NetEase Games revamped Marvel Rivals' hero balance in January, kicking off Season 1 with significant buffs to underplayed characters like Storm and Black Widow. These changes have dramatically impacted gameplay.
Storm's popularity and effectiveness soared following the update. Rivals Meta now ranks her as the top hero by win rate, a massive leap from her previous obscurity. In competitive play, her win rate surpasses 56%, and her pick rate has climbed to 16%, a stunning turnaround from near-zero prior to the patch. She now outperforms established favorites like Adam Warlock, Jeff, Spider-Man, Hela, Hulk, Magik, and Iron Man.
While Storm's rise is remarkable, Cloak and Dagger remain the most popular duo, albeit with a win rate dipping below 49%. Black Widow, however, continues to struggle, remaining the least picked and least successful character.
Marvel Rivals' player base is thriving, with hundreds of thousands actively engaging in competitive play. The Grandmaster title, achieved by only 0.1% of players, represents an elite accomplishment, even with the existence of the Celestial rank.
One player achieved an extraordinary feat during Season 1: reaching Grandmaster rank without suffering a single point of damage across 108 matches! This player, utilizing Rocket Raccoon, focused solely on healing teammates, restoring over 2.9 million health points and accumulating nearly 3,500 assists without a single knockout.
