Marvel just released its own Shooter Game and it’s looking good

Marvel Games just couldn’t keep their latest project under wraps as major leaks have apparently leaked key details about their upcoming FPS game Marvel Rivals. The leaks reveal what looks to be the full cast of 18 characters for this Marvel shooter.

An Overwatch-Style Multiplayer Shooter

Marvel Rivals is reportedly a team-based 6v6 multiplayer shooter influenced by hero shooters such as Overwatch, according to the leaks. The game will see Marvel classic characters from across the multiverse dueling for their respective strengths and abilities.

Yesterday’s trailer gave us a taste of the action-packed action with heroes channeling their powers into explosive team combinations. We saw places such as futuristic Tokyo and Asgard as battlegrounds.

With its emphasis on hero abilities, objective-based modes, and combining powers for coordinated attacks, Marvel Rivals seems primed to offer that addictive Overwatch-style experience Marvel fans have been craving.

Marvel Rivals Full Roster Leaks

While we only saw a handful of heroes in the trailer, the major leak has unveiled what could be the complete launch roster for Marvel Rivals. The leaked list consists of 18 Marvel characters ranging from heavy hitters like Iron Man and Hulk to more unorthodox picks like Spider-Gwen’s Peni Parker.

Here’s the alleged full roster for Marvel Rivals:

• Black Panther
• Doctor Strange 
• Iron Man
• Groot
• Rocket Raccoon
• Loki
• Scarlet Witch
• Hulk
• Luna Snow
• Mantis
• Magik
• Spider-Man
• Magneto
• Namor
• Peni Parker
• Star-Lord
• Storm
• Punisher

The inclusion of the relatively unknown Luna Snow is an interesting choice. Originally debuting in the 2019 comic War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas, Luna is a South Korean heroine with powerful light and dark ice manipulation abilities.

Another surprising pick is the addition of the brutal antihero Punisher, whose more grounded combat abilities seem an odd fit alongside powerhouses like Hulk and cosmic characters like Doctor Strange.

Marvel Rivals Brings the Multiverse War to Gaming

While details are still scarce, we do know a bit about the overarching story and setup for Marvel Rivals based on the official description:

“The merciless clash between the tyrannical dictator Doctor Doom and his future counterpart from the year 2099 has forced countless universes to collide in the Timestream Entanglement, creating new worlds and crises still unknown. Now, superheroes and supervillains from across the multiverse must fight together and against one another as disparate groups seek to defeat both Dooms before one achieves domination of these realities.”

So it seems the narrative will tap into the popular multiverse concept, with various Marvel realities colliding as heroes and villains are forced into unlikely alliances to stop the dual threat of the present and future Doctor Dooms.  

This epic premise could lead to some fascinating team combos and interactions we’ve never seen before in Marvel games or other media. Just imagine Punisher’s street-level combat skills paired with Magik’s limbo magic or Rocket’s advanced tech synergizing with Asgardian powerhouses like Storm.

Marvel Rivals Release Date and Alpha

According to the leaks, Marvel Rivals will be kicking off its closed alpha testing phase in May 2024, allowing players to go hands-on with the full roster and experience the gameplay firsthand.

Players can already sign up for the alpha on the official Marvel Rivals website. The alpha will be a great opportunity for Marvel Games to get feedback while building hype for the game’s full launch currently slated for early 2025.

As of now, Marvel Rivals is confirmed only for PC platforms, though the game’s online multiplayer nature makes it seem likely console versions could follow after the initial PC release.

A New Era for Marvel Gaming

With Marvel’s cinematic universe continuing to break records, it’s awesome to see the gaming sphere finally receiving the AAA Marvel treatment it deserves. An Overwatch-inspired take on Marvel’s iconic heroes seems like the perfect multiplayer experience to immerse us in the high-stakes chaos of clashing Marvel realities.

The leaked roster has me incredibly excited about the potential match-ups, team combinations, and sheer spectacle Marvel Rivals has in store. Watching the bruiser brawler Hulk team up with the cosmic magic-wielder Doctor Strange or techno marvel Iron Man is just the type of wild character crossover only a game like this could facilitate.

While we still have questions about gameplay modes, monetization, competitive support, and more, Marvel Rivals is already shaping up to be one of the most ambitious multiplayer offerings in the Marvel gaming slate yet. Mark your calendars for that May 2024 alpha, True Believers!