Why Marvel Rivals Players Haven't Seen the End of Niche…

Almost six months after launch, Marvel Rivals' roster now sits at an impressive 38 characters, with number 39 (Ultron) set to release in just a few days. What's more impressive is that Marvel Rivals' roster is filled with iconic names and faces from all corners of the Marvel universe. The entirety of The Fantastic Four is there, along with a good portion of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and plenty of X-Men and Avengers to boot.

But while it's great to have all of these renowned heroes and villains, some of Marvel Rivals' most popular characters have actually been those from less-explored sectors of the Marvel universe. Jeff the Land Shark is the perfect example of this. Though Jeff's appeared in a range of Avengers and Gwenpool comics since 2018, he was still a relative unknown until Marvel Rivals' launch last December, where he quickly became the hero shooter's breakout star. And though NetEase seems to be focusing on bigger names, fans will likely see more niche heroes like Jeff in the near future for a few reasons.

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By Hamza Haq

Niche Characters Might Become a Core Part of Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals' Seasonal Approach Leaves Room for More Niche Character Additions

As of Marvel Rivals Season 2, NetEase will be adding two new characters every season, with one coming at the beginning and one during the mid-season update. As of May 2025, this is the current plan for Marvel Rivals' foreseeable future.

Though Marvel Rivals' 38-strong roster is already packed with iconic heroes and villains, there are a ton of beloved Marvel characters that fans are still desperate to see come to the hero shooter. There are still plenty of iconic X-Men missing from the roster, including the likes of Professor X, Jean Grey, and Cyclops. Plenty of Avengers mainstays are also currently absent, such as Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, and Vision.

Adding these extremely popular characters is probably a priority for developer NetEase, as their appearance in Marvel Rivals would likely go a long way in keeping current players invested and enticing new fans. But eventually, there's going to be room to include some lesser-known heroes and villains. With two new characters being added every season, there's an opportunity for Marvel Rivals to deliver one niche hero alongside a much more popular one, thus keeping fans invested while ensuring the roster doesn't get stale.

Niche Characters Would Give Marvel Rivals Players Something New

While it's great to see how popular heroes and villains are integrated into Marvel Rivals' hero shooter formula, fans do have a general idea of how their ability set will work in-game long before they see them in action, as their powers have been well-defined for decades. But the same can't be said for Marvel's more obscure characters.

Though characters like Deathlok, Nighthawk, Madcap, and Elsa Bloodstone aren't household names that'll draw in new players, they would offer current Marvel Rivals fans something fresh and surprising. Aside from die-hard Marvel fans, most Marvel Rivals players wouldn't know the first thing about these characters or their abilities, which would make their reveals far more intriguing. The unique nature of these characters could also lead to some new cult favorites that get a new shot in the spotlight.

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