Half the appeal of Marvel Rivals is that it’s not a polished, competition-ready esports shooter. NetEase’s Overwatch clone is full of chaotic, unbalanced abilities that lend themselves to experimentation and viral shenanigans. The hero shooter just got its next patch, and it looks like the team is continuing a slow, methodical approach to balancing, rather than upending the meta with each update.
The full patch notes lay out a series of bug fixes that target a handful of hero-specific bugs players have been experiencing, but there are no balance changes to be seen here. Compare this to other shooters like Overwatch 2, which typically incorporate at least a few balance changes into almost every update. Marvel Rivals could still use some tuning (nerf Hela’s health when she casts her ultimate, dammit), but NetEase letting players have some chaotic fun is a big reason it’s overshadowing the hero shooter competition right now.
The update will go live tomorrow, February 6, at 1 a.m. Pacific / 4 a.m. Eastern, and will include a new skin for Captain America based on his appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, and another for Luna Snow called Mirae 2099. The patch notes read as follows:
General
- 1. Adjusted age rating labels.
- 2. Fixed an issue with the Epic Launcher restarting after 5 minutes of inactivity, which caused random anti-cheat notifications.
Maps and Gameplay
- 1. Resolved multiple instances where players could get stuck in unique terrain.
- 2. Fixed an occasional synchronization issue with some doors in Hydra Charteris Base: Frozen Airfield
Hero Bug Fixes
- 1. Venom’s Wild Swing: Fixed an issue where Venom Swing could occasionally fail to end properly. Now, he’ll always land with style.
- 2. Venom’s Ultimate Devour: Resolved a problem where pressing Devour as soon he lands after unleashing Feast of the Abyss would sometimes deal no damage or knockback. Venom’s hunger will now be fully satisfied!
- 3. Mister Fantastic’s Bulletproof Rubber: Addressed a bug where his Reflexive Rubber ability could sometimes fail to end correctly. He’s back to being as fantastic as ever!
- 4. Storm’s Tempestuous Control: Fixed an issue where Storm’s Ultimate Ability could lead to unintended positions if she unleashes it just as she passes through Doctor Strange’s portal. She’ll now control the storm without getting lost!
- 5. Storm’s Recovery Rumble: Resolved a bug where Storm’s Ultimate Ability could end abnormally if trapped by recovering destructible structures. She’s ready to unleash her powers—no more interruptions in the eye of the storm!
- 6. Moon Knight’s Handy Prompt: Corrected the issue where the ground visual cue for Moon Knight’s Ultimate Ability would prematurely disappear—no more being caught unaware about incoming talons.
- 7. Wolverine’s Fastball Bewilderment: Fixed occasional synchronization issues in the Fastball Special Team-Up Ability where on Wolverine’s side, he would appear as being held by the Hulk, but others would see Wolverine still in his original place. Now, everyone’s in sync to play ball.
- 8. Magneto’s Ironic Iron Issue: Resolved an occasional problem where Iron Man’s Ultimate Ability would still take effect even after being absorbed by Magneto’s Ultimate Ability. Magneto’s magnetic prowess now has it fully contained!
- 9. Jeff the Land Shark’s Spitting Shenanigans: Fixed an issue where if Jeff the Land Shark spit out others just as his Ultimate Ability was about to end, it would be interrupted and automatically spit them out when the ultimate ended, causing it to look like the animation played twice. He’ll now eject everyone in one smooth motion!
- 10. Banner’s Revival Wardrobe: Addressed a costume issue that occasionally occurred with Banner after being revived by Rocket Raccoon’s beacon. He’s looking sharp and ready to hulk out!
- 11. Loki’s Reload: Fixed a rare issue where Loki’s Mystical Missiles would not refill after reloading during unstable network conditions. He’s back to being the trickster with a full arsenal!
- 12. Loki’s Transformation Trouble: Resolved a rare occurrence where Loki’s Ultimate Ability transformation would end immediately after activation in unstable network conditions. His mischief will now last as intended!