Marvel Rivals impresses with its gameplay, but it struggles with the same balancing issues that plagued Overwatch 2.
Marvel Rivals impresses with its gameplay, but it struggles with the same balancing issues that plagued Overwatch 2.
Marvel Rivals took the gaming world by storm when it launched in December 2024, and it has successfully maintained player engagement in the weeks since. Its success is largely due to the lessons it has learned from previous hero shooters, allowing it to sidestep many of the pitfalls that have plagued similar titles. However, despite doing almost everything right, Marvel Rivals seems to be repeating one of Overwatch 2’s more disappointing missteps.
From a well-balanced competitive system to rapid cheater bans, non-expiring battle passes, and a steady stream of new heroes, Marvel Rivals gets nearly all the essentials right. Still, there’s always room for improvement. One overlooked area is the game’s Trophy system—or rather, its lack of post-launch updates. While the original Overwatch and the early days of Overwatch 2 included new achievements for each hero release, Blizzard has since abandoned this practice. Unfortunately, Marvel Rivals seems to be following suit, as its first season has yet to introduce any new Trophies for its additional characters.
Why DLC Trophies for New Heroes Matter
In Overwatch, DLC Trophies typically consisted of two hero-specific challenges, one relatively simple and another requiring more skillful play. These achievements encouraged players to experiment with new characters, often leading them to discover unexpected favorites. Beyond simply giving players an extra challenge, these Trophies made each hero addition feel more rewarding. However, Overwatch 2 abandoned this tradition after Lifeweaver’s release, leaving subsequent characters without their own achievements.
Similarly, despite featuring character-based challenges in its base Trophy list, Marvel Rivals has not extended this system to its post-launch heroes. While in-game challenges accompanied the arrival of the Fantastic Four, no actual Trophies were introduced for these characters. This suggests that NetEase is not planning to add additional achievements over time—a minor but disappointing oversight.
How Marvel Rivals Could Improve Its Post-Launch Achievements
While the absence of DLC Trophies isn’t a game-breaking issue, their inclusion would provide additional motivation for players to engage with new content. Marvel Rivals could even expand its achievement system beyond hero-specific challenges, incorporating:
Gallery and Artifact Rewards – Achievements for collecting a certain number of comics or artifacts could add more depth to the game’s lore features.
Map-Specific Trophies – Challenges tied to new maps, such as winning on both sides of Midtown, would make post-launch locations more exciting.
Mode-Specific Achievements – As new game modes like Doom Match are introduced, players could be rewarded for achieving top placements or maintaining win streaks.
Easter Egg Challenges – Fun, hidden Trophies could encourage players to explore and interact with the game world, such as engaging with Bats the Ghost Dog.
While NetEase’s focus should remain on delivering heroes, maps, modes, and seasonal events, adding DLC Trophies would be a relatively small yet impactful way to enhance the Marvel Rivals experience. Hopefully, the developer will surprise players by introducing new achievements when the full Fantastic Four roster arrives, paving the way for a richer Trophy system in the future.