Marvel Rivals broke new ground with its new R-rated superhero skin. NetEase Games' beloved online shooter has been no slouch when it comes to offering fans creative cosmetics to slap on their favorite playable heroes since its release late last year. Some of these have included the Master of Magnetism Magneto, the Incognito Dolphin Jeff the Land Shark, and the Punkchild Magik. However, one particularly celebrated avenue the multiplayer hit has continued to dip its toes into has been adapting costumes from the various Marvel Studios movies and shows for its digital take on the super-powered universe.
NetEase's Marvel Rivals continues to make history with a ground-breaking R-rated new skin for its take on The Punisher available on the in-game store. The new skin is themed after the character's appearance on Netflix's Daredevil series, as well as the newly released Daredevil: Born Again (both played by The Walking Dead actor Jon Bernthal), and marks the first-ever Rivals skin themed after an R-rated Disney+ MCU project.
The official Marvel Rivals X account broke the news of the new dark and gritty cosmetic, sharing that as of Friday, June 27, at 2 a.m. UTC (10 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 26), the new Punisher skin will be available to purchase in-game.
This is by no means the first MCU-themed skin to make its way into the game, and, in fact, it is not even the first based on an R-rated property (that honor goes to the Deadpool & Wolverine Wolverine skin).
However, it is the first to be based on a look from a R-rated Marvel Studios streaming property, taking its inspiration from Punisher's war-ready armor as seen in Season 2 of Netflix's Daredevil series.
The Punisher Daredevil: Born Again skin will be available in the Marvel Rivals digital shop alongside a new "Majestic Raiment" Thor skin starting Thursday, June 26 at 10 p.m. ET. Pricing has not yet been announced for either of the new cosmetics, but each comes as part of a bundle, including Costume, Spray, MVP, Emote, and Nameplate.
Marvel Rivals comes from Chinese gaming giant NetEase Games in partnership with Marvel Games, offering fans a one-of-a-kind online shooter experience that mixes the tactical team-based gameplay of something like Blizzard's Overwatch with the colorful comic book world and characters of Marvel Comics. It is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Where Could Marvel Rivals' MCU Skins Go Next?
In its more than six months on the market, Marvel Rivals has continued to dip its toes into the MCU waters. However, there is always the thought that the online shooter could go even further with these cinematic-themed skins.
Getting Daredevil: Born Again's Punisher into the game is a big step for the multiplayer title, breaking that barrier into Marvel Studios array of R-rated TV shows (after already hitting a similar mark on the movie side of things).
Perhaps this is the beginning of a greater push into some of these other Marvel Studios titles going forward. Maybe next, fans will see an Iron Fist look based on his appearance in the Finn Jones-led Netflix series centered on the character.
Or, with Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 already on the books, and due out sometime next year, NetEase may go further, tying in the release of its leaked Daredevil playable hero into that series' return on Disney+.
The possibilities truly seem endless regarding Rivals and where it could take its Marvel-themed branding.
If the game continues to be as successful as it has, then there is really endless potential where/how it could tie into Marvel and its various other verticals (more specifically, its efforts in TV and film).
