In an age where AAA games are regularly released as free-to-play, Marvel Rivals’ success could already hinge on whether the devs make the heroic choice of making the shooter F2P.
The free-to-play shooter market is about as intense and competitive as any gaming segment right now. Mainstays like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2 are competing with the likes of Call of Duty, Fortnite, Overwatch, and Apex Legends, and then newcomers—like The FINALS—decide they want in. Now comes the turn of Marvel Rivals, and this electric-looking shooter might stand a chance.
Carrying the weight of the Marvel name alone is enough to send it to the front of the queue, but promising six-vs-six, high-octane Overwatch-style matches? Well, that’s enough for anyone to let out a little shriek of “I am Groot.”
Here’s all the information you need about how much Marvel Rivals will cost.
Will Marvel Rivals be free?
Marvel Rivals will be completely free to play, the developer at NetEase Games confirmed. Information is slightly limited on Marvel Rivals, with the early hype cantering around the official announcement trailer and closed alpha test in May 2024.
We don’t know the full extent of the voice cast, we don’t even know the complete hero roster, and we’ve only seen a handful of the maps that are still to come. That said, we can safely expect Marvel Rivals to also incorporate the now-traditional live service model featuring a battle pass, cosmetics, and microtransactions.
What we don’t know, however, is whether or not playable heroes will cost any money or any kind of in-game currency. Overwatch has dabbled with both free and pay-to-play heroes, while a game like Apex Legends allows you to buy them with real money or earn them via earnable in-game currencies. Marvel Rivals fans and players are eager to see how the new heroes can be earned, but that announcement has not been made official just yet.
The public’s first taste of Marvel Rivals came courtesy of the exclusive, closed alpha test that began on May 10, but a closed beta has also been confirmed to be coming. Anyone who reaches level 10 in the alpha will earn access to the closed beta, too, so those who were lucky enough to get in can continue to play the game as it’s developed.
This article will be updated with official information on pricing in Marvel Rivals when it becomes available.
