NetEase has announced that the Human Torch, the Thing, and a mid-season rank reset will arrive in Marvel Rivals on February 21. The two superheroes will join their Fantastic Four teammates, Reed Richards and the Invisible Woman, who were added to the game earlier this season.
The Human Torch and the Thing are expected to be a “Vanguard” and a “Duelist,” respectively. Mr. Fantastic will also be a Duelist with tanky upside, while Sue Storm will be the lone healer-Strategist of the family.
The update will include a rank reset, knocking each player down four divisions. Players who are currently Gold I will be bumped down to Silver II and must climb their way back up. However, NetEase has hinted that future resets may be expanded to a six division drop.
Despite controversy surrounding the rank reset mechanics, Marvel Rivals has maintained a steady presence in Steam’s top three games by concurrent player count since its release. The game has added four new heroes and at least three new maps since December.
NetEase has taken a hands-off approach to balancing the game, prioritizing the average user’s experience over its viability as an esport. It remains to be seen how this strategy will play out in the long run.
Source: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/the-human-torch-the-thing-and-a-rank-reset-are-coming-to-marvel-rivals-next-week