Marvel Rivals officially announced, closed alpha begins in May

After an ebb of rumors, Marvel Rivals has finally been announced. The upcoming third-person shooter is headed to PC via a closed Alpha test in May 2024. Developed by NetEase and overseen by Marvel Entertainment, players will fight for victory in this 6v6 multiplayer title. Fan-favorite heroes and villains are accounted for to clash across iconic locations in the Marvel Universe.

All of these details were shared through a quick trailer from the publisher, which also revealed debut footage. Here's everything players need to know about Marvel Rivals, including gameplay, platforms, and more.

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What is Marvel Rivals?

There is a sizable roster of beloved characters to pick from (Image via Marvel Entertainment)

It is a free-to-play PvP multiplayer title featuring some of the most popular Marvel characters to date. As per the trailer, the following heroes will be included in the initial closed Alpha test in May 2024:

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

Players will fight across memorable locales such as Tokyo 2099 from Spider-Man and even Asgard to prove their worth as the best. The game is not just a simple hero shooter clone; however, many heroes are purely melee-oriented, such as Hulk and Scarlet Witch. Others like Rocket and Iron Man are very mobile and can fire from range. As expected, each hero also has distinct abilities.

Each map will be based on authentic Marvel universe locations (Image via Marvel Entertainment)

The game's environments are also destructible, allowing players to dynamically alter the battlefield to their advantage. Furthermore, Team-Up Skills allow two heroes to unleash powerful combined moves, as seen with Rocket perching himself atop Groot's shoulder and boosting their attacks. Since Marvel Rivals is free-to-play, everyone can enjoy the game.

Unfortunately, there is no launch window yet. The closed Alpha test in May 2024 has only been planned for Steam and Epic Games Store on PC. Stay tuned for more details.