Marvel Rivals' Monetization is Stealing Helldivers 2's Best…

Marvel Rivals' journey to launch may not have been a long one, but it's certainly been eventful. Coming out of the gate swinging, Marvel Rivals' reveal trailer back in March tried its best to dispel any notions of the game being a simple Overwatch clone. A few months later, fans were given the opportunity to see that for themselves first-hand, with Marvel Rivals' closed playtests showing the hero shooter's unique strengths.

Marvel Rivals has been making the right moves at every turn, and these last few weeks before the game's launch have been especially crucial. But developer NetEase has been saying all the right things. Along with the confirmation that Marvel Rivals would have 33 playable heroes on launch, NetEase confirmed that every hero would be free to play, and that any future heroes, modes, and maps would also be completely free for all players. The most recent announcement revolved around Marvel Rivals' monetization practices, and it seems to be taking a page out of Helldivers 2's playbook.

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By John Bonelli

Marvel Rivals Is Borrowing Helldivers 2's Approach to Battle Passes

Helldivers 2's Permanent Warbonds Helped To Justify Its Live-Service Approach

The live-service genre has never been more unstable. While games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone can continue to rake in millions every year, titles like Concord are shutdown in less than two weeks. It's more important than ever for a new live-service game to be transparent about its monetization practices, and the more reasonable and consumer-friendly they are, the more success the game will likely find.

Helldivers 2 is the perfect example of this. Though Helldivers 2 is strictly a co-op live-service multiplayer game, it's managed to side-step many of the genre's common criticisms and embrace the model's positive aspects. For instance, Helldivers 2 has delivered a consistent stream of updates since its launch in February, adding new weapons, Stratagems, enemy types, and more to the game for free.

But Helldivers 2 needs to make its money somewhere (aside from its initial price of entry) and that somewhere is through its Premium Warbonds. Essentially a battle pass, Helldivers 2's Premium Warbonds will offer players a wealth of new weapons, equipment, Boosters, and cosmetics to unlock. These Warbonds can be bought via in-game currency that can be earned through gameplay, or by using real-world cash. This choice already sets Helldivers 2's monetization apart from other live-service games.

But another great aspect of Helldivers 2's Premium Warbonds is that they're permanent. Unlike in games like Fortnite, Helldivers 2's battle passes don't disappear when the season ends, they instead remain unlocked and available for purchase forever. This completely eliminates the need for players to rush to complete the battle pass, as they won't lose out on the chance to unlock the content they've purchased.

Marvel Rivals' Permanent Battle Passes Keep Fans Invested

Based on its recent Dev Talk 07 blog post on its official website, Marvel Rivals seems to be borrowing Helldivers 2's approach to premium battle passes. The Dev Talk post reads:

Moreover, once you purchase a Luxury Battle Pass, you can continue to redeem its rewards in subsequent seasons if you don’t finish it during the current season. There’s no need to worry about not having enough time to complete it.

This approach is sure to have the same obvious benefits as Helldivers 2's, with players being able to take their time to complete quests and earn the rewards they've spent real-world cash on. This approach also goes hand-in-hand with Marvel Rivals' Season 0 Battle Pass, which will be around half the length and half the price of a usual Battle Pass due to the season's shorter duration. This will give new players a nice taste of Marvel Rivals' Battle Pass system for a fraction of the usual cost.

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Third-Person Shooter

Action

Multiplayer

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%

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Released: December 6, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s): NetEase Games
Publisher(s): NetEase Games

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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 Roster
Choose 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 Dynamics
With 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 Synergy
Coordinate 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 Destruction
Tear 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 Updates
The 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!