The Marvel Rivals community is buzzing after Game director Guangyun Chen, AKA Guangguang, teased fans an MP1st interview.
When asked about new characters coming to Marvel Rivals, Guangguang said they’re “allowed to introduce original characters.” and “stay tuned.“That’s right, not just heroes from comics or movies, but completely new ones made just for the game– like… Joe the Landshark?
As exciting as that is– if done right– Marvel Rivals already has access to one of the deepest character collections in history–Marvel. It’s hard to imagine beating the billion-dollar Avengers or X-Men for hype, or even characters from Future Fight. So why create new ones?
Better gameplay balance is a running theory, since designing a character from scratch allows for a gameplay-first approach. Building their abilities around what the game needs– let’s not forget how biased the roster is to DPS character right now. So instead of trying to make a blind hero like Daredevil fit into a hero-shooter, they can experiement with fun mechanics and build from there.
Players Are Confused, Maybe Even Concerned
Fans are split, with some saying that adding originals will slow down the release of fan favorites. After all, big names like Daredevil and Deadpool are still missing from the Rivals Roster– not to mention all the villians who could use a day in the sun, like Green Goblin and Dr Doom.
Some also worry that new characters could lack the Marvel hype and cause players to lose interest. While there is some truth to this , it’s worth remembering that Luna Snow was originally created for Marvel Future Fight in 2018, and players have grown to love her since then (She’s even in the comics now).
So the reality is: NetEase isn’t going to stop adding popular heroes. They know these characters bring players to the game, and if they’re going to add new characters, they know they’ll have to be sure-hits.
So, Should You Worry?
Not really. NetEase will keep adding the heroes you want and now there’s the chance of a few surprises too. The game’s been enjoying a runaway success that so many AAA games have failed to capture lately and there’s no sign of slowing down. Season 3 just brought us Blade and Phoenix, and more fan favorites are definitely coming.
Considering that NetEase has been fair with balancing and has consistently delivered spectacular character designs, there’s little reason to worry about how an original character might affect the gameplay.
Original characters could make Marvel Rivals even more special. Just trust NetEase to keep the balance between new faces and the classics you love.