NetEase Games is making significant changes to the Marvel Rivals post-launch roadmap, aiming to keep the live service momentum going strong. They plan to shorten the seasons and ensure the release of at least one new hero each month, as announced in the Marvel Rivals Season 2 Dev Vision Vol. 5 video. This update promises to keep the game fresh and exciting for players.
Season 2, launching on April 11, will introduce the new Vanguard, Emma Frost, right at the start. Mid-season, players can look forward to Ultron, whose class will be revealed closer to his launch. Both characters bring new abilities to the table, but the real shift in gameplay dynamics will come with Season 3.
Starting with Season 3, NetEase will reduce the season length from three months to two months. This adjustment will accelerate major content updates while maintaining their commitment to introduce at least one new hero every half-season. This means players won't have to wait as long between new hero releases, starting from the hero after Ultron.
Guangyun Chen, the creative director of Marvel Rivals, emphasized the importance of keeping the game engaging in the Dev Vision video. He mentioned that social media feedback has added pressure to keep the game exciting, and NetEase agrees with the sentiment. "With our goal of keeping the audience’s excitement alive just like our opening months, the real adventure with Marvel Rivals is just beginning," Chen stated. He further explained that the team wants to fulfill players' fantasies about Marvel Super Heroes by introducing new modes and a diverse roster of characters. More details on how these changes will impact players will be shared before Season 3 launches.
Just hours ago, NetEase pulled back the curtain on Marvel Rivals Season 2, announcing a shift from the vampire takeover theme to a new storyline centered around the Hellfire Gala. This new theme will bring fresh outfits, maps, and characters, with more details to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has been a massive success, attracting 10 million players in just three days. The game was released on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. On Steam, it saw a peak of 480,990 concurrent players at launch, and Season 1 in January drew an impressive 644,269 concurrent players, ranking it as the 15th most-played game on Valve's platform.
Despite a decline in concurrent players since then, Marvel Rivals remains one of the most popular games on Steam. The upcoming Season 2 and the planned changes for Season 3 are expected to reinvigorate the player base. For more insights into Marvel Rivals, be sure to check out the patch notes for update version 20250327 and learn why Disney decided to scrap an idea for a Marvel Gaming Universe.
