Marvel Rivals has confirmed the start date for Season 1 after the game entered Season 0 last month. In addition to a Season 1 start date of January 9, Marvel Rivals also confirmed that The Fantastic Four will be added as playable heroes when the new season drops. While the addition of these characters is exciting to be sure, the timing of their addition to Marvel Rivals' roster seems to be jumping the gun a bit.
The Fantastic Four coming to Marvel Rivals has been the game's worst-kept secret since the heroes were leaked via datamine even before the game's official launch. Even with the "when" left up in the air, these leaks confirmed that Marvel's First Family would be heading to Marvel Rivals eventually. However, their addition coming so soon after release is a bit of a curveball when there seemed to be a much more perfect window for their addition coming later in 2025.
Marvel Rivals will be getting a Season 1 trailer on January 6 to give players their first official in-game looks at Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing.

Marvel Rivals' Latest Leaked Character is a Logical Progression
Leaks regarding Marvel Rivals' upcoming heroes have been rampant since the first Alpha playtest, and the latest potential reveal makes a lot of sense.
Marvel Rivals Adding The Fantastic Four With Season 1 is Oddly Timed
Adding the Heroes to Coincide with the MCU Movie Seemed More Likely
As inevitable as The Fantastic Four seemed as Marvel Rivals heroes, choosing them to headline Season 1 so early in 2025 seems like NetEase could be putting the cart before the horse. 2025 is already set to be a big year for Fantastic Four fans with the MCU's The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to release in theaters in July. With this release date already teed up for Marvel Rivals to knock out of the park with a well-timed collaboration, releasing the Fantastic Four as playable characters so far in advance is somewhat unexpected.
Part of the reason for this disconnect between The Fantastic Four's Marvel Rivals debut and the upcoming MCU film could be to give players a chance to get to know the characters more ahead of the film's release. The Fantastic Four are certainly not as obscure of Marvel characters as Jeff the Land Shark and Luna Snow, who have already grown in popularity thanks to Marvel Rivals. However, the heroes have been out of the mainstream limelight for some time, which could warrant ample time for fans to familiarize themselves with the heroes via Marvel Rivals in anticipation of The Fantastic Four: First Steps' release.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is slated to release on July 25, 2025.
The Fantastic Four's Addition Sets a Hopeful Precedent for Future Marvel Rivals Seasons
Regardless of the timing of The Fantastic Four in Marvel Rivals, the addition of four new characters at the start of Season 1 is exciting in and of itself. Although Marvel Rivals launched with 33 playable characters, it remained unclear how many characters players could expect to see added each season. Other hero shooters like Overwatch 2 have typically stuck with one new hero per season, but Marvel Rivals adding four in a single season bodes well for future seasonal additions.
The Fantastic Four being added so much earlier than was anticipated also sets a precedent for characters to be added long before they receive a tie-in with other Marvel media like the MCU films. For example, players may see Blade join Marvel Rivals much earlier than his MCU appearance or the upcoming Arkane-developed game. With Marvel Rivals having such a deep catalog of characters to pull from, it's not that surprising to see four new heroes join in a single season, but the distance they're releasing from the highly-anticipated MCU film makes them a more than welcome surprise to kick off Season 1.











Your Rating
Success!
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!
A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.
Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.
Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!
Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!
Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
Your comment has not been saved