Marvel Rivals, the free-to-play hero shooter drawing from the vast Marvel comics universe, is gearing up for its first full season, “Eternal Night,” following a successful, albeit abbreviated, Season 0 that attracted a staggering 20 million players. Launching on January 10th, Season 1 promises a wealth of new content, gameplay enhancements, and balance adjustments designed to further immerse players in the dynamic world of Marvel-themed combat.
The headline additions to Season 1 are, undoubtedly, the arrival of the Fantastic Four. Mr. Fantastic, a highly resilient duelist with damage-reflecting abilities and overhealth generation, blurs the lines between duelist and vanguard, capable of both dealing significant damage and absorbing punishment. Invisible Woman, on the other hand, is a complex strategist who demands skillful management of her diverse toolkit, including deployable shields, push/pull abilities, and area-of-effect healing. Later in the season, The Thing joins the fray as a vanguard, while the Human Torch adds another duelist to the roster, promising further shifts in team dynamics and strategic possibilities.
Season 1 also significantly expands the game’s environments. Players can look forward to escorting H.E.R.B.I.E. through the bustling streets of Midtown in a new convoy map, while the Sanctum Sanctorum sets the stage for the chaotic “Doom Match” arcade mode. Mid-season, Central Park will be added to the map rotation, providing further variety to the gameplay experience. The substantial content injection in Season 1 sets a promising precedent, with developers indicating plans for a steady stream of new heroes and maps in future seasons, aiming for approximately eight new heroes and four to eight new maps annually.
Beyond new characters and maps, Season 1 introduces a robust battle pass, packed with double the content of its Season 0 predecessor. For 990 lattice (approximately $10), players can unlock 10 new costumes themed around the “Eternal Night” storyline, along with the opportunity to earn back in-game currency exceeding the initial purchase price. This incentivizes player engagement and provides a continuous stream of cosmetic rewards to personalize their chosen heroes.
Addressing community feedback and observed gameplay trends, Season 1 implements crucial balance changes. Hawkeye and Hela, previously dominant forces in the meta, receive nerfs to curb their overwhelming power. Conversely, several underperforming heroes, including Captain America, Cloak and Dagger, Storm, Venom, and Wolverine, receive buffs to enhance their viability and encourage diverse team compositions. Detailed patch notes outlining the specific adjustments have been released, accompanied by updated stats on the Rivals website, which now includes pick and win rates for greater transparency and strategic insight.
Season 1 also introduces key changes to the ranked system. All players will experience a rank reset, dropping seven divisions to encourage fresh competition and provide a more accurate assessment of player skill in the evolving meta. Additionally, a new Celestial rank, positioned above Grandmaster, offers a further challenge for the most dedicated and skilled players. Finally, a much-requested feature, the ability to adjust mouse acceleration settings, will be implemented, eliminating the need for cumbersome workarounds and providing players with greater control over their gameplay experience.
These comprehensive updates and additions for Season 1 of Marvel Rivals showcase a commitment to ongoing development and responsiveness to community feedback. The influx of new heroes, maps, and game modes, coupled with balance adjustments, a rewarding battle pass, and quality-of-life improvements, promises a dynamic and evolving gameplay experience that will keep players engaged and coming back for more. The future of Marvel Rivals appears bright, poised to cement its place in the competitive hero shooter landscape.
