The new Marvel shooter game is aiming for an Overwatch-rivaling roster. More than two dozen heroes and villains from across the multiverse will be playable in Marvel Rivals, the upcoming team-based PvP shooter hitting consoles and PC in December. Along with the just-released launch date trailer, studio NetEase Games — which has called the free-to-play game “one of our most ambitious game development projects” — has revealed the lore behind the 25 characters players can assemble for fast-paced 6v6 cooperative combat.
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Heroes and villains from the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and X-Men franchises are sorted by three class types — Duelist, Strategist, and Vanguard — allowing players to strategize by combining powers and form unique team-up skills as they battle in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the Marvel universe.
The game’s story centers on the Timestream Entanglement, a collision of countless universes caused by a merciless clash between the tyrannical dictator Doctor Doom and his future counterpart from the year 2099. Superheroes and supervillains from across the multiverse must fight together — and against one another —as disparate groups seek to defeat both Dooms before one achieves domination of these realities.From Spider-Man and Venom to Storm and Magneto, familiar faces will become newfound foes while former enemies become the greatest of allies.
Below, see the entire 25-character Marvel Rivals roster, their classes and unique skills, and the official lore before the game comes to Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 later this year. Unlocked characters at launch include:
Adam Warlock
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: The genetically-engineered Adam Warlock wields mightyQuantum Magic, allowing him to connect and heal souls with a gentletouch. When the time comes for his allies to unite, Warlock emerges asthe unwavering epicenter of cosmic justice!
LORE: AdamWarlock was created to be the perfect specimen. Able to manipulatepowerful cosmic forces, he represents the full potential of what wecould one day become. Until then, he stands alone as a shining goldenbeacon of all that is good within us.
When the TimestreamEntanglement struck, Adam Warlock reflexively shielded himself in aprotective cocoon. When he emerged, his cosmic senses identified Knull’simpending threat. Traveling to Klyntar, Adam encountered the Guardiansof the Galaxy and discovered a power even greater than Knull’s, ready toincinerate the planet—and countless others.
Black Panther
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: T’Challa, King of Wakanda, wields theperfect blend of the cutting-edge Vibranium technology and ancestralpower drawn from the Panther God, Bast. The Black Panther bides his timeuntil elegantly infiltrating enemy lines and commencing his hunt.
LORE: KingT’Challa of Wakanda is more than just the ruler of the most advancedcivilization known to man. He also wears the mantle of the BlackPanther, the sacred protector of his people. It is his sworn duty toensure Wakanda’s continued survival against any threat imaginable.
T’Challarecently expanded his reign into the cosmos, creating the IntergalacticEmpire of Wakanda. As he awaits a sign from Bast to tell him if eitherDoom can be trusted, he protects the Empire’s Chronovium supply andshares its tech with trusted allies — including Reed Richards.
Captain America
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: Enhanced by the Super-Soldier Serum, Steven Rogersuses his Vibranium shield and extensivecombat training to confront anythreat to justice. When Captain America rallies his troops, a waveofcourage sweeps across the battlefield!
LORE: Inhopes of serving his country during World War II, young Steve Rogersvolunteered for an experiment that enhanced his strength, speed, andagility, making him America’s first super soldier. As Captain America,he proudly fought enemy forces until he became frozen in ice and lost tothe ages.
Discovered and unthawed in the 2080s, CaptainAmerica began battling the threats of tomorrow — including Doom 2099 —until he was displaced into the present by the Timestream Entanglement.Now, he fights alongside the Avengers to prevent the desperate future heawoke in.
Doctor Strange
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: As the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor StephenStrange gracefully wields ancient spells to turn the tide of even themost impossible battle. However, magic always comes at a cost, and eachuse of his arcane abilities gradually awakens the darkness within him.
LORE: Respectedsurgeon Stephen Strange was forced to seek a different path when hishands were injured in a terrible accident. Devoting himself to themystic arts, Strange became this dimension’s first line of defenseagainst supernatural threats — the Sorcerer Supreme.
Sensing amassive temporal disturbance, Doctor Strange performed an arcane ritualto protect his reality. The spell failed, and Strange and his SanctumSanctorum became trapped within the Mirror Dimension. Lost in thetimestream, Strange uses his mystic mastery to free himself for shortspans of time in order to join the fight.
Groot
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: A flora colossus from Planet X, the alien known asGroot exhibits enhanced vitality and the ability to manipulate all formsof vegetation. As sturdy as a towering tree, Groot forges his own way,serving as the team’s silent but reliable pathfinder.
LORE: Heis Groot, a flora colossus from the branch world of Planet X capable ofmanipulating plant matter and regrowing his damaged body from a singlesplinter. The hero at the heart of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Grootmay not have many words to say, but his actions always speak forthemselves.
Groot accompanied Star-Lord and Rocket on ascouting mission to Klyntar, where they became stranded after their shipwas shot down. Klyntar’s dark king, Knull, now seeks to corrupt Groot’sregenerative powers in an effort to cultivate the ultimate symbiote.
Hela
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: As the Goddess of Death, Hela wields supreme controlover the fallen souls residing in Hel. With a haunting whisper and amurder of crows, the queen of the underworld gracefully reaps the soulsof her enemies without an ounce of mercy.
LORE: TheAsgardian Goddess of Death, Hela is a powerful sorceress who controlsan endless army of undead warriors. She has long sought to expand herdomain beyond the nether realms and will make any deal that benefits hergoal. Hela will not rest until all souls—living and dead—are hers tocommand.
Hela offered to support Loki’s coup in exchange foran extension of Hel’s territory into the realm of the living. In truth,though, she seeks to claim Yggsgard’s throne—and the temporal power thatcomes with it—for herself.
Hulk
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: Brilliant scientist Dr. Bruce Banner hasfinally found a way to coexist with his monstrous alter ego, the Hulk.By accumulating gamma energy over multiple transformations, he canbecome a wise and strong Hero Hulk or a fierce and destructive MonsterHulk – a true force of fury on the battlefield!
LORE: Caughtin the detonation of a powerful weapon of his own invention, Dr. BruceBanner absorbed gamma radiation that transforms him into a massive greenmonster whenever his emotions rage out of control. As Banner, he’sstill a genius. But as the Hulk, he’s the strongest one there is!
Bannerdeveloped a special Gamma Belt to control his transformations andtemper the Hulk’s fury. But when the Timestream Entanglement transformedLos Diablos Missile Base into a demonic battleground, he realized thatthe best way to fight monsters was to let out the one within.
Jeff the Land Shark
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: Most landsharks are vicious creatures ofthe deep… but not Jeff! This adorable and mischievous little landsharkbrings splashes of joy and healing to every battle. But if the tideturns, Jeff can morph into a voracious beast, swallowing an army of foesin one giant gulp!
LORE: What’smore huggable than a puppy, but hungrier than a great white? It’s Jeff!This baby landshark may be one of the most unusual and adorablecreatures to ever waddle his way out of the ocean. But anyone who’scrossed Jeff’s path can tell you that behind his sweet little bark isone nasty bite!
After getting captured and displayed as acuriosity at the Collector’s Theme Park, Jeff broke free when theTimestream Entanglement scrambled reality. Now’s his chance to provehe’s a hero, one chomp at a time!
Iron Man
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Armed with superior intellect and a nanotechbattlesuit of his own design, Tony Stark stands alongside gods as theInvincible Iron Man. His state of the art armor turns any battlefieldinto his personal playground, allowing him to steal the spotlight he sodesperately desires.
LORE: Woundedby a weapon of his own design, billionaire inventor Tony Stark created acustom-made suit of armor to keep himself alive. Though his wounds havehealed, his upgraded armor now saves the lives of countless others whenTony dons it to become the world’s greatest fighting machine—theinvincible Iron Man!
When the legions of the night descendedupon New York City, Iron Man and his fellow Avengers turned their towerinto a stronghold. From there, Tony leads the effort to unravel themysteries of Chronovium and to reverse the Timestream Entanglement.
Loki
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: What greater thrill is there for a God ofMischief than to outsmart his foes? The cunning trickster Loki uses hisillusions and shapeshifting abilities to weave in and out of combat,toying with enemies at every turn.
LORE: Bornthe son of Laufey, king of the Frost Giants, Loki was adopted by Odinand raised as a prince of Asgard. But his true nature could not beundone, and Loki would come to fully embrace his role as the God ofMischief.
With his father deep in the Odinsleep, Loki seizedhis chance to take the throne for himself. After enlisting Hela in hisplot and hurling his brother Thor into a distant timeline, Loki nowharvests Chronovium sap from the World Tree, Yggdrasil, in an effort toconquer the entire timestream.
Luna Snow
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: Equal parts pop star and Super Hero, LunaSnow puts on a dazzling show with both her light and dark ice powers.The arena is her stage, where Seol Hee and her team orchestratespectacular displays that earn her an ever-increasing number of fans andwins.
LORE: LunaSnow is more than just another K-Pop superstar. She’s also a symbol ofhope for her entire generation. Using her ice powers to keep tensionsacross the world cool, Luna has become a musical diplomat, ready to faceany conflict that may arise.
Tragedy nearly struck duringLuna Snow’s summer concert when a wounded Atlantean creature caused adevastating tsunami. Luna’s ice held back the rushing tide and helped toheal the beast’s injuries. She singlehandedly saved countless lives andprevented the situation from escalating into a full-scale conflictbetween South Korea and the world beneath the waves.
Magik
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Trained in the dark arts and wielding her mightySoulsword, Magik leaps through portals to navigate the arena with ease.Once Illyana transforms into the demonic Darkchylde, all who dare standagainst her will fall before her merciless blade.
LORE: Bornwith the Mutant ability to create portals that allow her to teleportthrough the nether realm called Limbo, Illyana Rasputin augmented hernatural gifts with powerful sorcery and an arcane sword fueled by soulsto become the warrior known as Magik.
As the ruler of Limbo,Magik has been serving as a general in a timeline-spanning war acrossdimensions, battling malevolent gods and demons. She frequently conferswith her Mutant allies on Krakoa, discussing their species’ best chancesfor survival in the wake of the Timestream Entanglement.
Magneto
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: The Master of Magnetism bends even the strongestmetal to his whims, shielding his allies and striking at his foes.Whether he calls himself Max Eisenhardt, Erik Lehnsherr, or simplyMagneto, the hardships this warrior has endured have made him asunbreakable as the steel he brandishes.
LORE: MaxEisenhardt was born with a near-limitless Mutant ability to manipulatemagnetic fields. Suffering a lifetime of persecution, Magneto made ithis mission to ensure the survival of Mutantkind, no matter the cost.His uncompromising crusade often puts him at odds with other Mutants whoseek more peaceful ways to coexist with humanity.
Magnetoled the campaign to gather the planet’s Mutant population and transportthem decades into the future to a safe haven on the sentient islandKrakoa, protecting his brethren from the growing dangers of the widerworld.
Mantis
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: Mantis uses her impressive mental abilities and herpenchant for plant control to anchor any team she fights alongside. Herpowers tap into a limitless flow of life energy, gently nourishingeverything she touches.
LORE: Mantisalways knows exactly how you’re feeling, thanks to her strong empathicpowers. Her alien ability to alter the emotions of others comes in handyon the battlefield, but Mantis only finds true happiness for herselfwhen she is with her fellow Guardians of the Galaxy.
Afterbeing captured by the Collector and put on display at his theme park,Mantis managed to escape with the help of her fellow captives, Sai andJeff. Now, Mantis travels the spaceways in hopes of reuniting with herteam, while welcoming other displaced souls into the Guardians’ foundfamily.
Namor
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: The unrivaled King of the Seas, Namorsurfs into battle on a mighty wave with an army of fierce aquaticcreatures in his wake. When ancient horns of war blare, devastation soonfollows as deadly waters engulf the arena.
LORE: Bornof a union between a human and an Atlantean, Namor has always been aman of two worlds. But while he proudly rules those who dwell beneaththe waves, those who live on the surface have long earned Namor’s ire.
Afterdecades of simmering tension, Namor has finally decided that the timeis right to strike at the surface world. He has sought the aid of hisMutant allies living in the future on Krakoa to aid him as he sets hissights on a new prize: Jeju Island.
Peni Parker
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: Peni Parker may be young, but she bravely stands onthe frontlines to protect the Web of Life and Destiny. Together, thisteen prodigy and her state-of-the-art mech, the sensational SP//dr, makefor the most thrilling duo on the battlefield!
LORE: Afterthe death of her father, Peni Parker inherited the experimentalmech-suit known as SP//dr. In order to control the suit, Peni had toallow herself to be bitten by the irradiated arachnid that controls itsCPU, forming a psychic bond between them.
Now, Peni andSP//dr keep the people of Tokyo Webworld safe, just like her father didbefore her. But their mission is bigger than just one city. Since theTimestream Entanglement, Peni and SP//dr have devoted themselves to theprotection of the Web of Life and Destiny and the countless realities itconnects.
Punisher
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Expertly wielding a full arsenal of futuristicweapons, Frank Castle is a formidable one-man army. With a steadfastresolve to deliver justice to his enemies, The Punisher won’t cease inhis mission until every last round is fired!
LORE: Caughtin the crossfire of a mob hit that killed his family, Frank Castleclung to life through sheer force of will and his unquenchable thirstfor vengeance. Unwilling to let more innocents suffer at the hands ofcriminals, Castle took the law into his own hands as the Punisher.
Thanksto an experimental serum that vastly extended his lifespan, thePunisher’s war has continued into the far-flung future. As a member ofthe New Marvel Knights, his impressive arsenal has become a vital partof Black Widow’s crusade against Doom 2099.
Rocket Raccoon
CLASS: Strategist
SKILLS: Rocket may not look like a tech genius or an experttactician, but anyone who’s ever made his hit list has quickly regrettedunderestimating him. This savvy space soldier is equally eager to boosthis teammates and to collect bounties on his foes.
LORE: Hemay look cute and fuzzy at first glance, but the space ranger known asRocket has a bite just as nasty as his attitude. Fortunately, he putshis uncanny technical aptitude to use for good as a member of theGuardians of the Galaxy.
When Star-Lord signed on for amission to explore Klyntar, Rocket tagged along for some easy targetpractice shooting symbiotes. But when their ship crashed, Rocketunexpectedly found himself in a fight for his life, trying to keep hisfellow Guardians safe until help arrived.
Scarlet Witch
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Wanda Maximoff is adept at harnessingformidable chaos magic, casting hexes with the power to twist andreshape reality itself. Energy, space, and matter are mere playthings inthe hands of Scarlet Witch!
LORE: WandaMaximoff’s ability to manipulate chaos magic makes her one of the mostpowerful living beings in the universe. As the Scarlet Witch, she seeksto harness that chaos, restoring some semblance of order to a world thatis constantly on the brink of destruction.
Since theTimestream Entanglement, chaos magic is one of the few forces holdingthe threads of reality together. Should her powers fail, the ScarletWitch truly believes that this universe will disintegrate, along witheveryone in it. It is a fate she refuses to allow… no matter the cost…
Spider-Man
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Swinging around the arena on his signature weblines,your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, AKA Peter Parker, catches hisrivals by surprise with sneaky, sticky bursts of webbing and unexpectedattacks from above. Look out… here comes the Spider-Man!
LORE: Bittenby a radioactive spider, young Peter Parker gained the ability to clingto almost any surface, a “spider-sense” that warns him of danger, andthe proportional speed, strength, and agility of an arachnid. Now, hestrives to use his great power responsibly as the wall-crawling wonderknown as Spider-Man.
Since the Timestream Entanglement,Spider-Man has been swinging between two battlefronts. When he’s notrallying New York’s heroes to fight against ancient forces of darkness,he’s busy protecting the Web of Life and Destiny with his fellowWeb-Warriors in Tokyo Webworld.
Star-Lord
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Peter Quill lives to dazzle his foes on thebattlefield with his signature swagger. As his element guns paint arcsof devastation, his acrobatic moves sail through the sky with unrivaledstyle. With performances this spectacular, it’s no wonder that Star-Lordis so legendary!
LORE: Halfhuman. Half alien. All awesome. That’s how Peter Quill, the spaceoutlaw called Star-Lord, would probably describe himself. And as leaderof the spacefaring heroes known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, he’ssaved the universe enough times to actually live up to his legends.
AtShuri’s request, Star-Lord led a scouting mission to the surface of thesymbiote planet, Klyntar. As the Guardians made their approach, theirship was disabled by a mysterious force, leaving Star-Lord and his crewstranded on a hostile world nearing the brink of annihilation.
Storm
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: An Omega-level Mutant ability to manipulate weatherpatterns makes Ororo Munroe a force to be reckoned with. Rain or shine,thunder or lightning, nature itself bends to the command of the Goddessof the Storm!
LORE: Borna Mutant and worshipped as a Goddess due to her ability to manipulatethe weather, Ororo Munroe became the X-Man known as Storm. As the regentof Sol and the protector of Arakko, she now serves as a protector forMutants on Earth and beyond.
The chronal energy generated bythe Timestream Entanglement has resulted in violent temporal tempests onthe sentient island Krakoa, the nation that the X-Men call home.Although her powers are capable of stabilizing the island’s climate,Storm seeks a more permanent solution alongside her fellow heroes.
Thor
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: The son of Odin taps into his divine power to callforth thunder and lightning, raining down relentless fury upon hisenemies. With his mighty hammer Mjolnir in hand, Thor effortlesslyasserts his dominance on the field of combat.
LORE: Princeof Asgard and God of Thunder, Thor Odinson is one of the bravestwarriors the cosmos has ever known. With his enchanted hammer in hand,Thor summons the full fury of the storm to smite his foes… but only ifhe proves himself worthy of Mjolnir’s might.
Alas, Thor hassuffered greatly since the Timestream Entanglement. When the All-Fatherwas forced to enter his regenerative Odinsleep, Thor and his brotherLoki battled for the throne. Through deceit and trickery, Loki bestedhis brother, exiling Thor to a distant and dangerous timeline.
Venom
CLASS: Vanguard
SKILLS: Using his symbiote-enhanced body as the perfectliving weapon, Eddie Brock and his alien ally stand ever-ready tounleash vicious attacks upon anyone he deems an enemy. Those ensnared byVenom’s tentacles have no choice but to surrender to this insatiablepredator.
LORE: WhenSpider-Man rejected a symbiotic alien that he had once believed to be amere costume, the creature formed a new bond with a man who shared itsdisdain for Peter Parker. Together, the symbiote and Eddie Brock becamethe lethal protector known as Venom.
While displaced in timeand fighting in the occult wars, Venom glimpsed the horrific futureawaiting this timeline. To prevent that future from happening, Venomknows he has only two options — kill the dark god Knull or imprison himon Klyntar and take his throne.
Winter Soldier
CLASS: Duelist
SKILLS: Terrifying experiments turned him into a brainwashedassassin, but now James “Bucky” Barnes is incontrol of his own fate onceagain. With his enhanced mechanical arm, the Winter Soldier is primedtodeliver earth-shattering blows to any foe in his path!
LORE: CaptainAmerica’s sidekick during World War II, James “Bucky” Barnes wasthought to have been killed in action. In truth, he had been recoveredby enemy forces and rebuilt into their ultimate assassin. But the WinterSoldier eventually broke his conditioning to become a hero once more.
Capturedduring an operation to sabotage Erebus Base, the Winter Soldier wassubjected to horrific experiments at the hands of Hydra scientists. Hewas rescued by Hawkeye and a version of Captain America from the year2099, who gifted an upgraded arm to his former partner.
