Marvel Rivals players have been consistently eating good, especially when it comes to the amount of content being added to the game. With plenty of events, a new season every six weeks, four new characters with the first season, and two new characters with every subsequent season, there’s pretty much always going to be a reason to come back to Rivals and play a few rounds.
Because there’s such a demand for information about upcoming seasons, we’ve seen many dataminers leak which characters might be added to the roster. Naturally, the developers insist this information isn’t necessarily reliable and doesn’t give players definitive knowledge of what will be included in the future. This, in turn, gives players the wherewithal to let their imaginations run amok.
Can I Pet That Dawg?
One character that’s been hotly requested is Cosmo the Spacedog, a very good golden retriever-labrador mix who’s featured in several Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the video game. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, specifically, she helps fight off the High Evolutionary’s army and later becomes a part of the new team of Guardians, led by Rocket the Raccoon. It’s all very cute.
Cosmo is a reference to Laika, the first dog to orbit the Earth. I think about Laika a lot.
But some people have objected to this, because they don’t want to have to shoot and kill a dog. To this, I say: huh?
I can’t help but think about the well-established trend of games letting you pet the animals in them. My colleague Jade King wrote an excellent article in 2023 about how Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t let you pet its dogs, and how it turned from a wholesome shtick into a corporate marketing tactic. In some way, it’s a dogwhistle (ha) for wholesomeness and moments of cuteness, an easy shortcut to a viral clip.
You’ll see this a lot in cosier, non-violent games, but it’s also made its way into triple-A titles more broadly. It’s an incredibly easy way to give a game’s protagonist a humanising moment. You see an animal on the street, and you go and pet that animal. You might get an achievement for petting the animal. Maybe you can even play fetch with the animal, like in Baldur’s Gate 3. It opened the Ubisoft Forward presentation for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, to huge applause.
Maybe the developers will even make it so that you can’t hurt a dog, only scare them – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle did this, letting you scare dogs away by firing your gun or cracking your whip, but not allowing you to shoot them. Or you might get a dog companion; Fallout’s Dogmeat is one of the most beloved and consistent NPCs in the series, will kill whatever you want for you, like a murderous best friend.
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Dragon Age: The Veilguard Shouldn’t Have Let Us Pet The Dog
The Veilguard’s dogs don’t even seem to know you’re there.
Can I Kill That Dawg?
In video games, dogs are almost always your friends, and people have an inherent affection for them despite these same games often being filled with violence against other people. I get the logic – human beings can have nefarious, selfish intentions, but animals are acting on instinct, not malice.
You don’t want to harm the animal, because it doesn’t have the sentience to be evil. Even if it’s a threat to you – like in The Last of Us Part 2, or Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – you’ll probably feel a little bad about it.
But if you can suspend enough disbelief to mow down countless enemies in Marvel Rivals, you can do it to murder Cosmo. Cosmo is a telepathic, sentient dog. If you’d kill Jeff the Land Shark, Mantis, or even Rocket, you can kill Cosmo. You’re okay with virtual murder, but you draw the line at virtual animal murder? Not me. I’ll kill that dog.
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!
A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.
Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.
Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot’s back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man’s armor for massive damage, and so much more!
Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!
Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!