If you like Blizzard Entertainment’s team-based shooter, it’s worth at least trying to sign up, because it’s still a long way from release…

NetEase Games is working on a team-based PvP shooter that pits Marvel’s superheroes and villains against each other. There will be numerous strategies to develop, character abilities can be combined to attack with unique skills, and battlefields will be destructible and constantly changing as the Marvel universe continues to evolve. This definition also strongly suggests the use of a live service model.

But it’s a risky genre: the market for games called hero shooters (individual characters with different personalities and abilities) is saturated. In addition to Overwatch, there was Gearbox’s Battleborn (defunct), CliffyB’s LawBreakers (defunct, fans are trying to resurrect it), and now Sony Interactive Entertainment is trying to enter the market with Concord, which we wrote about recently, requiring a PlayStation Network account on the PC and linking it to Steam. Marvel Rivals wants to join them.

The closed beta will be available on consoles and PC and will run from July 23 to August 5. If you’re playing on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series, you can sign up via Easebar. On PC, it’s even easier: just go to Steam and click Request Access. Those who are eligible for the beta (Europe, Asia or North America, the rest are excluded) will be notified quickly.

Convoy, Domination, and Convergence game modes will be available, and these characters will be available: Adam Warlock, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hela, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Punisher, Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Storm, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, and Venom.

Marvel Rivals will be released sometime in 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC. It is difficult to see today how much demand there will be for it and whether it will be able to survive in the long run.

Source: Gamingbible, Easebar, Steam