Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play, team-based PvP shooter that lets players create squads of Marvel characters to compete in objective-based matches on destructible maps.
The story features a tense meeting between Doctor Doom and his heroic 2099 counterpart, resulting in a “timestream entanglement” that creates new worlds where heroes and villains from the multiverse battle each other to stop both Doom variants from winning.
History
Developed by NetEase Games, it features a large roster of characters, unique “Team-Up” skills that combine abilities, and dynamic environments inspired by iconic Marvel locations.
The game launched in late 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a PS4 version following in 2025, and receives regular content updates with new heroes, maps, and modes.
Features
- Team-Based Gameplay: 6v6 matches focused on objectives, requiring teamwork and strategy.
- Vast Roster: Includes heroes and villains from the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more.
- Dynamic Environments: Battlefields are destructible and change during matches. For example, a player controlling Magneto could combine his powers with another hero to manipulate metal in the environment, creating new paths or obstacles for the enemy team.
- Team-Up Skills: Combine character abilities for powerful, unique attacks.
- Free-to-Play: The game is free to download and play.
Modes
Quick Match games are unranked and feature three modes: Domination, Convoy, and Convergence. Players can team up with others to battle AI opponents in the Practice Vs. AI mode.
The game has seven modes that can be played:
Convoy
Teams are assigned offense or defense, with the offense aiming to escort a moving object through the map while defenders attempt to stop them by eliminating the offense and recapturing the object. If the offense succeeds in escorting the convoy to the end within a time limit, they win. The object moves automatically once captured, and it goes backwards if defenders recapture it unless attackers are nearby. In competitive mode, teams swap roles after the offense has progressed, and they continue until a winner is determined based on the best performance.
Domination
Both teams compete to capture a point on small maps. The defending team earns points until reaching 100%, ending the round. The game continues on another map, with the first team to capture two points winning.
Convergence
Teams are assigned to offense or defense roles, with offense aiming to capture a checkpoint while defense seeks to hold it until time runs out. If the offense succeeds, the game transitions to Convoy mode, where they escort a cart to two additional checkpoints. Victory is achieved by reaching the final checkpoint, and in competitive play, both teams strive for the best progress, with additional attempts allowed if both reach the objective.
Resource Rumble
Both teams compete for one of three randomly selected points on a single map to collect resources; once depleted, the next point unlocks. A team wins by collecting all resources from both points, but if both teams reach a minimum resource amount, a third point unlocks for capture. The mode is available only in custom matches.
Conquest
Players form two teams, aiming to eliminate heroes and collect points dropped on the ground. Allies can also collect these points to prevent the opposing team from scoring. The game concludes when one team reaches 50 points or the timer runs out, with the team holding the most points declared the winner. In case of a tie, teams get an additional chance to score.
Doom Match
A free-for-all deathmatch with up to 12 players competing to achieve the most Final Hits, ending when a player reaches 16 Final Hits, with the top half declared winners.
18 vs. 18 Annihilation
Players form two teams in a 36-player battle, earning points for each elimination towards a target score of 120 within a 6-minute limit; the team with the higher score wins if time runs out.
Field of Play
As of April 2025, there are 13 unique maps in the game.
- Yggsgard: Yggdrasil Path
- Yggsgard: Royal Palace
- Tokyo 2099: Spider-Islands
- Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya
- Tokyo 2099: Ninomaru
- Empire of Eternal Night: Midtown
- Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park
- Empire of Eternal Night: Sanctum Sanctorum
- Hellfire Gala: Arakko
- Hellfire Gala: Krakoa
- Hydra Charteris Base: Hell’s Heaven
- Grand Garden
- Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda: Birnin T’Challa
- Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda: Hall of Djalia
- Klyntar: Symbiotic Surface
- Klyntar: Celestial Husk
- Klyntar: Throne of Knull
- K’un-Lun: Heart of Heaven
Levels and Ranks
Players must reach profile level 15 to access Competitive mode, where they receive a projected rank based on their previous season’s rank or peak, followed by 10 placement matches to determine their starting rank.
Matchmaking occurs within nine rank divisions comprising three tiers, with promotions and demotions influenced by wins, losses, and performance.
The mode features Domination, Convergence, and Convoy, and allows Gold rank players and above to impose two hero bans per team, rendering selected heroes unplayable for both sides during matches. At season’s end, players earn cosmetic rewards based on their final rank.
Players must achieve at least Platinum rank and join a Faction to participate in Tournament matches, which follow Competitive modes and rules in best of three or five formats.
Each team can ban three heroes from the opposing team and has two protected heroes. Custom Games can also utilize these modes, including Resource Rumble.
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