Marvel Rivals hits 10 million players in 72 hours, tying Apex Legends

NetEase's big new superhero live game breaks a huge milestone with double-digit million players in just a few days' time.

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It's official: Marvel Rivals is a mega-hit, and during the critical holiday spending period no less. The multiplayer free-to-play team-based shooter is essentially Marvel's answer to Overwatch, complete with unique hero synergies, iconic designs across 33 free player characters, and an ever-changing narrative centered around Marvel's wide-spanning multiverse. The game's popularity has sent social media buzzing and everyone seems to be talking about Rivals--the need for healers and Jeff the Shark, in particular.

Thanks to the colossal pull of Marvel's heroic franchises and the surprisingly layered gameplay mechanics, Rivals has attracted 10 million players across consoles and PC in just 72 hours since launch.

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In just 72 hours, we've reached an incredible milestone of 10 million players worldwide! 🎉

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. 🫶

Let's ignite the battle together!

For comparison's sake, our (admittedly limited) F2P release data shows that Rivals actually tied with Apex Legends' initial success records, with Respawn's battle royale hitting a similar 10 million players in 3 days.

• Call of Duty Warzone - 15 million players, 3 days
• Apex Legends - 10 million players, 3 days
• Marvel Rivals - 10 million players, 3 days
• Fortnite - 10 million players, 14 days

This is just the beginning for Marvel Rivals. The game launched into season 0 Doom's Rise, which is centered around Dr. Doom, and Season 1 is set to launch in early 2025. Both NetEase and Marvel are committed to Rivals with a long-term content strategy roadmap that's all driven by cosmetic-only monetization.