Video game Marvel Rivals is crossing over with the Marvel Cinematic Universe from April, as the big marketing push ramps up for the release of the Avengers: Doomsday film in December.
There will be a proper in-game tie-in event taking place, introducing new modes, and there will also be new MCU-inspired skins to purchase and earn.
Marvel Rivals MCU crossover – quick links
Marvel Rivals’ MCU crossover features a new Loki skin
The headlining feature revealed so far is the release of a new Loki skin, directly inspired by his appearance in the 2012 film The Avengers. It’s fair to say this version of Loki helped to introduce an entire generation of moviegoers to the world of Marvel, and has become one of the most popular characters in the MCU.
Marvel Rivals has given Loki a stylish refresh here, with sharp angles on his costume and a more tapered overall look. It’s a fantastic skin, and one that should prove very, very popular on the battlefield.
Per developer NetEase Games, this version of Loki will play differently from his existing game counterpart – specifically, in a new game mode – with ‘an all-new skill set, combining deception, illusions, and powerful Infinity Stone abilities to turn enemies against each other’.
As noted, other characters will gain a new ability to summon the Hulk to take down this version of Loki, and while the developers have been coy about which ‘iconic scene’ will be recreated with this victory, we can make an educated guess that Loki’s going to be used as a ragdoll, as in the film.
New game modes and events celebrate The Avengers
Over the coming months, Marvel Rivals will continue to celebrate the history of the Avengers film franchise, with new skins, modes and in-game tie-in events set to arrive throughout 2026.
Alongside the new Loki skin, April will also feature a new asymmetrical PvP mode inspired by The Avengers, with one player as Loki defending against six other players, as different heroes.
In June, a tie-in event inspired by the film The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) will launch. We expect this will introduce Ultron in some capacity, and likely spotlight Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver, or both (the two new Avengers members who debuted in the film).
In August, we’re getting an Infinity War (2018) tie-in, which we’d expect to spotlight Thanos and his minions, Proxima Midnight, Ebony Maw, Corvus Glaive, and so on. Perhaps this particular event will also introduce Captain Marvel as one of the major players of this two-part story.
In October, we’re getting tie-in content for Endgame (2019), which could further spotlight Thanos or introduce elements of time travel.
Then, on 18 December, to tie directly into the launch of Avengers: Doomsday, we will see new content inspired by this blockbuster film, which is said to pick up just over a year after the events of Thunderbolts* (2025), and sees the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers and original X-Men teaming up to face Doctor Doom.
Quietly, we hope to see new heroes launch in Marvel Rivals with this arrival – and specifically, we hope to see The Sentry make his long-awaited debut. While that may be wishful thinking, it’s not outside the realm of possibility.
Also on ScreenHub: Marvel’s Wolverine officially launches in September
Marvel’s Wolverine, the upcoming video game adapting the popular X-Men franchise, is officially set to launch for PlayStation 5 on 15 September. The news was shared in a surprise post on social media, where developer Insomniac Games simply said, ‘Let’s cut to the chase.’
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