Marvel Rivals players express frustration with the title's current Seasonal Bonus feature and want NetEase Games to remove it entirely. As players figure out the nuances of Marvel Rivals' many mechanics, they've started to discuss what belongs in the game and what doesn't. While some requests are small, like alterations to an ability's hitbox, others involve sweeping changes to the game's major mechanics.

The hero shooter's Seasonal Bonus feature aims to switch up Marvel Rivals' meta by temporarily granting heroes a buff. Vanguard characters receive a boost to their health, Duelists receive a damage buff, and Strategists receive a bonus to their healing abilities. However, not all of these bonuses are the same across the board. While the Duelists Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch receive a 10% damage boost from the Seasonal Bonus, Hela and Hawkeye receive a 20% damage increase. While some fans have enjoyed playing these enhanced heroes, many feel it's one of the most divisive features in Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals leaker reveals the ability kit for Human Torch
Marvel Rivals Leak Reveals Human Torch’s Ability Kit

A prominent Marvel Rivals leaker gives players their first look at Human Torch's ability kit within NetEase Games' popular hero shooter.

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External_Gur_9645 expressed a lot of frustration with Marvel Rivals' Seasonal Bonus feature in a post on Reddit, saying they feel their main hero, Magik, will be "unplayable" after the season ends. As of writing, Magik currently has a 15% damage boost in Season 0. Fellow players have expressed similar concerns about heroes like Thor, who they feel is balanced with his health increase. While some fans believe NetEase Games is already working on rebalancing its roster of heroes, many worry the Seasonal Bonus system will serve as a substitute for making meaningful changes to characters like Wolverine in Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals Players Feel Seasonal Bonuses Hurt the Game

Many players feel the answer might be to remove Seasonal Bonuses from Competitive, or to extend hero bans to all ranks in Marvel Rivals. Fans have noted that Hawkeye and Hela, who currently receive some of the biggest boosts from Seasonal Bonuses, are often the target of hero bans in higher ranks of Competitive. The community has largely split on this issue, as some fans feel the temporary buffs encourage players to try new heroes from season to season. Many people feel the bonuses have value in the game's casual mode, where competition is less fierce and the stakes aren't so high.

As the hero shooter continues to mature, the community seems to be figuring out what it wants while providing feedback to NetEase Games. Unfortunately, there's no way to know how the developer will react or what changes it will consider implementing. Marvel Rivals' director recently commented on the request for role queue within the game, stating that the team doesn't have any plans to enable the feature. While the hero shooter may be going through some growing pains, many players feel optimistic about the future of Marvel Rivals.

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Marvel Rivals Tag Page Cover Art
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Third-Person Shooter
Action
Multiplayer
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
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Released
December 6, 2024
ESRB
T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s)
NetEase Games
Publisher(s)
NetEase Games
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Marvel Rivals Press Image 2
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
Limited - console crossplay, no PC crossplay
Cross Save
No
Franchise
Marvel
Number of Players
1-6
Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown
PC Release Date
December 6, 2024
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
December 6, 2024
PS5 Release Date
December 6, 2024
Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
How Long To Beat
7.5 hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
File Size Xbox Series
20 GB
OpenCritic Rating
Strong