Marvel Rivals’ Season 1 Heroes Are an Unexpected But Welcome Surprise

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As a lifelong Marvel fan, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and puzzlement regarding the timing of The Fantastic Four’s addition to Marvel Rivals with Season 1. On one hand, the prospect of playing as Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing in this highly-anticipated game is beyond thrilling. I vividly remember spending countless hours reading their comics as a kid, and now I’ll have the opportunity to control them in a dynamic, fast-paced hero shooter.

However, as someone who has been following the gaming industry for over two decades, I can’t shake off the feeling that NetEase might be jumping the gun a bit by adding The Fantastic Four so soon after the game’s release. With the highly-anticipated MCU film, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” set to hit theaters in July 2025, it seemed like a more logical choice for their addition to coincide with that event.

That being said, I can understand why NetEase would want to give players ample time to familiarize themselves with these characters before the movie’s release. The Fantastic Four may not be as obscure as some of Marvel Rivals’ other characters like Jeff the Land Shark and Luna Snow, but they have certainly been out of the limelight for a while. Giving players the chance to get reacquainted with them in the game could help build anticipation for the film.

All in all, I’m looking forward to seeing how The Fantastic Four shake up the Marvel Rivals roster and what this means for future seasons. And who knows? Maybe we’ll even see a cameo from Nick Fury or Captain Marvel in the Season 1 trailer on January 6 to add an extra layer of excitement!

As for a joke, how about this: I just hope that when The Fantastic Four join Marvel Rivals, they’ll have a team ultimate move where they all say “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” at the same time. That would be a sight to behold!

Marvel Rivals has officially announced that Season 1 will begin on January 9th. Moreover, they’ve revealed that The Fantastic Four will join as playable characters in this new season. Admittedly, it’s thrilling news, but it appears that introducing these heroes into Marvel Rivals a bit prematurely.

It’s no secret that the Fantastic Four were destined for Marvel Rivals, as their appearance had been hinted at long before the game’s launch through datamining. Although the exact timing was unclear, these leaks made it certain that Marvel’s original superhero team would join Marvel Rivals eventually. However, their unexpectedly swift arrival after the game’s release took many by surprise, as there seemed to be a more opportune moment for their introduction in late 2025.

On January 6th, we’ll unveil the Season 1 trailer for Marvel Rivals, offering gamers a sneak peek at four iconic characters: Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing, in their in-game forms.

Marvel Rivals Adding The Fantastic Four With Season 1 is Oddly Timed

Adding the Heroes to Coincide with the MCU Movie Seemed More Likely

As a longtime Marvel fan and avid gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I have to say that while it’s exciting to see The Fantastic Four joining the roster of heroes in NetEase’s upcoming game “Marvel Rivals,” I can’t help but feel that releasing them so early, especially given the highly anticipated release of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” by Marvel Studios in 2025, seems like putting the cart before the horse.

With such a big year ahead for Fantastic Four fans and the hype surrounding the upcoming movie, it’s hard not to see the potential for an overlap or even confusion among players who might be expecting the team to make their grand debut on the silver screen before they hit the virtual battlefields of “Marvel Rivals.”

That being said, I can understand why NetEase would want to capitalize on the excitement surrounding this iconic team, but releasing them so far in advance seems somewhat unexpected and could potentially dilute the impact of their big-screen debut. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out!

As a long-time Marvel fan and gamer, I can’t help but feel excited about the upcoming release of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” movie. However, being out of the mainstream spotlight for some time has left me yearning to reconnect with these iconic characters. That’s why I’m grateful that Marvel Rivals, the new video game featuring The Fantastic Four, is giving players a chance to get better acquainted with these heroes before the movie hits theaters.

I remember growing up playing with action figures and comic books of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America. But the Fantastic Four always held a special place in my heart because they were a family that worked together to save the world. I can’t wait to see how their story unfolds in both the game and the movie.

I’m also eager to see how Marvel Rivals will help introduce newer fans to these characters who may not be as familiar with them as some of the more popular Marvel superheroes like Thor or Black Widow. And I have a feeling that once players get a taste of the Fantastic Four’s unique abilities and personalities, they’ll become just as invested in their adventures as I am.

In short, I think it’s smart for Marvel to release The Fantastic Four in both a video game and movie format ahead of each other. It allows fans like me to rekindle our love for these characters while giving newer fans a chance to discover the fantastic world of The Fantastic Four. Bring on the adventure!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slated to release on July 25, 2025.

The Fantastic Four’s Addition Sets a Hopeful Precedent for Future Marvel Rivals Seasons

Regardless when The Fantastic Four make their appearance in Marvel Rivals, the introduction of four fresh characters at the outset of Season 1 is thrilling on its own merit. Although Marvel Rivals initially featured 33 playable characters, it left us guessing about how many more characters players could anticipate each season. Compared to other hero shooters like Overwatch 2, which usually introduce one new hero per season, the fact that Marvel Rivals is adding four in a single season suggests positive things for future seasonal updates.

Introducing the Fantastic Four ahead of schedule establishes a pattern for characters to be introduced well before their appearance in other Marvel media such as MCU films. For instance, gamers might encounter Blade in “Marvel Rivals” before his MCU debut or the upcoming Arkane-developed game. Given the vast array of characters available in “Marvel Rivals,” it’s not unexpected to see four new heroes appear in one season. However, their early release relative to the highly-anticipated MCU film adds an exciting twist to kick off Season 1.

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2025-01-03 14:04