New Marvel Rival’s X-Men leaks prove NetEase knows exactly what fans want
Marvel ComicsMarvel Rivals has already delighted fans with debuts of iconic heroes. However, a recent leak containing potential new character debuts proves NetEase isn’t just here for the Captain America and Iron Man stans.
NetEase hasn’t held back with its hero roster since Marvel Rivals was released in 2024. While MCU icons like Groot, Rocket Racoon, Loki, Captain America, and Doctor Strange were used to help sell the game to players, the less-celebrated list of heroes and villains has proved that the developer isn’t just here to ride a movie franchise’s coattails.
Players can already select from a number of Marvel Comics heroes who haven’t been in the limelight recently. This includes Namor, Squirrel Girl, Psylocke, Magik, and Moon Knight among several others. However, one group of heroes that has drawn particular attention is the X-Men, who have largely been left out of video game inclusions in recent years.
Storm, Wolverine, and Magento paved the way for more X-Men
Dexerto / NeteaseMarvel Rivals has already included a handful of iconic X-Men, including Magneto, Storm, Psylocke, and Wolverine. While Wolverine is no small-time hero, especially after the Wolverine & Deadpool movie, it was surprising to see the likes of Storm and Psylocke so early in the game’s life cycle.
However, the popularity of Wolverine from launch, and the substantial buff to Storm in a recent update, have made them a popular choice for players. Additionally, many are excited just to see these beloved mutants and are willing to give them a try regardless of current meta, just to take on the powers and abilities of their favorite heroes.
It’s an exciting time for Marvel fans who love characters that have largely been trapped in decades-old movie franchises, or who have rarely been portrayed outside the pages of comic books.
NetEase Seems To Get That The Future of Marvel is Variety
In a recent leak, it was revealed that a handful of X-Men could be added to the Marvel Rivals roster. This list includes Rogue, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Beast, and Gambit.
The excitement for these additions has been notable, with one player in the comments of the leak stating, “just finished 97 and I don’t think my heart is ready for those rouge x gambit interactions,” and another adding, “Icl if they keep this up with the characters they’ll be in my top 3 greatest games ever. They keep adding all my favourite characters.”
For many, this could be the first time they will be able to play a game as a favorite character. It is especially interesting to note how many comments have mentioned having a connection to these characters via their original stories in the comics, as there aren’t many other representations of them available for players to connect to.
Gambit Seals The Deal
For some players, the addition of favorite characters could be what pulls them into Marvel Rivals. I am a good example of that. I’m not a big fan of PvP games and haven’t ever enjoyed games like Overwatch, but when I was given the chance to play Storm, I downloaded it immediately.
Now, with news that Gambit is potentially coming, I don’t just want to play, I want to commit. Gambit has been shorted regularly in movies, games, and TV shows, often appearing as a side character or an NPC you can’t really spend any time with. Gambit is one of my favorite heroes of all time.
The excitement of being able to play as a favorite and getting to see him get the Marvel Rivals makeover is enough to encourage hours of gameplay from someone who would otherwise have never opened the game. If Iron Man and Captain America were the main heroes, if only the modern lineup were the focus, I wouldn’t touch the game at all.
NetEase gets it. Marvel fans extend out past the MCU. Past the franchise as we’ve known it in the past two decades. They are trying to tap into that, and fans are loving it.
With so much promise and excitement surrounding these leaks, I hope we will get more information soon on when these heavily-anticipated heroes could debut in the game. It also sparks major excitement for other possible announcements that could come for Marvel Rivals in the future.