Marvel Rivals has partnered with Marvel Animation to introduce its inaugural PvE experience, Marvel Zombies — a mode inspired by the recent animated miniseries on Disney+. Arriving just in time for the spooky season, this new mode shifts the game’s focus from competitive firefights to coordinated survival against the undead.
Players will be able to select from five characters in this mode: Thor, Blade, Magik, Jeff, and the Punisher. Each hero receives a bespoke ability to better handle what Danny Koo, executive producer at Marvel Games, describes as “endless waves of zombies.” Jeff can surge through swarms, Blade wields ricocheting Moon Blades, Magik can remain in her Darkchild form indefinitely, and Thor’s Awakened state can also be sustained without limit. The Punisher likewise gains a new toolset tuned for prolonged encounters in the mode.
The footage shown in the trailer suggests gameplay that feels markedly different from a standard Marvel Rivals match — with wide, sweeping attacks and continuous enemy waves, the combat skews toward the feel of a musou-style title like Dynasty Warriors. In addition to hordes of lesser undead, players must face two named bosses: a zombified Namor and the Queen of the Dead, a revenant Wanda Maximoff. Both are pulled from the Marvel Zombies miniseries and, as Koo cautions, are formidable foes.
Many specifics remain unconfirmed — including how the mode will integrate with in-game rewards and events, the typical round length, and the mechanics that trigger boss encounters. Fortunately, players won’t need to wait long to learn more: Marvel Zombies is scheduled to arrive in Marvel Rivals on Oct. 23 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The game’s Season 5 is also planned to launch soon after, on Nov. 14.
Source: Polygon
