Marvel Rivals announced the next two characters headed for its super-powered roster, and new information may suggest when they will be released.
Following their fellow Fantastic Four cohorts, Human Torch and The Thing are set to arrive in the free-to-play shooter at some point in Season 1, adding a new layer to its hyper-competitive online battles.
These new hero additions will be a near-constant trend for Rivals as it embarks on its relatively early life as the next big online game.
When Will Human Torch & The Thing Be Released?
Gamers may finally have a clearer idea of when Human Torch and The Thing will be released in Marvel Rivals.
The two iconic comic characters were announced alongside Mr. Fantastic and Sue Storm as new additions to the game in its (now) ongoing first content season.
While Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman arrived with Season 1's launch in the game, the other two members of Marvel's First Family had no specific release information.
However, new quotes from Marvel Rivals' director could indicate when these fan-favorite heroes will debut in the game.
Speaking with Metro about Rivals' post-launch content cadence, Game Director Guangyun Chen revealed seasons will each be "three months," and they will "introduce a new hero" every "half of the season:"
"Every season we’ll be rolling out fresh seasonal stories, new maps, and new heroes. We’ll actually be breaking down each season into two halves. The length of one season is three months. And for each half of the season, we will introduce a new hero. We just eventually want to continue to enhance the experience, and, you know, keep everyone excited in our community."
That means fans can expect new heroes to arrive in the game roughly every month and a half.
As Season 1 started on January 10 (and is due to end on April 10), fans can likely expect The Thing and Human Torch to be released between Friday, February 21 and Friday, February 28.
It is worth noting that Chen refers to a singular "new hero" each half-season, meaning the release of two new characters to start Season 1 may have been a one-off. However, seeing as the game teased all four Fantastic Four characters for Season 1, one can assume The Thing and Human Torch will debut simultaneously.
What To Expect From Human Torch & The Thing in Marvel Rivals
Thankfully, for fans eager to know more about the Human Torch and The Thing coming to Marvel Rivals, plenty of information leaked online.
The Thing is reportedly set to join the game's cast of Vanguard heroes (Rivals' version of a traditional Tank), standing alongside the likes of Hulk, Venom, and Thor (read more about Marvel Rivals' best characters here).
His leaked abilities make him a force to be reckoned with online, allowing him to solidify himself to deflect enemy advances, deal devastating damage with his boulder-sized fists, and slam the ground to send nearby foes flying backward.
As for Human Torch, the character will supposedly be a damage-dealing Duelist. His leaked move set includes a "supernova" blast of damaging flame that emanates outward, the ability to create massive flame walls on the battlefield, and (of course) flame-based flight.
These two characters will also likely come with a wide range of new costumes for players to buy, possibly including their looks from the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps movie.
Marvel Rivals is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
