Marvel Rivals Dev Faces Social Media Pressure, Announces Major Season 3 Changes

NetEase Games is making significant changes to the post-launch roadmap for Marvel Rivals, aiming to keep the game's live service momentum strong by shortening its seasons and introducing at least one new hero each month. This major update to the content release schedule was highlighted in the Marvel Rivals Season 2 Dev Vision Vol. 5 video, which revealed that Season 2 will kick off on April 11 with the introduction of the new Vanguard, Emma Frost. Mid-season, fans can look forward to Ultron, whose class details will be shared closer to his release. Both characters are set to bring new abilities to the game, but the real transformation in how heroes affect gameplay will start with Season 3.

In *Marvel Rivals Season 3*, which has yet to receive a specific release date, NetEase plans to reduce the season length from three months to two. This adjustment will accelerate major content updates without altering the promise of introducing at least one new hero every half-season. After Emma Frost's launch next week, the wait for Ultron will be a month and a half, but subsequent hero releases will be expedited.

Creative Director Guangyun Chen shared in the Dev Vision video that since the launch of Season 1, the team has been focused on ensuring Marvel Rivals remains a fun and engaging experience. Social media feedback has added pressure to keep the game exciting, and NetEase agrees with the need to maintain that initial thrill. Chen emphasized that the true adventure with Marvel Rivals is just beginning, with plans to fulfill fans' fantasies about Marvel Super Heroes by introducing new modes and a diverse roster of characters. After extensive internal discussions, NetEase will adjust its systems to handle the increased content flow, with more details to be shared before Season 3's launch.

Just hours ago, NetEase unveiled details about *Marvel Rivals Season 2*, announcing a shift from the vampire takeover theme to a new storyline centered around the Hellfire Gala. This change will bring new outfits, maps, and characters, with more information expected in the coming weeks.

Marvel Rivals enjoyed a phenomenal launch in December, attracting 10 million players within three days. The game, a free-to-play superhero team-based PvP shooter, debuted on December 6 on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. On Steam alone, it achieved a peak of 480,990 concurrent players at launch, and Season 1 in January saw an even higher peak of 644,269 concurrent players, making it the 15th most-played game ever on the platform. However, player numbers have been declining, prompting the roadmap changes from NetEase. Despite this, Marvel Rivals remains highly popular and is among Steam's most-played games. The launch of Season 2 and the anticipated Season 3 are expected to reinvigorate player interest.

For more insights into Marvel Rivals, you can review the patch notes for update version 20250327 as well as why Disney decided to scrap an idea for a Marvel Gaming Universe.