‘Marvel Rivals’ is a new superhero team-based shooter from NetEase

NetEase and Marvel Games have announced Marvel Rivals, a team-based shooter featuring a “deep roster” of heroes and villains.

Due for release on PC, the Overwatch-inspired Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play cooperative PVP shooter that lets players assemble an all-star squad from across Marvel’s catalogue of characters and take to a number of destructible maps from across the multiverse.

Each character will have their own unique skill set, and can work together with other heroes to activate a number of “team-up” powers for the 6v6 battles.

Marvel Rivals will also feature a storyline created by the NetEase writing team that sees Doctor Doom clash with a future version of himself, causing a number of universes to collide in the timestream entanglement. “Now, heroes and villains from across the multiverse must fight together and against one another as disparate groups seek to defeat both Dooms before one achieves domination of these realities.”

While a release date has yet to be confirmed for Marvel Rivals, a closed alpha test will take place in May. Players can sign up for details here. The alpha will feature more than a dozen different characters including Black Panther, Spider-Man, Magneto, and Magik while the full launch will include a roster that pulls from Guardians Of The Galaxy, X-Men and The Avengers.

NetEase and Marvel Games are promising a “continuously evolving universe” with Marvel Rivals as well. “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,” reads a press release.

“We are overjoyed to bring Marvel Rivals to players around the world. We have always loved Marvel’s universe and its characters, and we are so excited to develop this game,” said producer Stephen Wu. “This is the game we want to make, and we feel very lucky to be the team who made all of this come true.”

“Marvel Rivals is one of our most ambitious game development projects,” added head of Marvel Games Jay Ong. “Since the conceptualisation of the game and throughout our collaboration, our Marvel team has poured our hearts and souls into this project,” which he called the “ultimate super hero team-based PVP shooter.”

In other news, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has explained that the company’s focus is on attracting “younger audiences”.