Marvel Rivals — A Redemption, Or Will It Be Just Another Marvel’s Avengers?

Considering how much I’ve spoken on the topic, I think at this point, you must be well aware of my hatred of live services. Yet, the misuse of the concept hasn’t ceased. One successful game bearing the genre arrives, and then somehow everyone wants their own shot at the fame and money, without considering what exactly makes this game so good. Now, we have another live service around the corner. Will Marvel Rivals be one of the good ones or another mess? 

Marvel Rivals, First Impressions

I’ll be honest with you, I never knew about Marvel Rivals before the State of Play stream. I know now that it has been a thing for a long time, but I can’t help being skeptical of it. Why shouldn’t I? A superhero live service doesn’t bode well no matter what. Anyway, I’ll save that for a little later, and focus on what’s on display here.

First, let’s discuss the pros. The thing that appealed to me the most in the entire showcase was the art style. I must say, this art choice for the iconic Marvel characters in a hero shooter was very solid. Next up, we have the versatile lineup, which deserves genuine applause. I was expecting the game to feature the mainstream characters only, but to my surprise, the starting roster is pretty varied and enjoyable. You have Magneto, Storm, Venom, Loki, Luna Snow, Mantis etc.

Marvel Rivals Roster
byu/brettalmur18 inLeaksAndRumors

Moreover, Marvel Rivals may be a “hero shooter,” but it didn’t stoop so low as to give everyone guns regardless of their unique characteristics (I’m looking at you, Suicide Squad). Only the characters that canonically use guns do so in the game, all others torture their enemies with their personalized arsenal, as they should.

Now, for the cons. The most important thing is how it looks like a generic hero shooter at best, with nothing of note or originality. The characters have been replaced with the Marvel roster, but the layer of monotony and mediocrity is still visible. Tell me it doesn’t feel like all the other hero shooters you’ve played. I know it’s still pretty little to go on, but so far, I think it has nothing new to offer. I hope they show more unique content soon.

As thoughtful as Marvel Rivals looks, it can't help but feel like a few powerful people got in a room and said:

"What if [esports] + [but Marvel] + [Overwatch but not] + [free to play] + [skins for sale]"

Stuff like that is great sometimes. Like, how cool is it we got Midnight… https://t.co/EA0qOc8Fol

— Fran Mirabella III (FM3) (@franmirabella) March 27, 2024

They added Venom, but his attack animations and moveset are nothing special. Even the all-powerful symbiote ability was not as impressive as I thought it would be.

The NetEase Name Doesn’t Help Either

If you disagree with me and are actually looking forward to Marvel Rivals, that’s perfectly fine. But, that’s all the more reason I have another piece of bad news for you. Remember that this is another NetEase game. Why is that a bad thing, you ask? Well, NetEase doesn’t have a particularly praiseworthy record. In fact, there’s nothing but bad blood here. 

Netease Games be like
byu/OmiTheHomi iniosgaming

NetEase is a pretty well-known company among gamers but for all the bad reasons. The first problem is how the tech giant can never stick to a game for long. NetEase creates decent games that have the potential to become exceptional, only if they receive consistent updates. However, that’s the problem. NetEase is so obsessed with creating games in bulk that it makes a game, supports it for a while, and then moves on.

NetEase makes use of a new game’s hype to cash in as much as possible, and then abandons it instead of sustaining it. It’s a pretty absurd and hurtful tactic if you ask me, but Alas, this is the reality. On top of that, NetEase’s games are filled to the brim with a very ridiculous monetization process, Marvel Rivals will probably be, too.

It starts off pretty mellow. The game is solid so you have a lot of fun, and no apparent powercreep or restrictions for being F2P, so you get hooked. However, soon the paywalls start springing up, and the game makes your life hell if you refuse to pay. Suppose you succumb to the pressure and pay up, the title will soon be abandoned by NetEase, leaving you with disappointment and rage.

Dear NetEase, It’s Getting Hard To Keep Up With All The Cash-Grabs
byu/User_5573 inechoes

NetEase was responsible for two other Marvel games, and it ran them to the ground. Region restrictions, no content updates, and as expected, a highly predatory microtransaction system, there’s ample reason why NetEase is so notorious in the gaming industry.

Past Superhero Live Services Were Absurd Enough

There’s another very important reason why I can’t be hyped for Marvel Rivals no matter how creative and pleasing the art style and the roster may look. It’s the extremely infuriating experience I had with the past superhero games that went the live service route.

Yes, I am talking about Marvel’s Avengers and Suicide Squad. The moment this nonsensical garbage was announced, it was bound to fail. Marvel’s Avengers already has, and it’s only a matter of time before Suicide Squad does.

This game’s downfall needs to be studied, this is just sad lmao
byu/GodRaaz inSuicideSquadGaming

I just don’t understand. When Marvel’s Avengers failed so brutally, why on Earth would Marvel consider another live service? Was the last failure not eye-opening enough? Does Marvel need another reminder to steer clear of this ridiculousness? 

Thus, until the game releases, I’ll remain skeptical of this; we’re past the point of “benefit of the doubt.” If you have high hopes for Marvel Rivals, then good for you, I hope it lives up to them. As for me, if I never see another superhero live service, it’ll still be too soon.