The highly anticipated Marvel Rivals Season 2 update is set to release on April 11, 2025, and it brings an array of new content and gameplay enhancements. The update, which carries the Version 20250411 tag, introduces Emma Frost as the latest playable character, adding a new dimension to the hero roster. The patch notes provide a comprehensive look at the significant changes arriving with this update, as well as some technical features aimed at improving player experience across platforms.

About Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals is a 2024 third-person hero shooter video game developed and published by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games. The game was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on December 6, 2024. 

Marvel Rivals Logo 

Introduction of Emma Frost and New Costumes

Emma Frost, the formidable X-Men character, will make her debut in Marvel Rivals Season 2. Players will have access to her new costumes, including the X-Revolution and Blue Sapphire skins. In addition to the new hero, a new Domination map, Krakoa, will be added to the game, taking players to the iconic island of the X-Men. As the competitive scene continues to evolve, Krakoa will join the ranked pool, while other maps, such as Yggsgard: Royal Palace and Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya, will be retired from the rotation.

A fresh season of the battle pass is also being introduced, featuring ten new sets of heroic costumes. Players can also participate in the new Cerebro Database event, which will allow them to earn the free Mantis - Flora Maiden costume. Additionally, there are exclusive seasonal rewards, including the Scarlet Witch - Chaos Gown costume, which can be obtained by completing a set number of matches.

Marvel Rivals Introduces Emma Frost Ahead of S2

Ranked Play and Tournament Updates

Season 2 will reset the ranks for Competitive players, with a nine-division demotion based on the player's final rank in Season 1.5. For example, a Diamond I player will begin their Season 2 journey at Silver I. The update also brings new rewards, including the Gold-level costume for Emma Frost - Golden Diamond. Furthermore, there are new rank rewards for top-tier players, such as the Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and Top 500 Crests of Honor.

Marvel Rivals' competitive landscape is also undergoing changes with the introduction of a revised pick/ban system. Starting from Gold III, players will experience the new mechanic that was previously limited to Diamond tier and above. In addition, a significant change has been made to how Competitive scores are earned, with individual performance now having a greater impact on the points players earn, making it more important than ever to perform well in matches.

The second season of the Marvel Rivals Championship is also upon us, with enhanced regional tournament classifications. North America, Europe, and Asia have been reorganized into more precise regions, such as the Americas (AMERICAS), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and the Pacific (PACIFIC). This change aims to create a better experience for competitive players by ensuring better server distribution and tournament compatibility across different regions.

Marvel Rivals Season 2 Coming April 11th

Gameplay and Balance Adjustments

Marvel Rivals Season 2 also brings numerous gameplay adjustments, particularly to the hero balance. Captain America will undergo some changes to his survivability, with a slight decrease in his base health and shield value. On the other hand, Hulk will benefit from increased movement speed and improved survivability when entering combat. Doctor Strange will see a reduction in his offensive capabilities, specifically a decrease in damage output from his Daggers of Denak and a reduction in the conversion ratio of Dark Magic to damage.

A number of heroes are being adjusted for improved performance. For example, Peni Parker will see a boost to her survivability, with an increase in base health and improvements to her Cyber-Web Cluster's efficiency. Meanwhile, Iron Fist will experience enhancements to his combat effectiveness against Vanguards, alongside improved mobility and slightly reduced survivability when first entering battle.

Other notable changes include adjustments to Thor, who will see improvements to his survivability with increased health and movement speed, and Scarlet Witch, whose threat level against Strategists and Duelists has been enhanced while her survivability has been reduced. The developers have also made several adjustments to other heroes such as Winter Soldier, Wolverine, and Iron Man to further balance the gameplay.

Marvel Rivals Adam Warlock Character

Technical Changes and Platform-Specific Updates

PC players will have access to an experimental feature called the Switch Shader Compilation Mode, which is designed to reduce in-game stuttering and memory usage. This feature compiles shaders only when launching the game for the first time after an update, which should improve performance, particularly on systems with less RAM. However, players are warned that this feature may cause issues depending on the power of their PC.

Console players, including those on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S, will notice several improvements to sensitivity settings, such as the addition of vertical deadzone sensitivity and trigger deadzone settings. These changes are designed to give players more control over their gameplay experience, allowing them to tailor sensitivity and acceleration settings to their liking.

Additionally, several general optimizations are being made across all platforms. Issues related to notifications, text errors, and certain map-related glitches will be addressed, improving the overall experience for players. Hero-specific issues, such as the Captain America shield bounce not reflecting projectiles properly, will also be fixed, ensuring smoother and more reliable gameplay.

More Marvel Rivals News

Final Thoughts

Marvel Rivals Season 2 is poised to bring a wealth of new content, balance adjustments, and gameplay enhancements to the game when it launches on April 11, 2025. With the addition of Emma Frost as a playable character, new costumes, maps, and a host of other updates, players can look forward to an even more dynamic and engaging experience. As NetEase continues to refine the game and introduce new features, players can expect frequent content drops and further improvements throughout the season.