Marvel Rivals is back with a bang for Season 3: The Abyss Awakens, and this one’s packing some serious heat. NetEase and Marvel Games have dropped the details, and we’ve got a new mode, a brand-new map, fresh events, and even some matchmaking tweaks to make sure your random teammates are at least slightly less painful. Let’s dive in.
Resource Rumble: Control Points, but Make It Marvel
Launching August 21, the new mode Resource Rumble throws players into a three-point scramble where you’ll be capping zones, farming resources, and brawling until one team hits the score cap. Think King of the Hill, but with more spandex and superpowers. Expect chaos, clutch moments, and plenty of salty team chat.
Welcome to Klyntar: Throne of Knull
The new map takes us underground into the gooey heart of symbiote territory. The Venom Spire cuts right through the planet’s core, and sitting on his throne is big bad Knull himself—though he’s apparently stuck there thanks to some leftover Phoenix Force drama. Translation: it’s dark, it’s creepy, and you’ll probably get lost at least once before finding the action.
Ancient Powers Awaken Event
Also dropping August 21, this event gives you EXP just for playing matches, letting you level up and score rewards. The headline prize? A free Doctor Strange: Old Man Strange costume—because nothing says “cosmic battle royale” like a grumpy wizard in retirement robes.
Matchmaking and Ranking Overhaul
The dev team knows matchmaking has been… let’s say interesting. They’re rolling out a video on August 21 explaining how the system actually works and what’s being tweaked. Fingers crossed for fewer stomp matches and less of that “why am I Gold with three Bronze players?” energy.
Social Upgrades via Discord
Marvel Rivals now plays nice with Discord’s Social SDK, meaning cross-platform chat, unified friends lists, and Rich Presence are in the mix. Basically, it’s easier to squad up—or stalk your friends when they pretend they’re offline.
Patch Notes and Hero Balances
Of course, no new season is complete without balance changes and patch notes. Expect buffs, nerfs, and at least one hero getting completely reworked because the community can’t stop finding ways to break them.