With Marvel Rivals sharing its closed alpha with select gamers, fans are wondering when the full release of the upcoming free-to-play multiplayer shooter will happen.
Coming from NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals is set to finally put the 'hero' in hero shooter, taking the character/role-based gameplay of games like Overwatch or Team Fortress 2 and mixing it with the super-powered world of Marvel Comics.
The title was announced in late March, starting a closed alpha in May for those lucky enough to be granted access.
[ Marvel Rivals Game: What Consoles Will It Release On? ]
When Will Marvel Rivals Be Released?
No release date for the full Marvel Rivals game has been announced, but one can expect it to come sooner rather than later.
The initial trailer for the multiplayer first-person shooter ended with no release information, simply saying, "Closed Alpha begins May."
However, seeing as developers NetEase Games is already letting gamers get their hands on the title by way of this alpha preview access is a good sign.
Getting the public in and playing the game likely means development on the title was fairly far along when it was announced.
Typically, closed alpha access is offered to players when the development team is confident enough that the game it is working on is in some sort of publicly-ready state. And, unless something goes wrong, that only happens when a game is approaching its full release.
That is not to say a Marvel Rivals release date is imminent, but it is not as though this newly announced game is still years away.
Overwatch, a game similar to Marvel Rivals, entered its early access beta state, in December 2015 before the full game was released five months later in May 2016.
Right now, Marvel Rivals is only playable in its closed alpha (learn how to sign up for the game's closed alpha here), which could mean it will be still quite some time before the title moves on to beta.
If the NetEase team gets good feedback during its May alpha, takes it back to the studio, and puts any fixes they come across into play, then a full-on beta for the game could realistically come sometime in late summer or early fall of this year.
If that is the case, then a full release for the super-powered shooter feels likely for Q2 or Q3 2025.
While that could change - given the tumultuous road that game development can be - a 2025 release date for Marvel Rivals feels like a pretty good bet.
What Platforms Will Marvel Rivals Be Released For?
As for what platforms it will be released on, the Marvel Rivals team has only detailed plans for getting the game out on PC
However, the studio was sure to reassure fans, telling them to "stay tuned for future updates" (via X):
"The Closed Alpha Test will be available for PC. Stay tuned for future updates!"
This playing lack of clarity from the Marvel Rivals team likely indicates it is working on console versions of the game, it just is not quite ready to reveal them.
Given Marvel's widespread popularity, one can assume the game will eventually come to all major platforms that can technologically support it. This likely includes PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The big question mark remains if the game will come to Nintendo's Switch line of consoles.
While the showing-its-age Nintendo Switch may not be able to feasibly run a game like Marvel Rivals, there have been rumors the Japanese console maker is lining up to launch its Switch successor sometime in 2025.
If that is the case, and the Switch 2 (or whatever it is called) can technically support the free-to-play game, then surely NetEase would jump at the chance to maximize profit potential by getting it on another platform.
[ Marvel Rivals: Who Is Galactus' Daughter? New Character Explained ]
Marvel Rivals is avaliable on PC in closed alpha now.
Read more about gaming on The Direct:
Hades 2 Release: When Will the Full Game Come Out?
Star Wars Outlaws: Lead Actor Humberly González Talks Live-Action Appearance Prospects (Exclusive)
Is Hades 2 Early Access on Switch, PS5, and Steam? Platform Release Details Confirmed
V Rising's PS5 Release Gets Official Window: When Will PlayStation 5's Version Come Out?
