NetEase hints Marvel Rivals may add original characters

NetEase is signaling a potential shift in Marvel Rivals’ roster strategy, indicating it has permission from Marvel to create original characters for the hero shooter, while continuing to expand its lineup with established Marvel icons. The disclosure comes as the game has been steadily adding new heroes, with Blade the latest arrival in a midseason update that also introduced quality-of-life and performance improvements. Officials emphasize that the company intends to review its options carefully, inviting players to stay tuned for further developments over the coming year.

Since its December launch, Marvel Rivals has steadily grown its roster through regular seasons that introduce new maps, cosmetics, and heroes. The ongoing cadence has aimed to keep players engaged in a competitive environment that spans PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The most recent update, labeled Season 3.5, added Blade to the lineup and delivered a suite of enhancements designed to improve both performance and the player experience. Among these were a rebuilt shader system for PC to reduce memory usage and faster texture loading, plus a plan to address in-game toxicity with automated voice-chat...