Marvel Rivals has done incredibly well, and a fair bit of its popularity can undoubtedly be credited to the brand its associated with. Yes, NetEase has made a hero shooter with strong gameplay mechanics, fair monetization, quality freebies to chase, and consistent updates, but countless hero shooters have failed simply because players could not get invested in an original roster. For every big hit like Overwatch and Valorant, there is something like Lawbreakers or Concord, so NetEase was wise to secure a major brand to support its hero shooter. Many gamers already love Marvel, whether it be because of the comics, MCU, or other Marvel video games, meaning it’s far easier to attract them to a new title in a packed genre. Oddly enough, though, Marvel Rivals may be branching out despite the safety the brand provides.
While there is no confirmation that Marvel Rivals will create original playable heroes, it does apparently have the leeway to do so. In an interview with MP1st, the game’s director Guangguang shared that NetEase has the green light from Marvel to introduce original characters whenever it sees fit. When asked if there was such a character currently in development, the only response given was “stay tuned,” which suggests it’s a very real possibility. Naturally, Marvel fans are up in arms about this potential outcome, and while I wouldn’t say that it’s a direction I’d want NetEase to take often, I’m surprisingly open to an original hero from the studio here and there.
I’m about as big of a Marvel fan as you can get; I’ve played nearly every big Marvel game released over the three decades, I see every MCU film opening night, and my shelves are full of over 100 Marvel Omnibuses (massive hardcovers containing a complete run or a huge portion of it). For this reason, you’d assume that I’d be in the same camp as most Marvel fans, finding the notion of original heroes outrageous. After all, not only are there still heavy hitters to add to Marvel Rivals like Captain Marvel, Deadpool, and Daredevil, but a near infinite amount of niche additions like Elsa Bloodstone and Nova are waiting in the wings. With hundreds of heroes and villains that can still be added, it is odd that NetEase would consider adding its own hero in the near future – but I’m not counting it out, and you shouldn’t either.
There’s one clear reason why I’m not joining the hate brigade and begging NetEase to ignore its freedom from Marvel to create new characters, and that’s Luna Snow. Many dedicated Marvel fans did not even know Luna Snow prior to Marvel Rivals releasing, which makes sense given her place of origin and how new she is. Her first appearance can’t be traced to the comics like a vast majority of Marvel icons, as instead, she was created by Netmarble, a mobile video game company behind the 2018 title Marvel Future Fight. The ice-wielding musician proved so popular within this game that she made her way to the mainline Marvel comics, appearing in the major Earth 616 event War of the Realms, as well as other video games.
If a mobile game can spawn a character that has arguably become the mascot for Marvel Rivals, then what’s to stop NetEase from capturing NetMarble’s lightning in a bottle with its own hero design? The MCU was allowed to introduce its own hero via What If…?’s Kahhori, largely due to how important the films and shows have been to expanding Marvel’s grasp on pop culture. Marvel Rivals has been a huge success, too, so it’s only natural that Marvel grant NetEase the room to experiment. Perhaps it has an idea for a character with abilities that aren’t featured in the wider Marvel lore, as unlikely as that may be. Regardless, it’s only fair to give the studio some leeway to make something entirely new – though hopefully it doesn’t go overboard.
While Luna Snow’s origin being a video game makes it easier to justify an original NetEase creation, there are a few important things the studio will hopefully keep in mind if it does explore the idea:
If NetEase keeps these points in mind, the addition of an original character really won’t be the end of the world. No, it shouldn’t be the priority, and it wouldn’t be my personal preference, as like other Marvel fans, I’d prefer the roster to be fully composed of existing heroes. Still, with games like Overwatch regularly succeeding with creating their own superheroes, and the seal already broken thanks to Luna Snow over five years ago, I’ll cope with the occasional NetEase original hero just fine. Such a creation would undoubtedly get supported through Marvel Rivals‘ expansive lore and tie-in comics, too, so they would undoubtedly be fleshed out instead of feeling forced. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be my personal cup of tea, NetEase has earned enough good will with me to where I’ll give whatever Marvel content it makes a fair chance.
9/10
December 6, 2024
T For Teen // Violence
NetEase Games
NetEase Games
Unreal Engine 5
