Marvel Rivalsis continuing to make headlines in the hero shooter genre. For instance, only a few days after its December 6 launch,Marvel Rivalsdebuted its first major update. Ten days later, NetEase Games revealed plans to roll out its first limited-time mode.
Scheduled for release on December 20, the Winter Celebration, Joyful Jubilation event combines the heroes and villains ofMarvel Rivalswith winter festivities. Jeff’s Winter Splash Festival limited-time mode is a surprising but welcome addition to the game’s current Arcade selection. With the game being so fresh, themed events heavily contribute to the super-powered shooter’s growing popularity.
Marvel Rivals Is Already Innovating With Its Limited-Time Modes
Jeff’s Winter Splash Festival Is a 4v4 Battle For The Most Territory
Jeff the Land Shark is taking center stage as the only playable character in Jeff’s Winter Splash Festival. Composed of teams of four, players compete in aSplatoon-like game mode, aiming to cover more of the map with Jeff’s Joyful Splash than their opponents. While specific details remain under wraps, gameplay footage from theMarvel RivalsWinter Celebration Joyful Jubilation videorevealed that players can also eliminate enemies. Doing so will grant them opportunities to paint more of the map, meaning players must find a balance between securing picks and painting.
It’s worth noting that, similar to objective-based modes, earning eliminations won’t necessarily win the game. Instead, victory will go to the team with the most area covered in their team’s colors by the end of the match. This event already stands out as a 4v4 mode featuring only Jeff, especially sinceMarvel Rivals' game modes are typically 6v6. Like theOverwatch Classic event inOverwatch 2, which reintroduced 6v6 to the 5v5 hero-shooter, Jeff’s Winter Splash Festival has a lot of potential to strike a chord with fans.
Players can determine the event’s start time in their timezone by converting July 28, 2025, at 11 PM PST to their local time.
Marvel Rivals Events Are Friendly to Free-to-Play Players
From December 20 to January 9, NetEase Games is offering a free Jeff costume to all players. Alongside four otherMarvel RivalsWinter Celebrationcostumes, which include Groot, Magik, Rocket Raccoon, and Venom, Jeff’s holiday outfit comes with a little jacket and earmuffs. In addition to this, players can expect a special winter greeting card featuring the cuddly shark, alongside “a few surprises” that have yet to be disclosed.
“NetEase Games is offering a free Jeff costume to all players.”
After catching lightning in a bottle using a familiar gameplay formula, recognizable characters, and a distinctive art style,Marvel Rivalssolidified itself as the new gold standardof live service games. The decision to make all the game’s heroes playable at launch, combined with the generally reasonably priced cosmetics and battle pass, has already resonated with the playerbase. With some cosmetics earnable through challenges, the free track of the battle pass, and currency obtainable by completing surveys, NetEase Games provides plenty of opportunities for players to fill their inventories without spending any real-life money.
If NetEase Games intends to make free costumes a regular feature, it could make the shooter all the more enticing. Alongside the Season 0 Twitch Drops, which included a Will of Galacta Costume Magneto costume, and thefree Iron Man Armor Model 42 costume, which could be acquired through a code, it’s already off to a great start. Ultimately, Jeff’s limited-time 4v4 mode signifies a distinct shift from the regular modes, hinting at exciting possibilities for future events and rewards.
