Marvel Rivals’ Leaked Roster Highlights an Obvious Gap in the Game’s Cast

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Marvel Rivals' Leaked Roster Highlights an Obvious Gap in the Game's Cast

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of Marvel-themed battles under my belt, I can’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment when it comes to the villain representation in Marvel Rivals. With such an extensive roster of heroes, it’s only fair that the villains get their due recognition too.

As a gamer eagerly awaiting the release, I can confidently say that Marvel Rivals seems poised to make a significant impact when it drops towards the year’s end. One factor contributing to its early success is the diverse and relatively well-balanced roster of 23 playable characters, each boasting unique special abilities and an Ultimate move that can shift the battle’s outcome in a heartbeat.

Although the character lineup for Marvel Rivals currently includes 23 diverse heroes, the developers at NetEase have hinted that this is just the start. Officially, only a few new characters have been confirmed, but there was a leak of an unofficial roster for Marvel Rivals some time ago. This list included well-known figures like Wolverine as well as lesser-known heroes such as Cloak and Dagger and Squirrel Girl. While leaks should be treated with caution, if the datamined roster proves accurate, it might leave one glaring absence in Marvel Rivals’ character pool.

Marvel Rivals Could Have a Villain Problem

Marvel Rivals’ Leaked Roster Has Just One Villain

Among the 23 characters playable in Marvel Rivals, only three are recognized as genuine Marvel villains within this game’s multiverse narrative. As a devoted fan, I can tell you that Loki and Hela have formed an alliance against Thor. They’ve manipulated events to cast him into another timeline, seizing control of Asgard while Odin is asleep. Magneto continues to be portrayed as a villain in Marvel Rivals, clashing with other Mutants as he has been known to do. Venom, though included on the roster, plays more like an anti-hero here, adopting the ‘Lethal Protector’ persona and focusing his efforts not on Spider-Man, but on the dark deity Knull instead.

In the game, Namor’s character description suggests that he has initiated a conflict with the human world, making him appear as an antagonist. However, his loyalties in the traditional Marvel universe are somewhat complex.

During Gamescom Opening Night Live, it was confirmed by NetEase that the Winter Soldier will join the ranks of Marvel Rivals when the game launches in December. It appears that the Winter Soldier character in Marvel Rivals is drawing from his darker, more villainous comic book origins. However, if the latest leaks about Marvel Rivals are accurate, then Ultron seems to be the only other antagonistic character expected to debut in Marvel Rivals after its initial release.

If all the leaked characters for Marvel Rivals become part of the game, it might only have five genuine Marvel villains available, which is significantly fewer than the potential 32 heroes. It would be disappointing to see such a small number of villains in Marvel Rivals, especially given the numerous excellent choices waiting to be selected.

Villains Who Deserve to be on Marvel Rivals’ Roster

Many wicked characters from Marvel comics are worthy of joining the team in Marvel Rivals. The mighty Thanos, with his towering presence and impressive skillset, would undeniably be a strong pick for a villainous leader. Countless adversaries of Spider-Man also show potential for success in this game, including Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, and even Mr. Negative. Each of these characters has unique abilities that could make them stand out from the existing lineup. Additionally, there might be space for some X-Men antagonists like Mr. Sinister, Apocalypse, Juggernaut, and Mystique to join the roster as well.

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2024-08-24 01:14