When it comes to hero shooters, I’ve always gravitated towards the characters that catch my eye. I mean, I don’t pick Zenyatta in Overwatch just to play the healer role—I choose him because his design is just so compelling. As I prepared to dive into Marvel Rivals, I thought I’d follow the same instinct. The first time I saw NetEase’s takes on iconic figures like Magneto and Venom, they immediately stood out as my top picks. However, a recent developer diary made me rethink my strategy. With the inclusion of hero pick and win rates, choosing my main just got a lot more interesting.
As the release of Marvel Rivals draws near, it’s crunch time for this multiplayer adventure. NetEase Games has been developing this Overwatch competitor for quite a while. Even with a star-studded lineup of renowned fictional characters, that alone doesn’t guarantee its longevity in the gaming world. That’s why Marvel Rivals is shaking things up from the get-go, offering all heroes unlocked for free on launch day, introducing destructible environments, and much more.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A freshly-released developer video unveils that players can expect comprehensive stats on hero pick and win rates, which adds another exciting layer to the game.
“As part of our response to the numerous requests for in-depth hero statistics, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be unveiling exact game stats for all our playable heroes on our official site once the game launches. This means each player will have access to a complete profile for every hero,” explains Zhiyong Feng, Marvel Rivals’ lead combat designer.
They didn’t stop there—Feng mentions, “We’re also working on sharing critical combat metrics, such as win and pick rates, soon after launch. Compiling this data will take time, but rest assured, we’ll provide these crucial statistics when they’re ready.”
Pick rates will give players insight into how frequently any given hero is selected and in what scenarios, while win rates will reveal how often they contribute to a victory.
Feng also teases an exciting array of new maps arriving with the full Marvel Rivals launch. Season zero will debut with four fresh maps during the first month. Players can look forward to exploring the interstellar empire of Wakanda through maps like Birnin T’Challa and Hall of Djalia, alongside the Hydra Charteris Base and the symbiotic terrain of Klyntar. These maps feature dynamic components that encourage varied strategies and adaptable gameplay, ensuring every match feels unique.
We also gained insight into the ongoing anti-cheat strategies NetEase is implementing with the launch of Marvel Rivals. Even during beta, they’ve been proactive, already issuing penalties to some players. Feng notes that cheating incidents have affected less than 1% of games on average and explains that they’ve made “remarkable advancements” in cheat detection technologies.
As we eagerly anticipate the debut of this hero shooter, we’ve rounded up all the characters Marvel Rivals will offer and when to expect the inaugural season to kick off.
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