New hero shooter Marvel Rivals looks like Overwatch with Marvel heroes

A new team-based multiplayer hero shooter starring the superheroes and supervillains of the Marvel Universe is on the way from Marvel and NetEase Games. It’s called Marvel Rivals, and it will pit two teams of six heroes against each other on battlefields like Asgard and Tokyo 2099 that are built around destruction.

Marvel Rivals is being developed for PC by a team composed of developers who have worked on the Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises. The game has Overwatch vibes, being a free-to-play game with an expanding lineup of heroes and villains to play as, but is played from a third-person perspective. Eighteen heroes and villains are confirmed for the roster so far: Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Storm, Star-Lord, and The Punisher.

At least 12 of those characters will be playable in an upcoming alpha test. And given the massive population of the Marvel Universe, expect that number to grow to include many more fan favorites.

What makes Marvel Rivals potentially more interesting — and decidedly Marvel — than other hero shooters is its Team-Up moves, in which multiple characters can combine their powers for awesome effect. For example, you can pair Guardians of the Galaxy members Groot and Rocket Raccoon to become a rootin’-shootin’ duo, or Hulk can lend Tony Stark powerful gamma radiation to power up his repulsors. (So far, there’s no confirmation that there’ll be a Wolverine-Colossus fastball special, or a Hawkeye-Ant-Man arrow ride, but come on, those have to be coming at some point!)

In Marvel Rivals’ announcement trailer, we see a variety of comic book heroes and villains using their trademark abilities in combat. Doctor Strange creates portals for his team to travel through. Loki transforms into other characters, gaining their superpowers. Spider-Man unleashes a flurry of thwips to ensnare the opposing team as part of his ult. Black Panther summons a giant version of Bast to smash through his foes.

Marvel Rivals will also include a few deeper cuts, including the relatively-new-to-the-Marvel Universe hero Luna Snow, an ice mage/K-pop star who was originally created for another game, Marvel Future Fight. Galacta, the daughter of Galactus, appears to be overseeing the game’s six-on-six battles, which are narratively tied to a story about converging timelines and a war between Doctor Dooms.

Image: NetEase Games/Marvel Games

Thaddeus Sasser, game director on Marvel Rivals, has worked on games in the Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Ghost Recon franchises for more than 20 years. He told Polygon in an interview that “being able to play as your favorite hero in a multiplayer game is something that was super appealing to me, and I think it’s something that appeals to a lot of players. Think about some of the famous characters from Marvel comics — there’s a whole list of things you can start to imagine happening in the game. Also, having magical superpowers in a multiplayer game is something that hasn’t really been done to death. It’s still kind of relatively fresh and new, and the way we’re doing it, and some of the tricks we’ve got up our sleeves should be pretty exciting for new players.”

Sasser added that heroes and villains in Marvel Rivals will have a range of powers, and that characters won’t be locked into specific class roles. But there will be something to akin to categories, like tank, DPS, and support, to help players figure out what a particular hero will perform.

“We call it a shooter, because of the style of play,” Sasser said, noting that the game will feature a mix of ranged, close-quarters, and melee combat styles. “A hero like Hulk, why would you give him a gun?” The game’s Team-Up moves will range from simpler hero-on-hero pairings, like the Rocket and Groot move, as well as more complex Team-Ups that require more skill, finesse, timing, and additional characters to pull off.

Developers at NetEase are still fine-tuning some of the game’s rules, particularly around picking characters and what restrictions will apply to teams, Sasser said. Details on game modes are forthcoming, but interested players will get a taste of Marvel Rivals in May, when the game’s alpha test is expected to launch.