Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 will add Human Torch and The Thing later this month as NetEase walks back its plans for a mid-season rank reset

• Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 has a release date and will add Human Torch and The Thing
• NetEase Games has reversed its decision to implement a rank reset mid-season
• The U-turn comes after "a wealth of feedback from the community"

NetEase Games has announced Marvel Rivals Season 1.5 will be released on February 21, 2025.

The studio shared the news via the latest Dev Talk blog post, where it also confirmed that the remaining members of The Fantastic Four, Human Torch and The Thing, will be added to the roster in the mid-season update, joining Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman who were added in the first half of Season 1.

No details were shared about the heroes' abilities in this post, but we do know that "some major balance adjustments" will also be introduced, which are "expected to shake up the battlefield during the second half of Season 1."

The post also announced that competitive ranks will be reset with this update, however, following player feedback online, NetEase has now walked back this decision.

"After the release of Dev Talk 10 regarding the seasonal rank adjustment, we received a wealth of feedback from the community," NetEase said.

"A common concern was the pressure associated with having a rank reset every half-season, which has made participating in competitive mode less enjoyable. In light of the community's input, we have decided to make some changes to optimize the rank system."

Instead of a rank reset, players will retain their ranks and scores from the end of the first half of Season 1. To earn new rewards, players will need to complete 10 matches in Competitive mode and meet the relevant conditions by the end of the season.

In addition, when the first half of Season 1 ends, players at Gold rank will receive costume rewards, along with new Crests of Honor, which will recognize players at Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All (the top 500), each with its own unique design to showcase the players' skill level.

"We strive to make Marvel Rivals the best game it can be, and the community is the driving force behind this mission," NetEase said, adding that more details about Season 1.5 will arrive soon.

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