The Marvel Rivals roster is getting two new fan-favorite additions, the one and only Captain America, and his long-time partner and rival, The Winter Soldier, Bucky Barns with the gameplay trailer from today. The free-to-play shooter is trying to hit all the right notes to create a hero shooter that doesn’t repeat the mistakes of its contemporaries.
Gamescom viewers were happy to see Marvel Rivals in action once more, and its trailer didn’t disappoint. We got to see both newcomers in action, displaying their abilities and playstyles. Marvel Rivals has made Captain America look more like Ironman, while Bucky is evoking memories of Venom with his weird new arm powers.
Regardless of your confidence about the upcoming hero shooter, especially after the drop in popularity of its inspirations like Overwatch 2, NetEase seems to have a plan. The best news that comes with the Captain America and The Winter Soldier trailer is that all characters in the game, including all the ones that will join the expanding roster in the future, will be completely free.
This approach is a far cry from other games in the genre and might be the magic bullet the game needs to revive the waning genre once again. You can watch the full gameplay trailer below.
The end of the trailer shows Doctor Doom for a split second and, soon after, shows the Hydra logo as well. This tease is likely hinting at future heroes who will join the cast and will likely be on the villainous side of things.
Captain America plays how you’d expect; he can use his shield for personal defense and as a weapon akin to a boomerang. His shield, when thrown, can ricochet off of other objects or enemies and come back to the player. Meanwhile, Bucky, aka the Winter Soldier, seems a lot more mobile and can jump around the map, attacking enemies from above and using his revolver as well.
Marvel Rivals comes out on December 6, 2024, on PlayStation 5, Steam, The Epic Games Store, and Xbox Series S|X and will be free-to-play for everyone. All heroes at launch, and in the future, will be completely free for everyone.
