Marvel Rivalsis rapidly approaching the official end of Season 1. The count may seem odd to some thanks to the existence of Seasons 0 and 1.5, but that doesn’t change the fact that Season 2 is just around the corner now. Developers have already begun to announce a few changes coming toMarvel Rivalsin the Season 2 update, including the addition of some new Team-Ups.
Team-Ups are one of the key mechanics thatseparatesMarvel Rivalsfrom any other hero shooter. They provide valuable buffs to all parties involved in a given Team-Up, which often incentivizes players to come up with some exceedingly creative team compositions. Between existing relationships that lack a Team-Up, and the upcoming release of new characters, there are a few different directions developers could take in order to makeMarvel Rivalsshine in Season 2.
The Best Potential New Team-Ups in Marvel Rivals Season 2
Marvel Rivals Season 2 Could Pick Up On a Few Missed Opportunities
In aninterview with PC Gamer, game director Guangyun Chen confirmed, “Starting from Season 2, we will introduce new Team-Up skills with the seasonal update and adjust some existing ones.” Chen neither revealed nor teased any of the new Team-Ups developers plan to add. Thankfully,Marvel Rivals' roster has left more than enough untapped potential for developers to explore.
Captain America and the Winter Soldier have such a strong bond, it’s almost inexplicable that the pair doesn’t feature a Team-Up already. According toMarvel Rivals' Hero Hot List, Captain America doesn’t get much play time compared to other Vanguards, and a viable Team-Up with a popular character like Winter Soldier could be just the thing to boost his rankings. Mechanically speaking, the Team-Up could involve Winter Soldier ricocheting bullets off Cap’s shield, or even something as simple as a proximity buff.
Another close bond worth exploring in-game is that between Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four. Spider-Man has a long history as an honorary member of Marvel’s First Family, and has had an especially legendary bromance with The Human Torch. Both heroes have gained a lot of traction during Season 1.5, with Spider-Man being exceptional for taking out fliers, and The Human Torch’s Team-Up with Storm dealing devastating damage. If Spidey and The Human Torch are both being eyed for nerfs in Season 2, a Team-Up between the two of them could help them maintain relevance in the meta despite being less singularly powerful.
Marvel Rivals Season 2’s New Heroes Could Bring New Team-Ups to the Table
If previous developer statements are to be believed,Marvel Rivalswill release a new heroevery month and a half going forward, which amounts to two new heroes per season. With new heroes comes new Team-Ups, such as how the members of The Fantastic Four were released with a shared Team-Up. There isn’t any official confirmation of which heroes will joinMarvel RivalsSeason 2 yet. However, hints in the game’s story and credible leaks have provided just enough information to make an educated guess or two.
First and foremost,Blade becoming playableseems like a pretty sure bet. The Daywalker was prominently featured in Season 1’s story, and can even be encountered on the game’s newest map. Blade was also one of the first heroes to be leaked for a post-launch release inMarvel Rivals, meaning he has likely been completed for quite some time. Blade has plenty of potential for Team-Ups as well, with fellow Midnight Sons such as Moon Knight or Magik being the most likely candidates.
After Blade, things get slightly murkier. BetweenMarvel Rivalsmap leaksand a recent story tease at the Hellfire Gala, Emma Frost and Jean Grey seem to be the next most probable heroes to join the fray in Season 2. Considering both women play leading roles on among the X-Men, Emma and Jean would be perfectly suited for a Team-Up with each other. Jean’s on-and-off entanglement with Wolverine is fuel enough for a Team-Up, as is Emma Frost’s more recent relationship with fellow socialite Tony Stark.
Although Team-Ups have proven to be a successful experiment so far,Season 2 offers even more room forMarvel Rivalsto grow. Developers have taken an “ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to everything from character balance to role queue, and will likely apply the same design philosophy to Team-Ups. With that in mind, it seems unlikely that the first wave of new Team-Ups will be too ambitious, but even the potential for adjusting existing Team-Ups is more than enough reason to look forward to Season 2.
