Marvel Rivals Sets February Release Date for The Thing and Human Torch

Get ready, Marvel fans! Marvel Rivals is set to complete The Fantastic Four lineup with the addition of The Thing and Human Torch as playable characters on February 21, 2025. This exciting news was announced today, coinciding with the launch of the second half of Season 1. While the specifics of the Season 1.5 update remain under wraps, a Dev Talk blog post on the Marvel Rivals website hinted at "major balance adjustments" that are sure to shake up the game's dynamics.

As for The Thing and Human Torch, fans are eagerly awaiting to see how these iconic heroes will bring their unique abilities to the roster. Following the introduction of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman at the start of Season 1, who brought innovative mechanics like stretchy attacks and invisibility to the game, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm are expected to further evolve the multiplayer meta. Hopefully, NetEase will unveil some gameplay footage soon to give us a sneak peek.

The upcoming Season 1 update will also feature a rank reset for Ranked players. On February 21, expect your Rank to drop four divisions; for instance, a Diamond I player will find themselves in Platinum II the next day. NetEase has outlined that future full-season updates will result in a six-division drop, while half-season updates will see a four-division drop. As the game evolves, NetEase promises to adjust these changes based on player feedback.

It's not all about the challenges, though. Competitive players in the Gold rank can look forward to new costume rewards with the launch of the second half of Season 1. Additionally, NetEase will introduce new Crests of Honor to celebrate achievements at the Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All levels (reserved for the top 500 players).

The anticipation for Marvel Rivals' post-launch content has been palpable, and The Fantastic Four is just the beginning. Last month, creative director Guangyun Chen stirred excitement by promising a new playable character every half-season. This means a new Marvel hero will join the fray approximately every six weeks, keeping the game fresh and engaging. There's strong evidence suggesting that the vampire-hunting Daywalker Blade might be next in line, though amidst rumors and leaks, the future remains shrouded in mystery.

While you wait for the mid-season update to shake things up, you can check out our current Marvel Rivals Season 1 tier list to discover the best characters. Also, delve into how the original Season 1 patch transformed the meta and why the community was buzzing about the alleged bot issue in Marvel Rivals.