Marvel Rivals has big plans for 2026

Marvel Rivals it received a nomination at the Game Awards for Best Ongoing Title, a testament to how well the live service game was supported in its first year of life. However, as it turned out, this first year was only a “warm-up” in the eyes of the company. Marvel Rivals developer NetEase since 2026 was promoted by the studio.

from today Marvel Rivals fans know only a few things about the future of the hero shooter. First, after the huge success of Marvel Zombies' PvE mode, NetEase has promised that there will be a lot more co-op content coming to the game in the coming years. It's unclear exactly what that content will look like, as it could be more undead-filled maps or story-driven missions with new types of enemies like Hydra and AIM goons. in addition Marvel RivalsSeason 6's heroes are confirmed to be Deadpool and Elsa Bloodstone, with their exact roles remaining a mystery. Additionally, future hero additions are less clear.

Cyclops was also teased through the opening movie Marvel Rivals Season 5 which focused on Rogue and Gambit's wedding.

As Deadpool continues to switch roles and keep players on their toes, NetEase has directly teased the future of its game, with executive producer Danny Koo recently speaking with Den of Geek about what's next. The full extent of the company's “bigger plans” for 2026 are being kept under wraps, but Koo has promised that NetEase won't “slow down,” which makes sense since the studio apparently already has another full year of additions planned. He also mentioned one type of content that fans can expect more of: new game modes.

Marvel Rivals will focus on giving players more options

According to Koo, there is great success with the aforementioned Marvel Zombies mode and RivalsThe frenetic 18v18 experience, Annihilation, has influenced NetEase in creating new content for 2026. Essentially, the studio recognizes that some players may enjoy more casual, silly, or co-op experiences, and the studio wants to cater to every type of player going forward. So while new heroes and battle passes will continue to trickle in, players can also expect entire game modes to be added from time to time. And based on both 18v18 and Marvel Zombies, if players make their voices heard about any additions they really love, there's a good chance they'll become permanent.

While the promise of a content-rich 2026 deserves the hype, there are plenty of things players would like to see beyond the multiple game modes. Common requirements include:

Greater focus on new maps for core game modes, e.g Marvel RivalsSeason 5 maps are exclusive to the 18v18 version, and Jeff's Winter Splash has resulted in the map pool being a little out of date.
More fun additions to RivalsTimes Square Center since opening and Pym Burgers have been a big hit with the community. Marvel movie nights and fashion shows are just some of the many options.
Greater community engagement through voting activities such as the Hellfire Gala. Players feeling like they have a bigger say in game balancing, hero additions, and more could boost community morale. At the very least, it could be fun to vote on which hero comes out first that season.

With a massive legacy of Marvel comics to draw from, NetEase should have no problem packing Marvel Rivals full of content for years to come. It remains to be seen whether the studio can actually keep its promise and surpass 2025, as it has certainly set a high bar, but NetEase's drive to continue to outperform suggests that the future is bright ahead.