One of the coolest things about Marvel Rivals is getting to see the characters interact with each other, especially in comics-accurate ways. Some of that pre-battle dialogue is spot-on, bringing the humor and the deep cuts that Marvel fans need. The game builds on these character relationships with team-up abilities that highlight how certain Marvel heroes and villains just go together. You’ve got team-ups between Scarlet Witch and father Magneto, Black Widow and longtime friend Hawkeye, and of course, your classic Fantastic Four pairings. But one incredibly obvious duo still doesn’t have a team-up ability in Marvel Rivals, and frankly, players are shocked.
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The duo in question is, of course, Captain America and his best friend, Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier. Both characters are playable in the game, and yet, playing the two together doesn’t bring a single in-game perk. As one player puts it, the fact that these two don’t have a team-up ability is “criminal.” Given how much these two have been through together in the comics and even the MCU, not having them play off one another in Marvel Rivals is kind of a wild choice.
It’s true that many of the Marvel Rivals team-ups draw more on the comics than the MCU. After all, those who’ve only known Wanda through her portrayal in the MCU might not understand why she’s got a team-up with X-Men’s Magneto. And who would guess at a pairing between Squirrel Girl and Spider-man? Yet some of the obvious team-ups already exist, such as Thor, Loki, and Hela with their Ragnarok Rebirth ability. So, why no love for Bucky and Cap?
Marvel Rivals Captain America and Winter Soldier Team-Up Ability Ideas
Fans have no shortage of ideas for how a team-up between Captain America and Winter Soldier could work in Marvel Rivals. Aside from general outrage that it’s not already in-game, the Marvel Rivals subreddit offers no shortage of ideas for how the two could play off of one another in the PvP superhero shooter. There’s plenty of jokes about Bucky just throwing Cap a gun, which would be a sight to see.
But the most popular way to work in a Captain America and Winter Soldier team-up naturally brings in Cap’s shield. Many gamers think that there should be a way for teaming up with Bucky to boost Cap’s shield attack, potentially having the shield bounce off the Winter Soldier for a longer attack duration and some additional damage. Others think Bucky could help redirect the shield attack if it misses, shooting it towards the nearest enemy.

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Unfortunately, these team-up abilities for Cap and Bucky remain fan dreams as of now. While Marvel Rivals will no doubt add more team-ups in the future, many new ones have relied on new characters being added rather than going back to rework the existing roster. As of now, both Winter Soldier and Captain America are among the less popular characters in Marvel Rivals, so it’s quite possible NetEase might decide they need some tweaks to make more gamers eager to try them out.
What is your dream team-up ability in Marvel Rivals? Let us know in the comments below!