Marvel Rivals brings your fav super heroes to a 6v6 team shooter

Marvel Games and NetEase have announced Marvel Rivals, a team-based free-to-play shooter that looks a lot like Overwatch, but with popular Marvel super heroes engaging in 6v6 battles instead. It’s heading to PC, with no release date given yet.

There will be a Closed Alpha Test in May, but the trailer does give an indication of what we can expect. This third-person action game looks to capitalise on the various abilities of characters from the Marvel universe, and that means it includes a lot of melee-focused attacks for characters like Hulk and Groot. Ultimate abilities look to turn the tide, including Black Panther temporarily summoning a giant black panther, for example. Check it out.

It’s been revealed that the initial roster in Marvel Rivals includes Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Storm, Star-Lord, and The Punisher.

While it does look a lot like Overwatch and other team-based shooters like Valorant at first glance, it does have some unique ideas. Battlefields can be destroyed, and you can activate team-ups, like Rocket Racoon riding on Groot’s back to become more formidable. These team-up combinations should go a long way to encourage real teamwork to get an advantage, while also providing some neat fan-service moments.

Being free-to-play, you can expect it to adhere to the regular model of ongoing seasons, with new playable characters, maps, and more. It’s also promised that each season will tell more of the story of Marvel Rivals, written by the NetEase writing team.

This is perhaps a 6v6 team-based shooter nobody expected or even asked for, but looks like it could actually be a fun time for Marvel and competitive multiplayer fans alike.

You can sign up for the Marvel Rivals Alpha Test here.