Marvel Rivals: No Story Mode, Focus on PvP and PvE

NetEase’s upcoming superhero team shooter, Marvel Rivals, will not feature a traditional single-player story mode. Despite having full access to the Marvel IP—including comics, previous games, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the development team has made clear that a conventional narrative campaign was never part of the game’s design. Instead, the focus is on delivering a competitive 6v6 experience that blends PvP and PvE elements, with storytelling woven into multiplayer systems and seasonal themes.

Lead game designer Guangyun Chen stated during Tokyo Game Show that a story mode was never considered for the title. “Our plan, when we got the IP, was to make this game from the beginning. It has always been quite firm. We are making a 6v6 superhero team-building game. We are making a PvP game. We are making a PvE game. A story mode is not included in our plan or roadmap,” Chen explained. He also emphasized that the team’s expertise lies in rivalry and competition, which drove the decision to design the game around multiplayer modes rather than a linear narrative.

Instead of a separate story mode, Marvel Rivals intends to deliver its narrative through the multiplayer experience. Chen noted that “the storytelling process is actually in the game; it moves and kind of varies with the players’ action and the players’ progress.” Each season will carry a unique theme designed to advance and elaborate the ongoing story, allowing the world to evolve based on community play. This approach keeps the game focused on its core competitive loop while still leveraging Marvel’s rich lore.

Marvel Rivals Lattices

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