Marvel Rivals, a third-person hero shooter featuring characters from the comics and done in a style similar toOverwatch, officially launched in January 2024, and it could lead to brand-new comic readership. The first season ofMarvel Rivals, titled Eternal Night Falls, also includes new maps, skins, missions, and an arcade game mode, all wrapped up in a vampire-themed package.
WhileDracula vs. The Fantastic Four may seem like an odd mashupat first, Marvel Comics is no stranger to vampires. In fact, Marvel Comics' 2024 summer event,Blood Hunt, was a vampire-themed line-wide crossover. The launch ofMarvel RivalsSeason 1 and theBlood Huntevent are spaced apart, but if things were timed differently,overlapping the first season with the launch of the event could have directed some of the gamers toward the comics, potentially making a new generation of comic fans.
While the timing didn’t work out for Season 1 ofMarvel RivalsandBlood Hunt,there is still hope for something akin to this combination down the line as the game continues to dominate online.
Marvel RivalsSeason 1 Could Have Tied Perfectly toBlood Hunt
Marvel RivalsCould Point New Readers to Similar Comics
MarveladvertisedBlood Huntas the bloodiest event in its history, andBlood Hunteven redefined the comicsafter it wrapped up. Thevampires of the Marvel universe made a devastating moveon humanity after the skies grew dark, prompting the Avengers and more to take on the children of the night while trying to stay alive and avoid being turned themselves.
Marvel Rivals Developer Interview Discusses Major Long-Term Feature Fans Can Get Excited About
NetEase has announced some big news for Marvel Rivals fans, as they state that they will be introducing a new hero every month and a half.
Starting in May 2024, the event continued throughout the summer, and it was collected over the course of the fall in new collected editions. This event series took place prior to the launch ofMarvel Rivalsand well before the first official season of the game. However,the thematic similarities are undeniable. As seen in the trailer for Season 1 ofMarvel Rivals, an eternal darkness has fallen over the world, like inBlood Hunt, which leads to Dracula and his vampires facing off with the heroes.
TheBlood Huntcomics do not need to informMarvel Rivals, and the game does not need to impact the comic continuity. However, given the thematic similarities,it is a missed opportunity not to aim for some cross promotion betweenMarvel Rivalsand Marvel Comics. Especially for gamers who haven’t read the comics, cross-promotion could have pointed them in the direction of comics that are similar to this season ofRivals, likeBlood Hunt. Plus, Marvel has found ways to connect its books to video games before, so the publisher can do it again.
Marvel Has Crossed Over With Video Games LikeFortniteBefore
There’s a Precedence for Connecting the Comics and Games
Marvel has previously crossed over with video games featuring its characters. For instance, the Gamerverse featured comics inspired by Insomniac’sSpider-ManandThe Avengersvideo games from the late 2010s and early 2020s. Spin-off comics based on other media, like video games or shows, are not uncommon for Marvel, butthese stories often exist outside the main continuity, as is the case forYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, a comic based on the cartoon, which will explore Peter Parker’s newest origin story outside the main comic continuity.
Marvel Rivals pulls inspiration from the main line of Marvel Comics.
Since Marvel Rivals pulls inspiration from the main line of Marvel Comics, there is another way to connect the games to the comics without making comics based off of the game. As seen withFortnite x Marvel: Zero War,Marvel Comics can incorporate QR codes into their books that give readers exclusive benefits, like skins, in games. After all,Marvel Rivalsis delivering plenty of new costumes with Season 1, so it would not be unprecedented for there to be skins one could access through the purchase of comics, as opposed to in-game purchases.
IfBlood Hunthas been timed with the release ofMarvel RivalsSeason 1, for instance, those books could have included QR codes for game exclusives. Along with giving current comic readers an exclusive for reading the books,these codes could incentivize gamers to check out the books that these games are based on. Similarly, the games could feature QR codes to direct gamers to Marvel Unlimited and specifically the books that inspire the seasons and characters.
Marvel RivalsSparks Interest In New and Old Comic Readers
Marvel Comics Has a Potential New Audience It Should Not Ignore
There is no denying thatMarvel Rivalsisone of the hottest games of the winter.Marvel Rivalseven had one of the highest concurrent player counts, outdoing games likeGTA 5. There are plenty of videos, memes, and reactions to the game and its characters across social media. This popularity can even be seen in local comic shops, as the demand for theMarvel Rivalsvariant covers is through the roof. On eBay, these covers, which should go for $3.99-$4.99, are being upsold at prices as high as $50.00.
There isan undeniable interest inMarvel Rivals, so for Marvel Comics not to attempt to use this hype as a means to boost interest in the comics themselves is a missed opportunity. While Marvel Comics and Marvel Games are separate entities, if the two could work together to have a little more synergy, they could better time comic events, likeBlood Hunt, with the seasons ofRivals.
Marvel Rivals: Please Stop Using Competitive Matches For Missions And Achievements
You should treat competitive mode seriously in Marvel Rivals. Entering a match just for currency rewards wastes everyone’s time, including your own.
For those who like the game, they would know that there are comics similar to the seasonal event they could check out, hopefully getting them interested in other comics afterward. At the very least, Marvel Comics and Marvel Games should find a way to point gamers in the direction of the comics that already exist and have informed the belovedMarvel Rivals.
