Other Heroes and Villains Perfect for Marvel Rivals

Manifesting from a pantheon of legendary heroes and villains, Marvel Rivals already has gamers talking about the characters they most want to see. With decades of characters to choose from and the magic of the multiverse to bring them all together, Marvel Rivals has infinite possibilities to craft the ultimate Marvel MMOBA experience. Already off to a strong start with a promising trailer, there’s plenty to play with as details about the Overwatch contender become revealed.

Developed through a collaboration between NetEase Games and Marvel Games, Marvel Rivals is the latest Marvel project to emerge on Steam. With a promise to deliver a 6v6 PVP shooter experience, Marvel Rivals aims to immerse players in the heart of the multiverse, challenging them to battle through a series of captivating landscapes as a team. With its first trailer released in March 2024 and an alpha trial recruiting players to take control of timeless characters like Iron Man, Loki, and Spider-Man, it leaves audiences excited to see which of their favorite characters will appear next.

Agent Coulson

Actor Clark Gregg returned to voice Coulson in Marvel Heroes and the LEGO Marvel video games.

When Phil Coulson debuted in the MCU, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent proved to be the charismatic hero needed for both the fans and the Avengers to rally behind after the character’s shocking death. Eventually leading a solo series in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Coulson unfortunately left audiences wanting more when it ended. With the plot revolving around a multiverse incursion, Marvel enthusiasts wouldn’t mind seeing actor Clark Gregg return for an encore, especially if it means he’ll be bantering with Loki, the demigod who killed him.

Armed with his reliable “night-night gun” and a shield that materializes from a mechanical limb, Coulson embodies the role of a versatile support character. Much like Brigitte from Overwatch, he’d excel at diverting enemy attention and rallying his teammates with various buffs. But let’s be real, what’s Coulson without the big reveal of his ultimate move, the Destroyer gun? If the SHIELD agent were to make it into the game, he’d have to unleash it upon rival players as he quips: “Yeah, that’s what it does.”

Why the Black Knight is Ready for Marvel Rivals

Black Knight

In The Eternals, Kit Harington appears as Dane Whitman and offers Blade his iconic weapon in a post-credits scene.

With a rich comic history, Dane Whitman has made a name for himself as Marvel’s legendary Black Knight. A skilled swordsman and a master of hand-to-hand combat, wielding the enchanted Ebony Blade grants him enhanced strength, durability, and countless other curious talents. While a less traditional pick, Marvel Rivals could give the Black Knight a slice of the limelight and just what he needs to find a larger audience.

With the powers of the Ebony Blade at his command, the Black Knight could work as a close-quarters combatant as players slash, blast, and eliminate their foes. Additionally, his tactical mastery and ability to cut through mystical forces could allow him to offer valuable secondary support by bestowing debuffs upon his enemies. While Overwatch’s Tracer may boast of being “the cavalry,” this armored warrior could surpass her, able to simultaneously provide the support and the advantages needed to change the tide of battle.

Hawkeye’s Kate Bishop is Worth a Shot

Kate Bishop

Hawkeye’s in-universe Broadway show, Rogers: The Musical, got a real-world debut at Disney California Adventure.

After rising to new heights in Disney+’s Hawkeye and revealing to be a sure shot for the MCU’s Young Avengers, it’d make sense that Kate Bishop join the roster of Marvel Rivals. Demonstrating impressive archery skills and the ability to stand toe-to-toe with some of the deadliest opponents in the Marvel multiverse, neglecting Kate Bishop as a playable character would be a missed opportunity.

The best class-based video games have a dedicated sniper and a devoted group of players who aim to master them. Brandishing a bow and several trick arrows, Kate is the perfect candidate for a sharpshooter, helping to keep airborne characters on their toes and those on the ground watching their backs. Most likely requiring skill, patience, and a bit of luck, players probably wouldn’t mind the grind as they hum a few bars of Rogers: The Musical.

Doreen Green Has the Squirrels at Her Fingertips

Squirrel Girl

Squirrel Girl almost had an MCU debut in the canceled New Warriors series, played by AT&T’s Milana Vayntrub.

When it’s time to get nuts in the heat of battle, every Marvel fan knows who to call: the unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Gifted with some of the most bizarre powers in the Marvel multiverse, Doreen Green’s enhanced strength, speed, and ability to talk to squirrels proves it’s not a hero’s abilities that define them, but rather the courage and creativity to use them.

On the walls, in the air, or on terra firma, Squirrel Girl’s talents would allow any place in the arena to become a battleground. However, aided by her cute pets, she can lock on and attack enemies from a distance to do damage over time before unleashing a horde of squirrels upon her enemies. While adapting Squirrel Girl’s powers would be a hard nut to crack for Marvel Rival’s developers, she’d make a unique addition to the game.

Players Should Beware of Black Widow

Black Widow

Black Widow was one of many playable characters in the video game Marvel’s Avengers.

Marvel’s most recognizable super spy, Black Widow, is a trained agent with a dark past and the skills to take on an alien army. Although remembered for her role in The Avengers, she’s just as deadly alone as she is on a team, and why even the most skilled warriors are on the lookout for this efficient assassin.

Single-target attackers play a vital role in any character-based shooter and tend to be the most popular on any roster. As an assassin, Black Widow seems like a character made for taking out heavy hitters, using stealth to sneak up on players, and focused martial arts strikes to defeat them before they become a problem. Utilizing a mix of strategy, timing, and creative gameplay, Black Widow would be a highly specialized but invaluable part of any game.

Why Marvel Rivals Needs to Go Green

Green Goblin

In 2002’s Spider-Man video game, players could unlock a secret mode that allowed them to play as the Green Goblin.

While an off-the-wall choice when compared to characters like Spider-Man, the Green Goblin is a villain audiences love to hate. With plenty of tricks up his sleeves and devious ways to execute them, bringing Spider-Man’s most iconic foe to Marvel Rivals would allow the game to be true to its name while allowing players to indulge in some explosive escapades.

Whether it’s games like Team Fortress 2, Overwatch 2, or any of the countless PVP arena shooters, demolitionists often prove popular by creating massive amounts of damage and a fun time for their players. With the Green Goblin being able to lob pumpkin bombs from his glider, it’d make for an ideal areal combatant, forcing opposing teams to find a way to keep him on the ground and out of trouble while the collapsible environments crumble down around them. As Marvel attempts to round out its cast with heroes, villains, and everything in between, allowing this cackling creep to take flight would undoubtedly shake things up.

The Vampire Hunter Strikes Back

Blade

Blade was an unlockable character in 2007’s Ghost Rider video game.

As Marvel’s premier vampire hunter, Blade is armed to the teeth and ready to rid the world of the undead. Appearing in games like Marvel’s Midnight Suns and the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series, he’s no stranger to teamwork, making him the go-to ally when darkness descends and the fate of the world is at stake.

Proficient with blades, firearms, and everything else needed to fend off supernatural threats, the prolific hunter is a jack of all trades but seems best suited for dealing damage. Outfitting him with weaponry capable of inflicting persistent bleed damage and enabling him to track his targets would be a natural fit for Blade, granting him an edge over stealth-oriented characters such as Loki. Nevertheless, as further details about Marvel Rivals come to light, perhaps Marvel’s daywalker will surprise audiences by joining the battle royale.

Spider-Man’s Former Enemy Makes for an Ideal Healer

Anti-Venom

Anti-Venom appears as a boss battle in Spider-Man: Edge of Time.

With a chip on his shoulder and an alien symbiote in his body, Eddie Brock’s extraterrestrial companion keeps more than the doctor away. Having evolved into a persona fitting for an anti-hero, Anti-Venom makes for a terrifying healer that may leave many of their allies questioning if they want a second opinion.

When examining MMOBAs, a dedicated healer can help to tip the scales and keep players fighting the good fight. While probably the last thing fans would expect from the former Spider-Man villain, Anti-Venom’s ability to cleanse bodies and repair them would be ideal for a game like Marvel Rivals, as the duo find themselves supporting their allies around the map. Additionally, with gooey tendrils, massive jaws, and incredible strength, Eddie Brock could live up to his title as a “lethal protector,” as he keeps enemies at bay and a healthy distance from teammates.

How Wolverine Could Bring Adamantium Rage to Marvel Rivals

Wolverine

The X-Men arcade game is on GameSpot’s list of the greatest games of all time.

One of Marvel’s heavy hitters, Wolverine, comes with an adamantium-plated skeleton, his signature claws, and the ability to shrug off a freight train. Having been long-established as a fan favorite and still going strong since the debut of X-Men ‘97, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before this masked mutant carves out a place of his own in the Marvel Rivals roster.

Wolverine is the best at what he does, and in the past, it’s translated well into games like the Marvel vs. Capcom series, X-Men Legends, and the beloved X-Men arcade game. As a tank who gets up close and personal, using his healing abilities to survive scuffles and his claws to end them, it could make for a simple, albeit satisfying, moveset that ends with his infamous “fastball special” thanks to the team-up skills mechanic. Wolverine wouldn’t be Marvel Rival’s most unique choice or necessarily groundbreaking for Marvel video games, but sometimes, all that’s needed is a set of strong claws to get someone’s point across.

Why Marvel Rivals Needs Deadpool

Deadpool

In Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Deadpool acts as an antagonist as he challenges Ultimate Spider-Man to survive his deadly reality show.

Breaking the fourth wall and bulldozing through anyone who crosses his path, Deadpool’s reputation precedes him, stretching into the farthest corners of the multiverse as a legend with a higher kill count than the entire Overwatch player base combined. Armed with an impressive arsenal and an accelerated healing ability to rival Wolverine’s, Deadpool is a skilled combatant whose wit matches the sharpness of his sword. Given his widespread popularity and extensive career, it’s surprising that the “Merc with the Mouth” isn’t included in the opening roster of Marvel Rivals.

With explosives, blades, and the power of reality-bending self-awareness, this mutant could literally change the game, much like he did in 2013’s Deadpool. As a character, he’d come packing a diverse collection of imaginative skins, emotes, and moves that allow him to tap into the world beyond the screen. Without a doubt, Deadpool could become one of the game’s most well-accessorized and entertaining DPS characters. And knowing Wade Wilson, he wouldn’t have it any other way as he slashes, shoots, and jokes his way across the battlefields of Marvel Rivals.