Summary
- Shorter seasons with faster timetables offer more content.
- Balance changes address dominant characters for improved gameplay.
- New characters like Phoenix and Blade bring fresh dynamics to team compositions.
Marvel Rivals is a fast-paced third-person hero shooter set in the vast Marvel universe. Its iconic characters can go head-to-head with powerful abilities and room to strategize team compositions on a competitive level.
Every major update for Marvel Rivals comes in the form of a new season for the game. Because the game is free to play, this live service model delivers consistent forms of content that keep the game exciting. Whether it is new skins, characters, or core gameplay changes that shake up the sandbox, there is always something exciting to be had when a new season launches. Here are the biggest changes coming to Marvel Rivals in Season 3.
Marvel Rivals' Season 3 Roadmap is More Revealing Than It Seems
The new roadmap has revealed key information about Marvel Rivals' future, including upcoming skins, events, Team-Up changes, and more.
6 Shorter Seasons
Faster Timetables Result In More Content
This is the third season of Marvel Rivals, and the previous two have lasted around three months each. This includes the mid-season update that typically brings in a plethora of changes. After consideration, the developers of Marvel Rivals have decided to make the seasons shorter from now on.
Seasons will now last for a total of two months instead of three, with the mid-season update happening at the one-month mark. This means things like characters and maps will be added on a significantly faster timetable, giving players even more content over a shorter span of time.
5 Balance Changes
Adjustments to the Sandbox and Dominant Characters
In every new season, the developers take the time to refine the sandbox in case something was particularly dominant in the previous season. Not every character gets adjustments, and some only get the slightest changes. In the upcoming Season 3, there are three changes to certain characters that stand out from the rest.
Marvel Rivals Reveals Season 3 Battle Pass Skins
Marvel Rivals gives players a first look at upcoming battle pass skins making their debut during Season 3 of NetEase Games' popular hero shooter.
- The Thing is getting a brand-new move that allows him to dash towards an enemy, similar to his ability that he already has for allies. His charged punch can now send flying characters down to the ground. This allows him to be more viable than he previously was last season.
- Iron Man was one of the more dominant Duelists last season, and is receiving multiple nerfs to his overall damage and ultimate charge rate.
- Mantis is getting a nerf to her ultimate charge rate, but she now gives initial healing bursts to allies based on the total percentage of their health. This makes her more viable on team compositions that have numerous tanks, as that was an area she struggled in previously.
4 A New Character with More On the Way
Another Iconic Mutant & A Frequently Teased Daywalker
At the forefront of this season is a new character being added to the already massive roster. This time, the mutant trend from Season 2 continues with the iconic Phoenix, or Jean Grey, being added as a new Duelist. Her abilities make her out to be a deadly character, as they can deal high damage with insane levels of precision. She even thrives when fighting crowds of enemies, as her Phoenix Force abilities can cause targets to combust and cause a massive chain reaction.
While she is the leading character of the season, she is not the only one coming in Season 3. The highly anticipated Blade will make his way to the game as a Duelist at the start of the mid-season update, otherwise known as Season 3.5.
3 New Team-Up Abilities
Additional Abilities From Combined Powers
An iconic part of Marvel Rivals that makes it stand out from other hero shooters is the inclusion of team-up attacks. When two characters are present on the same team, they gain access to new abilities that are themed off the combination of their powers when used in battle. Coming in Season 3, the newly added Phoenix gets a new team-up attack with her fellow mutant Wolverine. When active, she provides Wolverine with the ability to heal himself and do damage over time to enemies after doing his diving attack.
Existing characters are also receiving new team-ups come the release of Season 3. Human Torch adds to Spider-Man's abilities by giving him a new web attack that is engulfed in flames and causes targets hit by it to take damage over time. It also sends him flying backwards, adding to his already elusive style of play.
This Marvel Rivals Season 3 Team Comp May Be Virtually Unbeatable
The changes made to the Marvel Rivals roster in Season 3 has revealed a very strong team comp centered around one character.
Certain characters are also being added to already existing team-ups. Squirrel Girl is being added to Iron Man and Ultron's team-up ability, granting her a new heat-seeking projectile that has massive range. This makes her even more deadly from a distance and adds to her ease of use. Finally, in theme with the season's narrative, Hela joins Venom and Jeff's symbiotic team-up ability. Her stun orb now has symbiotic tendrils that emit onto enemies hit with the ability, applying a slow debuff to the target for a short time.
Something that has also become a tradition when a new season comes is the removal of existing team-up abilities. The two team-ups that will no longer be available in Season 3 are Human Torch and Storm's team-up, as well as Spider-Man and Squirrel Girl.
2 A New Domination Map
Explore The World Of Klyntar
Since there is always a heavy narrative focus on any new season, this one brings us to the home world of the symbiotes named Klyntar. A husk of a celestial overtakes a portion of the planet's surface after the symbiote god Knull defeated it. This is where the new map takes place, with there being three different areas to fit its domination game mode. Of all the maps in Marvel Rivals, this is one of the most impressive-looking with its alien architecture and gorgeous skybox.
1 New Battle Pass
The Phoenix Force & Symbiotes Find Their Way To These Iconic Heroes
Playing into the Klyntar and Phoenix Force themes of the season, the new battle pass brings a plethora of new skins to some beloved characters. Due to the shorter nature of future seasons, the rate at which players can obtain the currency needed to advance in the battle pass is also going to increase. This will get players access to the skins featured in this pass, such as a Phoenix Force Emma Frost skin or the iconic symbiote Spider-Man skin that even features a hilarious emote in reference to Tobey Maguire. The final skin in every battle pass is always more elaborate than others, and Jeff gets the glory of that treatment this time around as he dawns a symbiote of his own.
Marvel Rivals
- Released
- December 6, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
