Summary
An industry insider has hinted at the possibility of aMarvelhero shooter, inspired by popular multiplayer games likeOverwatchandValorant,being in the works at NetEase. Mostly known for its publishing work, NetEase has helped releasetitles likeNaraka: BladepointandSky: Children of the Lightin the past. This wouldn’t be the first Marvel game it’s worked on either, as it has developed two smaller titles in 2019’sMarvel Super Warand 2020’sMarvel Duel.
Since its massively popular debut in 2016,Overwatchhas become the blueprint for multiplayer hero shooters. Despite losing popularity as the Battle Royale craze took over with behemoths likeCall of Duty: Wazone, Fortnite,andApex Legends,Overwatch 2has been able to maintain a casual and competitive playerbase through the years, as it’s brought in new heroes, maps, modes, and even some fun anime collaborations with the likes ofOne Punch ManandCowboy Bebop,keeping things fresh. Now it seems like Blizzard’s hero shooter has influenced another publisher to take a crack at the genre, this time with an even more popular cast of heroes.
On Twitter, industry insider Kurakasis has shared a rumor of a AAAOverwatch-inspired hero shooter set in Marvel’s universe namedMarvel Rivals, in development at NetEase. Part of the rumor claims that it’s coming to PC, consoles, and mobile platforms, and is apparently ready to be announced sometime soon. Interestingly, Kurakasis added thatMarvel Rivalswill be third-person, will have two 6v6 game modes called King of the Hill and Escort, and will draw inspiration fromValorant’s art style.
Rumored Marvel Multiplayer Game Details
Kurakasis spilled even more intriguing details in subsequent tweets, such as the game having destructible environments, likeBattlefieldor the more recent hitThe Finals, and the name of one of the maps, Odin’s Vault. While it’s true that the video game industry is experiencing a superhero boom, with popular single player titles like therecently revealedMarvel 1943: Rise of Hydra,Marvel’s Blade,DC’s Wonder Woman, and more in the pipeline, superhero properties have yet to successfully break into the incredibly competitive multiplayer shooter realm. IfMarvel Rivalsdoes turn out to be real, judging by some of these details, it seems like it would have a solid shot at becoming the first superhero game to push through and carve out an audience for itself next to the likes ofOverwatch 2andValorant.
Kurakasis expressed that they expectMarvel Rivalsto be officially revealed at NetEase’s Connect event in May, but they quickly changed tune when Marvel Games' Twitter account announced a reveal happening tomorrow. Describing its announcement as an “epic showdown” and using an image that depicts the silhouettes of severalpopular Marvel heroes, Marvel Games could very well be gearing up to officially unveilMarvel Rivalstomorrow.
Marvel
Marvel is a brand associated with a wide array of popular superhero comics, movies, television shows, and merchandise. The company owns the rights to popular characters like The Avengers, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Deadpool, and many more.
