importantly, the cosmetics are listed in units, suggesting that it’s possible to earn the amount needed for a full bundle just through playing.
While saving up for the Jeff the Land Shark or Loki Season 2 bundles, players can find plenty of codes online to redeem for free cosmetics. Marvel Rivals’ free-to-play system is a boon to many players and, so long as the cosmetics are cool enough, could be a major contributing factor to its future longevity.
