Marvel Rivals: The Case For and Against Adding More Spider…

Scientifically proven many times over the years, Spider-Man is the most popular superhero around. Spider-Man is so popular, in fact, that he's spawned an entire multiverse solely dedicated to different versions of himself. While it can trace its roots all the way back to the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon, the Spider-Verse got its official start in 2014's Amazing Spider-Man comic run, where Morlun and his family of vampiric Inheritors began hunting Spider-People across the multiverse. Since then, the Spider-Verse has gained even more popularity thanks to the excellent animated movie series. It's only natural, then, that Marvel Rivals would want to join the party.

With 33 playable characters at launch, Marvel Rivals has quite the roster, and the Spider-Verse gets its fair share. Original brand Peter Parker Spider-Man, Peni Parker, and Venom are all in Marvel Rivals, and all have very distinct movesets. But that's just scratching the surface of the Spider-Verse, and there are arguments both for and against more Spider-People joining Marvel Rivals' roster.

Marvel Rivals Review

Marvel Rivals is a wildly entertaining hero shooter and one of the best games that the genre has to offer.

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By Dalton Cooper

The Case For Marvel Rivals to Add More Spider-People

There Are Still Plenty of Spider-People Who Deserve The Spotlight

The Spider-Verse has grown exponentially over the decades. What started as just a few variants of Peter Parker from slightly different realities has turned into a vast array of Spider-People from across wildly different universes, and many of those heroes have now become incredibly popular iterations of the Wall-Crawler. Spider-Man 2099, Gwen Stacey's Ghost-Spider, Miles Morales, and Spider-Man Noir have all become household names, and all deserve their own spot on Marvel Rivals' roster.

Along with distinct personalities and backstories, each of these Spider-People also brings a unique ability set to the table. Spider-Man 2099 has his tech, Ghost-Spider has a range of Symbiote powers, Miles Morales can harness bioelectricity and can turn invisible, and Spider-Man Noir is a skilled marksman. Though they're all Spider-People, each one would bring something new to Marvel Rivals' roster.

The Case Against Marvel Rivals Adding More Spider-People

The Marvel Universe Is So Much Bigger Than Spider-Man

Spider-Man and his fellow Spider-People are obviously incredibly popular, and for good reason. But the Marvel universe is so much bigger than Spider-Man. It seems developer NetEase knows this already, as Marvel Rivals' roster is filled with heroes and villains from all corners of the Marvel universe. Marvel Rivals' varied roster is one of its biggest strengths, as it caters to both a wide audience with its household names, and more hardcore Marvel fans with its more obscure heroes and villains.

It's important that Marvel Rivals maintains this balance of popular and lesser-known heroes throughout its lifetime, and adding more Spider-People to the roster could easily disrupt that careful balance. Adding too many Spider-People to Marvel Rivals' roster might also make the game feel like a Spider-Man hero shooter, rather than one that celebrates the entirety of the Marvel universe.

Other Spider-People Can Still Be Easily Represented

Though many Spider-People have unique abilities that Peter Parker doesn't have, there's still a lot of crossover, and that might not warrant a full spot on Marvel Rivals' roster. But these characters still deserve to be represented, and a good compromise would be to add cosmetics based on them. Marvel Rivals' Spider-Man already has a Spider-Punk alternate outfit, so a precedent has been set that Spider-Verse costumes can come to the game.

Though it wouldn't be quite the same as having a fully-voiced character of their own, suits based on Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales, and Spider-Man Noir would be great to see in Marvel Rivals at the very least, and would hopefully go some way in satiating fans' desire to play as those characters.

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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!