The launch of Marvel Rivals is just a few weeks away, and NetEase Games continues to reveal new information as the date draws closer. The developer has announced several interesting new details about the game, pulling back the curtain on elements that should have fans pretty excited. First up is a new skin for the Punisher. The new skin will give Frank Castle an alternate look inspired by Jake Gallows, the Punisher of 2099. The skin is not based on the character’s look from the 1993 comic series, but instead seems inspired by the cyborg redesign that appeared in Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis.
Videos by ComicBook.com
NetEase has also confirmed that the entire starting roster for Marvel Rivals will be playable on December 6th. That roster will consist of 33 playable characters in total. As of this writing, 27 of those characters have been officially announced, from fan favorites like Spider-Man and Captain America, to deeper cuts like Luna Snow and Jeff the Land Shark. We now know for certain that six more characters will be revealed over the next few weeks, and it’s going to be interesting to see which ones make the cut.
Of those 6 unannounced characters, we know that a full announcement for Hawkeye is on the way. Fans spotted an image of Clint Barton during a gameplay video for Moon Knight, so we’re just waiting on a full announcement and gameplay reveal. There has been speculation that Doom 2099 will be announced, given the character’s prominent role in the game’s narrative, but nothing has been confirmed just yet. There are still some high-profile Marvel characters that aren’t on the roster, including favorites like Wolverine and Kamala Khan. It’s possible we could see them announced, but NetEase could also be saving some big names for post-launch.
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The final announcement for Marvel Rivals is a new map that will be playable at launch. The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda map will take players to the source of the galaxy’s Vibranium. Based on the Black Panther comics run by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, this map features a stunning space setting, with several points of interest inspired by the hero of Wakanda. This marks the third map in the game, alongside Yggsgard and Tokyo 2099. A full showcasing the new map can be found below.
So far, reception to these Marvel Rivals announcements has been very positive! The new map in particular has gotten a lot of praise, and it seems fans are excited to explore the location on day one. It’s interesting to see how NetEase is pulling from a lot of different Marvel material for this new game, from older comics, to more recent works. At this point, it seems that everything is on the table as far as content is concerned, and that should be very exciting for both older fans, and those newer to the Marvel Universe.
What do you think of these announcements for Marvel Rivals? Are you looking forward to the game’s launch next month? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
