Marvel Rivals Season 2.5: The Rise of Ultron and Exciting New Features

Get ready, Marvel Rivals fans! Season 2.5 is just around the corner, and it's bringing the formidable Ultron into the fray along with a slew of new features. Let's dive into what you can expect from this thrilling update.

Marvel Rivals Season 2.5 Updates

The Rise of Ultron

NetEase Games has announced that Ultron will be joining the roster of playable heroes in Marvel Rivals on May 30, following the Season 2.5 maintenance update. This exciting addition was revealed via a Twitter (X) post on May 23. As detailed in Marvel Rivals’ Dev Vision Vol. 06, Ultron is classified as a Strategist, capable of providing consistent healing to his allies. His unique primary weapon and ability to fly set him apart as the only Strategist with such versatility, opening up new strategic possibilities for aerial lineups.

Ultron's basic attacks offer a near-infinite range, delivering three low-damage bursts followed by a high-damage attack. His healing mechanism involves attaching a drone to his allies, which can also overheal the attached hero and nearby teammates. His Ultimate ability not only deals damage but also heals allies within its targeted area.

Alongside Ultron, Season 2.5 will introduce his X-Tron skin, inspired by his takeover of Cerebro, and a Norse Mythology-themed skin for Groot named Yggroot. These skins will be available post-maintenance, though pricing and bundle information has yet to be disclosed by NetEase.

Season 2.5 Coming on May 30

Mark your calendars for May 30, as Marvel Rivals Season 2.5 will go live after a 2-3 hour maintenance period starting at 2 AM PDT / 9 AM UTC. Here's the schedule in various time zones:

• PDT: 2 AM
• UTC: 9 AM
• Your Local Time: [ttpp]

This update brings a series of balance adjustments to several heroes. For instance, Captain America will have reduced health, while Doctor Strange will see a slight damage boost. Emma Frost's range will be increased, among other tweaks aimed at addressing the current "dive meta" where aggressive heroes like Iron Fist and Psylocke dominate by quickly closing distances and targeting key enemy roles such as Strategists and Duelists.

Season 2.5 also introduces the new Arrako map, the sister-island of Krakoa. Following Ultron’s attack during the Hellfire Gala, the heroes must regroup and ally with the living island of Krakoa to reclaim Arrako from Ultron’s stronghold.

Additionally, the Cerebro Database season event returns, offering players the chance to earn the free Hawkeye – Binary Arrow costume. The event runs from May 30 at 9:00 AM UTC to June 27, allowing players to complete various missions for rewards, similar to the previous iteration.

Team-Up Adjustments, New Experimental Mode, and More!

Season 2.5 will feature six new team-ups, remove four, and make various adjustments. Notable additions include Rocket Network by Rocket Raccoon and Peni Parker, Stark Protocol by Iron Man and Ultron, and the fan-favorite return of Jeff-Nado by Jeff and Storm. Creative Director Guangguang mentioned that over 50% of Team-Up abilities have been revised since Season 0, and he welcomes further community feedback.

A new limited-time experimental mode, "Ultron’s Battle Matrix Protocol," will debut on June 6. In this mode, six players can select their hero lineups, craft unique builds, and enhance their heroes’ traits, engaging in battles against other players for victory. Guangguang likened this mode to auto-chess games like Teamfight Tactics and Hearthstone Battlegrounds, describing it as "streamlined, strategic, numerical-based solo tactical play."

NetEase also announced that starting from Season 3, the duration of seasons will be shortened from three months to two, as previously mentioned in Dev. Vision Vol. 05 on April 4. This change will also see new hero releases every month, rather than the original plan of two heroes per season.

With the introduction of Ultron and a host of new features, Marvel Rivals continues to evolve and expand its gameplay. NetEase aims to keep the community engaged with these exciting updates and the new experimental mode.

Marvel Rivals is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates and detailed information by checking out our related articles below!