Marvel Rivals: An Ambitious Hero Release Schedule
Marvel Rivals, NetEase's hit third-person hero shooter, launched in December 2024 with 33 playable heroes and has already amassed a remarkable 20 million players in its first month. The game's success is fueled by a rapid-fire hero release schedule: a new hero approximately every 45 days, totaling eight per year. This significantly surpasses the output of competitors like Overwatch 2.
Season 1, currently underway, showcases this ambitious plan. The Fantastic Four are being introduced in stages, with Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman already available, and The Thing and Human Torch slated for the second half of the season. Season 1 also includes two new New York City maps.
Game Director Guangyun Chen confirmed the 45-day release cadence in an interview with Metro, highlighting a two-hero-per-season structure. While NetEase has access to a vast roster of Marvel characters—even including less mainstream choices—concerns arise regarding the development timeline. Thorough playtesting and balancing each new hero against 37 existing heroes and approximately 100 abilities is a significant undertaking. The potential for creative stagnation regarding new abilities is also a factor. Unless NetEase has a substantial reserve of pre-developed heroes, maintaining this pace seems challenging to many players.
Fans eagerly await the remaining Fantastic Four members and anticipate further additions, such as new maps or in-game events, in the latter half of Season 1. Keep an eye on Marvel Rivals' social media for updates.
