Marvel Rivals is already creating waves after three days, reaching a peak of nearly half a million concurrent players on Steam in its opening weekend. The hero shooter lets you take up the roles of iconic Marvel superheroes and villains, and even includes alternate skins for them – so it’s not surprising that it’s doing so well.
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Marvel Rivals’ Success Will Be Down To More Than Just Its IP
Keeping people playing a live service game requires more than well-known heroes, and Rivals is already demonstrating it’s well aware of that.
Who wouldn’t want to play as Wolverine, Iron Man, Magneto, and… Jeff? Amidst the big names of the Marvel universe, Jeff the Land Shark is a relatively unknown character with a cute origin story. In the comics, he’s more of a joke character, but in Marvel Rivals, he’s no joke at all.
My Name’s Jeff
Jeff may look adorable and harmless, but it turns out he’s a baby-faced assassin. Those who took part in the closed beta test may already know this, but now that the game is out, word has officially spread, Jeff is a cold-hearted killer with one of the most powerful Ultimates in the game.
As pointed out by PCGamer, Marvel Rivals players are realising that, despite being a Support-focused, character Jeff’s Ult has the potential to wipe out multiple enemy team members if used correctly. He can gobble up whoever is in the designated area and spit them out wherever he pleases. So, players have been spitting victims out of the map, effectively insta-killing them.
However, sometimes Jeff can’t aim directly outside the map. So, to be safe, players have been swallowing up enemies and sacrificing Jeff off the side of the map. It really is an interesting Ult when you think about it. Usually it would be used to move enemies out of cover or away from objectives, but who wouldn’t mind sacrificing themselves to take out a bunch of opponents?
While Jeff’s Ult could be considered broken by many, it makes up for his otherwise lack of firepower as a support character. Also, the fact that he’s just adorable may make players look away. However, one character who has gotten onto everybody’s nerves is Iron Fist. Players have been complaining that he’s a damage sponge and is extremely irritating to go up against.
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter! Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!