Is Marvel Rivals coming to consoles?

With the arrival of the latest Marvel Rivals alpha playtest, many lucky PC players have been able to check out the upcoming 6v6 hero shooter from NetEase Games. Unfortunately, this means console players are left out as the game is currently in its alpha playtest state and unavailable on any popular gaming consoles.

That being said, does the publisher have any plans to release a console rendition in the future? If so, when can it be expected to arrive? Here is everything fans need to know about Marvel Rivals on console.

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Will Marvel Rivals be on console?

Marvel Rivals is currently on PC (Image via Netease Games)

Thus far, there is no official confirmation of the game arriving on consoles by publisher Netease Games. However, a recent data mine revealed mentions of PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, including PlayStation Store IDs for in-game purchases. This more or less suggests that the current-gen consoles are set to receive Marvel Rivals in the future.

But where does that leave the other console platforms? Given that the PS4 and Xbox One, are essentially legacy systems, it is not particularly surprising that they are not getting the game; after all, many upcoming games have dropped support for those platforms entirely as their respective publishers and developers are aiming for current-gen PlayStation and Xbox hardware.

The Nintendo Switch however is a more baffling omission. The popular hybrid console is one of the most successful this generation, so does it make sense for developer Netease Games to skip it? On the flip side, perhaps they have a rendition in the works for the upcoming next-gen Nintendo Switch 2, which seems more likely.

With a definitive release date for the game still eluding players, we will likely see more details on console versions as Marvel Rivals matures further into development.

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What is the game about?

The first major outing by Netease Games is a competitive third-person shooter shooter that pits beloved Marvel characters against one another in heated skirmishes. There are a total of 19 characters in Marvel Rivals thus far, from beloved picks like Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Groot to more obscure ones like Magik and Luna Snow.

Each hero possesses unique abilities and playstyles, making them viable in different scenarios. The core gameplay has been compared to Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch series due to their similarities, so it remains to be seen if NetEase can compete head-to-head with it. Since the alpha playtest is ongoing, players may also be interested in knowing about all game modes in Marvel Rivals.