Game intel
Marvel Rivals
In the wake of the Timestream Entanglement, Knull stirs deep within Klyntar’s core, stretching his shadowed hands across the cosmos. Power promised by the dark…
Every new season in a live-service shooter is supposed to bring surprises, but Marvel Rivals’ Season 3: The Abyss Awaken has my attention for a different reason: they’re finally taking matchmaking and ranking seriously. For anyone who’s played even a handful of matches, it’s no secret that Marvel Rivals has struggled to balance hero power and give you fair fights, especially if you’re not running pre-mades 24/7. So while the flashy new Resource Rumble mode and Klyntar: Throne of Knull map are headline grabbers, the real potential game-changer here is under the hood.
Let’s be honest, Marvel Rivals’ queue system has needed help from day one. From mismatched teams to wild skill disparities-yes, you can sometimes stomp or get stomped purely due to matchmaking failings, not your own play. The team’s announcement promises a behind-the-scenes video explaining how matchmaking and rankings will be improved. I’m cautiously optimistic, since talk is cheap in online shooters, but this is the first time they’ve signaled a real audit of what’s gone wrong. Maybe, just maybe, Season 3 won’t feel like an RNG fiesta for non-premade solo players.
The move aligns with what we’ve seen from modern shooters-look at how Overwatch 2 and Apex have repeatedly tweaked match balance in the face of player complaints. If NetEase actually delivers a smarter matchmaking algorithm and more granular ranking, this could be the update that turns Marvel Rivals from a fun Marvel-themed distraction into something rivals can take seriously. The fact that they’re producing a dedicated matchmaking explainer video means they’re aware this has become a sore spot for the community. Let’s see if they’re willing to be as transparent about their fixes as they claim.
I’ll give NetEase this: Resource Rumble is an actual attempt at shaking up the competitive shooter formula. Instead of another generic capture or payload mode, you’re racing to unlock random resource points, juggle area control, and hit a target resource score before your opponents. This randomness is either going to add a Overwatch Push-mode kind of dynamic, or just become another chaotic spin where snowballing makes comebacks nearly impossible. With Marvel’s cast of flashy heroes, the mode could devolve into ability spam—unless balancing keeps area denial and brawling powers in check. For now, it’s at least something fresh, and that’s more than a lot of hero shooters can claim for their third season.
For Marvel diehards, the new Klyntar: Throne of Knull is a treat. A map theme straight out of Venom’s mythos—and with recent symbiote storylines in the comics, it feels timely. The lore dump about Phoenix and Knull battling it out is pure fan service, but… I’m here for it. At least it’s not another generic city block or warehouse. These environmental twists can make or break a map’s long-term appeal, and if NetEase nails the verticality and “Venom Spire” transitions, we could be looking at the best map since the core launch.
The Ancient Powers Awaken event drops a new Doctor Strange “Old Man Strange” skin, which they describe as “free.” That’s a great hook, but I’ve been burned by “free” in enough F2P games to know you’ll be grinding out matches for hours to actually unlock it. I’ll give them credit, though—choosing a beloved hero like Doctor Strange feels like a solid rewards move, not just a reskin for a C-tier villain.
I’ve seen a lot of live-service shooters promise the world with every season patch. Some end up with real improvements, others are little more than high-gloss distractions. Marvel Rivals Season 3 will really stand or fall on whether the matchmaking actually changes, not just whether there are new ways to play or grind skins. Resource Rumble could become a staple if it avoids the usual pitfalls of shooter side-modes. The Klyntar map shows NetEase is digging deeper into Marvel lore, which bodes well for dedicated fans.
But ultimately, it doesn’t matter how many new costumes, maps, or Discord integrations they add if every match feels like a coin flip determined by the algorithm. If NetEase follows through on their promises, this could mark the moment Marvel Rivals finally gets its house in order and starts actually respecting player time—and skill. Gamers deserve more than endless hero spam; they deserve a real shot at fair play.
Marvel Rivals’ Season 3 packs cool content—Resource Rumble mode, Klyntar map, Old Man Strange skin—but the only thing that matters is if the overdue matchmaking fixes finally deliver the fair, competitive matches players have been begging for.
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