Gab Hernandez 
Marvel has officially revealed its first AAA team-based shooter, Marvel Rivals, an Overwatch-style multiplayer game developed by NetEase Games with some release date details.
It isn’t the multimedia comic juggernaut’s first foray into the arena battler space. Marvel dipped its toes into that scene with Marvel Super War for Android and iOS, developed by NetEase. Although it’s far from an AAA-quality release, fans loved playing as iconic Marvel characters in what was essentially Marvel’s version of League of Legends: Wild Rift.
Still, with how big Marvel has gotten thanks to the MCU, it was only a matter of time before the company set its sights higher. Valorant and Overwatch 2 can attest that there’s still a big market for hero shooters despite the best efforts of their publishers. The announcement trailer for Marvel Rivals showcases just what the game has in store alongside some release date info, and it should look strikingly familiar for many.
What is Marvel Rivals?
Marvel Rivals is a third-person team-based shooter that pits iconic Marvel characters against each other in 6v6 combat.
The setting for the game centers on Doctor Doom feuding with the Doom 2099 version of himself, which caused a collision of countless universes in the timestream. Notably, the art style is much closer to fellow Marvel-filled shooter Fortnite than the typically “realistic” MCU aesthetic that other AAA Marvel titles go for, such as Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man.
The official site also reveals a lot more gameplay elements not elaborated upon in the action-packed trailer. The developers confirm synergies between different characters, such as Rocket Raccoon being able to ride Groot’s shoulder, or Hulk overcharging Iron Man’s armor with Gamma energy. There will also be destructible environments that add a strategic layer to Marvel Rivals.
When is Marvel Rivals’ release date?
Marvel Rivals will launch on PC with a closed alpha test in May 2024. No release date for a general release was given.
Unlike Marvel Super War, Marvel Rivals is a full-fledged AAA release. Kurakasis, a leaker who accurately reported Marvel Rivals’ title before its announcement, claimed there would be mobile and console ports. However, Marvel Rivals is only confirmed to be releasing on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Still, given how popular team-based shooters are on those platforms and NetEase’s experience with past games, these will likely come in the future. NetEase has an enormous stable of developers under its umbrella including Detroit: Become Human developers Quantic Dream and Halo: Infinite co-developer Skybox Labs. Both precedent and industry trends suggest a release on as many platforms as the company can manage.
