NetEase has discussed the possibility of future collaborations and crossover events for Marvel Rivals, but instead of following in Fortnite's footsteps it seems like players just want to stick with Marvel's source material.
"Marvel Rivals has gained wide acclaim, especially after Season 1," a spokesperson for NetEase said during an earnings call. "NetEase plans to continue investing in development and marketing, with a long-term operational strategy. The team has plans for esports and will announce these plans to enhance the gaming ecosystem. There will also be crossover events and promotions with other media to expand the user base."
So far all the collaborations in Marvel Rivals have been for existing or upcoming MCU films, like The Multiverse of Madness or Captain America: Brave New World, in the form of costumes and other in-game cosmetics. While we'll probably carry on seeing more sprays and nameplates for future MCU films, there's also a chance that upcoming Marvel games like Insomniac's Wolverine or EA's Iron Man will also be celebrated in Marvel Rivals with costumes and cosmetics.
Regardless of what's on the ballot for Marvel Rivals' future collabs the game is in a great position when it comes to available material. There's so much inspiration that can be taken from comics and films that the devs could probably just stick with this for the rest of the game's life cycle and still have more content left over.
We've already seen Mister Fantastic's The Maker skin from the Ultimates comics and Invisible Woman's Malice skin from Fantastic Four #280 make an appearance at the start of Season 1. Alongside these there's a comicbook-inspired skin for every other hero on the roster, it's pretty cool to sift through them all and discover their origins. But even still, there's so many other possibilities.
"I really hope they do skins based not just on the MCU but also on various TV shows and marvel videogames," a player says. "Imagine Raimi spider man or 2004 Fantastic fours skins alongside classic Iron man from the 90s and X-men suits from the original trilogy."
While it is unlikely, some players are still hoping that this doesn't mean collaborating with other series or games: "As long as they keep it Marvel and not branch into other IPs like Star Wars and such I would love it. Nothing against Star Wars. I just don’t want silly crossovers like that."
I agree that anime collaborations like Overwatch 2's My Hero Academia crossover or pop culture additions like Hatsune Miku's appearance in Fortnite wouldn't really fit with Marvel Rivals' vibe or storyline that bands Marvel heroes together. But I won't lie, a Magik Sith Lord costume could be pretty tough.
