Marvel Rivals Update Still Lacks Players’ Top-Requested Feature

Marvel Rivals fans are gearing up for the latest patch release later today, but it’s not quite the update players were hoping for. While it brings in fresh skins for Captain America and Luna Snow, along with some minor bug fixes, it doesn’t delve into altering the game’s balance.

Developers at NetEase haven’t laid out a clear roadmap for when we might see a substantial balance update. Since we’re in the inaugural season, there’s not much past experience to lean on. The only vague promise given is that new heroes will roll out every six weeks. With Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman joining the lineup on January 10, it seems likely we’ll welcome the Thing and Human Torch around February 21, marking the midpoint of this three-month season.

Considering the similarities between Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2, there’s speculation that these awaited balance adjustments might be incorporated in a mid-season update. Blizzard typically waits for the season to stabilize before tweaking the game’s meta, and it’s possible NetEase might follow a similar approach.

In January, during a chat with Metro, game director Guangyun Chen shared insights into how they plan to assess and tweak gameplay balance. He mentioned that they would scrutinize hero pick and win rates, stating, “Once we have some more detailed analysis and through thoughtful consideration, we’ll definitely make necessary balances and adjustments.”

Currently, one of the hottest debates swirling around the community is how NetEase plans to manage the dominance of support heroes. Characters like Luna Snow and Mantis boast powerful ultimates that are difficult to counter, leading to discussions about potential nerfs. Meanwhile, Storm remains a top contender at higher skill levels, boasting the highest win rate among all heroes.

For now, players can enjoy a couple of new goodies: a sleek pink and purple skin for Luna Snow and a rugged Steve Rogers look straight from Avengers: Infinity War.