It’s an odd time for anything with superheroes. For the first time in nearly 16 years, the world seems to be suffering from superhero fatigue. After tons of Marvel films of – to be generous – varying levels of quality, people seem to no longer have the same excitement for capes and super shenanigans. The upcoming closed beta for Marvel Rivals is therefore coming at a potentially inauspicious time, though there’s hope yet that superheroes still have life in them yet.
If you’re yet to encounter Marvel Rivals, here’s what you need to know. It’s a 6v6 hero shooter in the vein of Overwatch 2 and others, with a few key differences. Obviously the big thing that sets this multiplayer game apart is the Marvel universe itself. Other games have to introduce you to their characters, here Magneto and the Hulk will be battling alongside Doctor Strange and Black Panther, names almost everyone knows.
The other big difference with Marvel Rivals is the promise of destructible environments. In nearly every superhero film, buildings are destroyed in the midst of the action and allowing that to happen in multiplayer matches will make the whole thing feel far more superpowered. In addition, this feature will allow you to reshape the map itself, opening up new areas or allowing you to deploy different tactics.
Following on from a closed alpha test held earlier this year in May, a console and Steam beta test has been scheduled to begin soon. Players will be able to test out several big name characters from the Marvel universe, including Venom, Spider-Man, Magenta, Rocket Racoon, Storm, Scarlet Witch, Loki, and a few others. Four maps will be available for testing, two using the Yggsgard theme and two others taking place in the Tokyo 2099 setting. Finally, if you take part you’ll have Convoy, Domination, and Convergence game modes to choose from.
The Marvel Rivals closed beta test will run from Tuesday July 23 to Monday August 5. If you’d like to take part, head over to the official site to learn more.
You can also keep an eye on when you can play the full game with our guide to what we know about the Marvel Rivals release date, as well as our list of all currently known Marvel Rivals characters.
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