Marvel Rivals’ First Zombies Mode Channels CoD Energy — But Will It Stick?

CoD Zombies Energy Comes to Marvel Rivals – And Yes, I’m Here for It

Call of Duty’s Zombies was a staple of my teenage weekends-hold a room, board up windows, clutch moments, then the glorious wipe and “one more run.” When NetEase said Marvel Rivals is getting its first-ever PvE Zombies mode to line up with the animated Marvel Zombies show, my ears perked up. A competitive hero brawler stepping into co-op horde territory is exactly the kind of palette cleanser a live-service needs-if it’s more than a seasonal novelty.

• Four-player PvE horde mode arrives October 23 with bosses like Namor and the Queen of the Dead.
• Playable heroes include Thor, Blade, Magik, Jeff, and The Punisher—each with bespoke, overpowered PvE tweaks.
• New voice lines and a “turned-to-11” skill kit hint at a mode built for spectacle over balance.
• The big question: is this a limited-time promo, or the start of a real PvE pillar with progression and replayability?

Breaking Down the Announcement

NetEase is folding in a classic horde formula with a Marvel twist. Up to four players face thousands of undead, culminating in boss encounters with Namor and a “Queen of the Dead” figure that sure sounds like it draws from Marvel’s deep necromancy bench. The roster choice is smart: Thor, Blade, Magik, Jeff, and The Punisher hit different fantasy beats—god-tier blaster, melee vamp-slayer, teleporting demon queen, chaotic mascot bruiser, and gun-fu antihero.

The devs aren’t shy about power creep here, and that’s a good thing for PvE. Thor apparently stays in his Awakened state, Magik gets unlimited Darkchild, Blade throws bouncing moon blades that turn the horde into confetti, and Jeff has a charge that screams “ram through the pack, giggle, repeat.” These would be busted in PvP, but in Zombies they make every ability pop. NetEase also confirmed mode-specific voice lines—small detail, big immersion points.

Launch is set for Thursday, October 23. The pitch is clear: jump in with three friends, mow down the undead, and relive that dopamine hit of a clean wave clear. The snippet shown looks intense from the opening seconds, which signals they’re going for a tight, replayable loop rather than a slow build.

Why This Matters Now

Live-service PvP games need off-ramps—modes that let you play with your main without being held hostage by the meta. Overwatch kept people around with Junkenstein’s Revenge, Fortnite rotates Horde Rush for exactly this reason, and CoD Zombies evolved into its own ecosystem. If Marvel Rivals wants to sustain beyond its competitive spikes, nailing a PvE mode that’s more than a marketing beat is crucial.

Timing it with the Marvel Zombies show is smart synergy, but the value to players depends on three things: replayability, rewards, and support. Is this a one-and-done seasonal event, or the start of a PvE foundation NetEase can build on? If it’s the latter, expect future hero variants, raid-lite boss rotations, and maybe even story nodes. If it’s the former, it’ll be a fun weekend and a forgotten tile on the mode select screen by November.

The Real Questions Players Should Ask

• Progression and Rewards: Are there Zombies-specific cosmetics, titles, or hero unlock paths, or is this pure vibes? A good horde mode respects your time with persistent rewards.
• Difficulty and Scaling: Does it support variable difficulty, modifiers, and leaderboards, or is it one flat curve? CoD Zombies thrives on push-your-luck scaling and buildcraft.
• Map and Objective Variety: Pure survival is fine, but objectives (escort, hold, resource runs) carry replayability. Boss mechanics should be more than sponge HP bars.
• Match Length: The sweet spot is 20-30 minutes. Anything longer becomes a time tax; shorter risks feeling throwaway.
• Team Comp Flex: Can any four heroes succeed, or are you forced into one “correct” setup? PvE should reward creativity.
• Monetization Boundaries: Please, no power-locked PvE consumables. Sell skins tied to the event, sure. Keep the gameplay even.

NetEase has a reputation for live-service cadence—the studio can crank out events. The challenge is depth. Overwatch promised PvE and then backpedaled, leaving a trust gap across the genre. If Rivals lands this, it not only juices player retention; it proves the game can support co-op content without sacrificing PvP focus.

Hands-On Hopes (and Red Flags) Going Into October 23

This caught my attention because the hero kit tweaks look designed for crowd-control fantasy rather than just bullet sponges. Thor permanently Awakened screams screen-clearing ult windows. Blade ricochets could turn narrow alleys into pinball alleys. If Magik’s unlimited Darkchild keeps her mobile and lethal without cooldown jail, we might actually see horde flow that rewards aggressive play instead of corner camping.

Red flags? If the mode is limited-time with FOMO rewards, the community will rush it and bounce. If voice line variety is thin, the Marvel sheen will wear off quick. And if the bosses can’t pressure players beyond “dodge the big circle,” expect the horde to carry the excitement while the finales flop.

TL;DR

Marvel Rivals’ Zombies mode looks like a slick, arcade-grade break from tryhard PvP, with powered-up heroes and Marvel-flavored boss fights launching October 23. If NetEase backs it with progression, difficulty options, and ongoing support, this could be more than a seasonal stunt—it could be the co-op spine Rivals has been missing.