Marvel Rivalshas confirmed the start date for Season 1 after the game entered Season 0 last month. In addition to a Season 1 start date of January 9,Marvel Rivalsalso confirmed that The Fantastic Four will be added as playable heroes when the new season drops. While the addition of these characters is exciting to be sure, the timing of their addition toMarvel Rivals' roster seems to be jumping the gun a bit.
The Fantastic Four coming toMarvel Rivalshas been the game’s worst-kept secret since the heroes were leaked via datamine even before the game’s official launch. Even with the “when” left up in the air, these leaks confirmed that Marvel’s First Family would be heading toMarvel Rivalseventually. However, their addition coming so soon after release is a bit of a curveball when there seemed to be a much more perfect window for their addition coming later in 2025.
Marvel Rivalswill be getting a Season 1 trailer on January 6 to give players their first official in-game looks at Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing.
Marvel Rivals Adding The Fantastic Four With Season 1 is Oddly Timed
Adding the Heroes to Coincide with the MCU Movie Seemed More Likely
As inevitable as The Fantastic Four seemed asMarvel Rivalsheroes, choosing them to headline Season 1 so early in 2025 seems like NetEase could be putting the cart before the horse. 2025 is already set to be a big year for Fantastic Four fans with theMCU’sThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsset to release in theaters in July. With this release date already teed up forMarvel Rivalsto knock out of the park with a well-timed collaboration, releasing the Fantastic Four as playable characters so far in advance is somewhat unexpected.
Part of the reason for this disconnect between The Fantastic Four’sMarvel Rivalsdebut and the upcoming MCU film could be to give players a chance to get to know the characters more ahead of the film’s release. The Fantastic Four are certainly not asobscure of Marvel characters as Jeff the Land Sharkand Luna Snow, who have already grown in popularity thanks toMarvel Rivals.However, the heroes have been out of the mainstream limelight for some time, which could warrant ample time for fans to familiarize themselves with the heroes viaMarvel Rivalsin anticipation ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps' release.
The Fantastic Four: First Stepsis slated to release on July 14, 2025.
The Fantastic Four’s Addition Sets a Hopeful Precedent for Future Marvel Rivals Seasons
Regardless of the timing of The Fantastic Four inMarvel Rivals, the addition of four new characters at the start of Season 1 is exciting in and of itself. AlthoughMarvel Rivalslaunched with 33 playable characters, it remained unclear how many characters players could expect to see added each season. Other hero shooters likeOverwatch 2have typically stuck with one new hero per season, butMarvel Rivalsadding four in a single season bodes well for future seasonal additions.
The Fantastic Four being added so much earlier than was anticipated also sets a precedent for characters to be added long before they receive a tie-in with other Marvel media like the MCU films. For example, players may seeBlade joinMarvel Rivalsmuch earlier than his MCU appearanceor the upcoming Arkane-developed game. WithMarvel Rivalshaving such a deep catalog of characters to pull from, it’s not that surprising to see four new heroes join in a single season, but the distance they’re releasing from the highly-anticipated MCU film makes them a more than welcome surprise to kick off Season 1.
Marvel Rivals
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!A Deep and Varied Marvel RosterChoose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game DynamicsWith intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.Dynamic Hero SynergyCoordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!Creative Environment DestructionTear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch UpdatesThe Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
