Marvel Rivals had a fairly impressive roster right out of the gate. On launch, Marvel Rivals offered 33 playable heroes and villains split across its three hero shooter roles: Duelist, Vanguard, and Strategist. That total was quickly raised to 37, with all members of The Fantastic Four being added to the roster during Marvel Rivals' first season.
Developer NetEase has confirmed that Marvel Rivals Season 1 had roughly double the content of a regular season, meaning that fans can expect just two new characters to drop in season 2, which, according to some recent leaks, should begin on April 11, 2025. There are a plethora of both renowned and lesser-known heroes already in Marvel Rivals, but there are still countless characters who could join the roster, and some recent leaks may have tipped NetEase's hand early.
Marvel Rivals: Why Sandman Would Be Spider-Man’s Most Versatile Roster Villain
Marvel Rivals may eventually include more Spider-Man villains on its roster and Sandman would easily earn his place with a potentially dynamic kit.
Predicting Marvel Rivals Season 2's Two New Playable Characters
The X-Men
According to some recent rumors, Marvel Rivals Season 2 will be themed around the 'Hellfire Gala', an in-universe annual event that sees the nation of Krakoa open its doors to non-Mutants for a big celebration of Mutantkind, and the debut of a new X-Men team. The Hellfire Gala has appeared in several one-shots over the last few years, and it's a great way to show off some extravagant costume designs that aren't exactly battle-ready.
Doctor Doom 2099's latest story chapter in Marvel Rivals ends with the villain saying he has "a gala to attend," which could be teasing the rumored Hellfire Gala theme for Season 2.
Emma Frost is often at the head of the Hellfire Gala, using her abilities to conduct telepathic concerts and announce the new X-Men line-up. Emma Frost has also been heavily rumored to appear in Marvel Rivals since December 2024, which could make her a likely pick for one of Marvel Rivals Season 2's new heroes.
It's also been heavily rumored that Krakoa and Arakko (the Mutant-terraformed Mars) will appear as maps in Marvel Rivals Season 2. These additions could pave the way for more X-Men characters to join the roster, with Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Colossus, Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Professor X all rumored to be on the cards for future Marvel Rivals seasons.
Blade
Blade has technically already made his Marvel Rivals debut. Initially teased with an unlockable Gallery Card during the Eternal Night event, Blade made his first proper in-game appearance with the release of the Empire of the Eternal Night: Central Park map during Marvel Rivals' mid-season 1 update, where the Daywalker can be seen imprisoned by Dracula.
It seems likely that Marvel Rivals Season 1 will conclude with Blade being canonically released from his restraints, and that Season 2 could begin with him joining the roster, probably as a Duelist.
Ultron
One of the first playable characters leaked for Marvel Rivals' post-launch seasons, Ultron's entire ability kit was datamined all the way back in December. According to the leaks, Ultron will be a Strategist that uses his Ultron Drones to follow allies, grant bonus health, and deploy shields to stop oncoming damage. Despite being the leaked character with the most known about them, Ultron still doesn't have a release window, and while he could appear in Marvel Rivals Season 2, it seems more likely NetEase is saving him for something later down the line.
Marvel Rivals
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- Developer(s)
- NetEase Games
- Publisher(s)
- NetEase Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
