Marvel Rivals: Everything we learned during Gamescom Opening Night Live

Gamescom Opening Night Live took place on August 20 and featured new looks at some of the industry's most anticipated video games such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Batman: Arkham Shadow, and more. Of course, among those titles that stole the spotlight was Marvel Rivals; an upcoming PVP shooter set to feature many classic heroes and villains of the Marvel universe.

Destructible environments, over 20 different characters, and Yuri Lowenthal reprising his role as Peter Parker are just some of the few things that Marvel Rivals has in store. And to make things even more exciting, we finally know when the game will be released, which mechanics won't make it into its monetization model, and what new characters to expect. Besides, we even have a brand new look at the highly anticipated title, so it's time to break down all the surprises, shall we?

A new trailer is here

One of the perks of a game being showcased on Gamescom is that - most of the time - it will always come hand-in-hand with a new trailer. Fortunately, that was also the case for Marvel Rivals. While players already had a good idea of what to expect from the game prior to its latest look, it's always good to watch new footage and get a glimpse at new playable characters and gameplay mechanics.

The trailer kicks things off with a quick look at Black Panther's Ancestral Plane before switching to a cinematic confrontation between Captain America and Bucky Barnes - two newly announced heroes. Fans get a quick taste of the Winter Soldier's abilities which include using his Prosthetic Arm as a grappling hook, shooting his ever-reliant guns, and big AOE attacks courtesy of his robotic arm.

Cap's playstyle seems more defensive, which goes in line with the character. He covers himself with his shield while rushing head-first into his enemies. Of course, he can also toss his shield towards other characters before it bounces back into his hands. Finally, he can also deflect incoming projectiles, which will surely come in handy on the battlefield.

The trailer ends with a terrifying look at Doctor Doom seemingly playing a game of chess using the multiverse itself as a board. What will he be up to? We'll find out soon enough.

All characters will be free to play

Ever since Marvel Rivals was announced as a free-to-play game, multiple questions surrounding its monetization model have arisen in players' minds. While some speculated that perhaps certain heroes would be blocked behind a paywall, that will fortunately not be the case. NetEase has officially confirmed all playable characters will be free to play at launch and beyond.

The current roster includes 25 different characters from the Marvel universe including the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Groot, Venom, and more. That list will only grow after the game's release, so it's nice to hear our wallets won't suffer when attempting to try out every single hero and villain available in Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals is launching on December 6

For a time, there were rumors that Marvel Rivals wouldn't aim for a release date this year. But behold, true believers, as NetEase has set all doubts aside by revealing their latest title will hit shelves earlier than expected. Mark your calendars, as December 6 will be the day players worldwide will finally get to experience Marvel Rivals for themselves. The game will be released simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.

Which character are you playing as in Marvel Rivals? Will you swing across the maps as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? Let us know on our social media pages! And stick around Whatever A Spider Can for everything Spider-Man related.