Marvel's answer to Overwatch is almost here, as Marvel Rivals finally goes gold

Marvel Rivals Hawkeye
(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Marvel Rivals has been a game that fans of the hero-shooter sub-genre have kept an eye on since its announcement – even as the field of games has expanded. Today, its developer has announced that the game has reached gold status and is locked in for its launch next month.

In a post on X (Twitter), it was confirmed that Marvel Rivals is in its final stages ahead of its December 6 launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Developed by NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals carries a similar conceit to its competitors, focusing on a roster of heroes and villains competing in battles against one another for territorial control or gaining control of valuable cargo. However, Marvel Rivals focuses more on its time travel and multiverse plot that sets the stage for different characters from the many layers of the Marvel Universe to engage in battles.

Marvel Rivals has been generating a lot of buzz, following a couple of rounds of beta periods for players on PC and consoles, which saw a large influx of players looking to try out a Marvel hero shooter. As a free-to-play game, Marvel Rivals will also feature free content updates and new characters to the roster, which will grow in the months and years ahead—depending on how long the game goes for.

So far, Marvel Rivals features an impressive roster of 28 characters, with more coming down the road. The playable roster includes many familiar favorites, including Captain America, Spider-Man, The Winter Soldier, Iron Man, the Scarlet Witch, and Storm – but there are also some lesser-known characters, including Jeff the Land Shark, Peni Parker and her Spider mech, and Luna Snow. Given that this is a multiverse game, the possibilities are extensive for who could appear next from the comics or even other forms of Marvel media.

There's currently a lot of anticipation for Marvel Rivals. If the positive state the betas were in is any indication, then this superhero game with a hero shooter twist could end up being another hit just before the year closes out.

If you want to warm up before diving into Marvel Rivals, here are the best multiplayer games to check out ahead of its launch.

Alessandro Fillari

Alessandro is a freelance writer and editor based in the San Francisco Bay Area who has covered the games, tech, and entertainment industries for more than 13 years. Having previously worked at GameSpot, CNET, and various other outlets writing features and coordinating event coverage, Alessandro enjoys playing games on PC, but also gives plenty of time to his Nintendo Switch. You can find him on various socials at @afillari.