Zombies Shake Up the Hero Shooter Scene
Marvel Rivals, NetEase's free-to-play hero shooter, launched on December 6, 2024, with a focus on fast-paced 6v6 battles, and drew inevitable comparisons to Overwatch. On October 23, 2025, the game takes a bold turn with Marvel Zombies, its first cooperative PvE mode. Four players team up to face waves of AI-controlled zombie versions of Marvel heroes, complete with two epic boss fights, including one against Zombie Namor. This shift broadens the game's appeal, offering a break from competitive stress while tapping into Marvel's knack for gripping storytelling.
The mode arrives just in time for Halloween, aligning with the recent Disney Plus Marvel Zombies series, a gritty TV-MA spin-off from the What If animated universe. By blending cooperative gameplay with a familiar narrative, NetEase aims to pull in both dedicated players and Marvel fans who might not vibe with PvP intensity. With only five playable heroes, each sporting souped-up abilities like Blade's ricocheting Moon Blades or Thor's electrified area attacks, the mode delivers a power fantasy that PvP balance can't match.
Why PvE Matters for Player Retention
Marvel Rivals has faced retention hurdles since its peak of 644,000 concurrent Steam players in January 2025 dwindled to 132,100 by Season 4's launch in September. The Marvel Zombies mode feels like a calculated move to keep players engaged. Competitive PvP can be a grind, with matchmaking frustrations and toxic team chats driving some players away. A cooperative mode offers a low-pressure alternative, letting friends team up to mow down zombies without the sting of a ranked loss.
This isn't a new playbook. Overwatch's Junkenstein's Revenge, launched in 2016, proved PvE could spike engagement in a PvP-heavy game, becoming a beloved annual Halloween event. Similarly, Call of Duty's Zombies mode, starting with World at War in 2008, grew into a franchise juggernaut with dedicated fans and intricate storylines. Marvel Rivals' mode, while limited to five heroes, uses a similar hook: cooperative chaos with a Marvel twist. But unlike Overwatch 2's scrapped PvE campaign, which left fans bitter after overhyped promises, NetEase's focused, bite-sized approach feels achievable and less likely to overpromise.
Balancing Innovation With Familiarity
Creating a PvE mode isn't just about tossing zombies into the mix. NetEase leaned on its AI research, through labs like NetEase Fuxi, to craft enemy behaviors that challenge seasoned players while staying accessible to newcomers. The mode's five heroes, from Jeff the Land Shark's burrowing charges to Punisher's auto-turrets, get overhauled abilities that let players feel unstoppable. This freedom to experiment with wild mechanics, unburdened by PvP balance constraints, could shape future hero designs.
Still, the mode's limited roster raises questions about replayability. With only five characters compared to the game's 43-hero PvP lineup, players might exhaust combinations quickly. NetEase will need to expand the mode by adding new heroes, maps, or progression rewards to keep it fresh. Call of Duty's Zombies thrived by evolving with new maps and storylines, while Overwatch's Junkenstein leaned on annual tweaks to sustain interest. Marvel Rivals must strike a similar balance to avoid the mode feeling like a one-off gimmick.
Tying Games to Streaming Stories
The Marvel Zombies mode isn't just a gameplay pivot; it's a bridge to Marvel's broader universe. Launching after the Disney Plus series, the mode pulls narrative threads from the show, letting players fight zombified versions of familiar heroes. This cross-media tie-in, announced at Gamescom Asia 2025 by NetEase's Danny Koo and Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum, taps into a growing trend where games and streaming amplify each other. Marvel fans watching the series might jump into Rivals, while gamers get a richer story context.
This synergy isn't without risks. The Disney Plus series targets mature audiences with its TV-MA rating, while the game keeps things teen-friendly, creating a tonal split. Still, the collaboration shows how gaming can extend storytelling beyond the screen. If successful, NetEase could tie future PvE modes to Marvel's theatrical releases or streaming premieres, building a content pipeline that keeps players coming back.
What's Next for Marvel Rivals?
The Marvel Zombies mode is a test for NetEase's global ambitions. As China's second-largest gaming company, NetEase wants Marvel Rivals to stand out in a crowded hero shooter market, where Overwatch 2 and Valorant vie for attention. The mode's success will hinge on whether it pulls back lapsed players and draws in new ones, especially those lured by the Disney Plus series. Early metrics, like session length and return rates, will show if this cooperative experiment pays off.
Looking ahead, NetEase could expand PvE with new events tied to Marvel's cinematic slate or refine AI systems for deeper replayability. The hero shooter genre is brutal, as only games with unique hooks, like Marvel's iconic characters, survive. By blending cooperative gameplay, innovative mechanics, and storytelling, Marvel Rivals has a shot at carving its own space. For now, players can dive into the zombie chaos, wielding Thor's lightning or Magik's dark powers, and see if this mode sparks a revival for the game.