When diving into hero shooters, I always gravitate towards the characters that captivate me visually. Take Zenyatta in Overwatch, for instance—I’m drawn to him not because I’m aiming to heal, but because his design speaks to me. I approached Marvel Rivals with the same mindset. The first time I glimpsed NetEase’s renditions of Magneto and Venom, my interest was piqued, and they instantly became my go-to choices. However, after watching the latest developer diary before the game’s launch, my selection strategy has shifted. We’ll have access to hero pick and win rates, making my decision to choose favorite characters even more streamlined.
As Marvel Rivals gears up for its release, it finds itself at a critical juncture. NetEase Games has been nurturing this potential Overwatch rival for quite a while. Although it boasts an array of iconic fictional characters, that’s not enough to ensure success in the hero shooter landscape. Marvel Rivals is mixing things up with all heroes unlocked and free right away, destructible settings, and a few fresh twists.
And there’s more. A brand new developer video introduces another layer: the game will provide official stats on hero pick and win rates among other insights.
“We heard your calls for detailed hero data,” says Marvel Rivals’ lead combat designer, Zhiyong Feng. “We’re preparing to unveil the precise game stats for all our playable heroes on our official site once we go live.”
The anticipation doesn’t end there. Feng states that they’re also working on unveiling vital combat data, like win and pick rates. This data collection will be ongoing post-launch, ensuring accurate statistics that’ll be shared at an opportune moment.
Pick rates will reveal how frequently each hero is chosen by the players and in what settings, while win rates will shed light on how often they’re part of a victorious team.
Feng also promises more content at launch, including additional maps. Season zero will kick off with four new ones within the first month. Players can expect to battle in the intergalactic empire of Wakanda, featuring Birnin T’Challa and Hall of Djalia, the Hydra Charteris Base, and the symbiotic world of Klyntar. Each map boasts evolving elements that will require players to adapt their strategies on the fly, making every match feel unique.
On the technical front, we’ve also got details on NetEase’s continued efforts against cheating as Marvel Rivals prepares for its debut. There are already consequences in place for some beta testers found cheating. Feng mentions that cheating occurred in less than 1% of games and shares that the team has made “significant progress” with their detection methods.
With the hero shooter’s launch imminent, we have the complete lineup of Marvel Rivals characters you need to be familiar with, as well as an idea of when Marvel Rivals Season 1 will drop.
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