Fans of the highly popular game Marvel Rivals are in for a treat as the much-anticipated Season 3, titled The Abyss Awakens, is on the horizon, set to officially launch on July 11, 2025. This update marks a significant shift in the game, introducing a faster-paced rollout of new content, with a fresh season being released every two months. This change aims to keep the gameplay dynamic and exciting for players, ensuring that the experience evolves continuously.

The storyline of Season 3 picks up right where the last season concluded. After the perilous journey to Klyntar, players soon realize that instead of quelling the threats, it has instead awakened them. The formidable Knull, known as the god of the symbiotes, has broken free from his prison, bringing chaos alongside him, aided by the menacing Hela, the Queen in Black.

One of the most exciting aspects of this update is the introduction of new heroes. Phoenix, also known as Jean Grey, joins the fray with her unique and powerful ranged abilities, complete with an impressive ultimate move. Additionally, Blade is confirmed to make his appearance later in the season, specifically in Season 3.5. The update will also feature a brand-new battle pass packed with gameplay changes and hero customization options, as well as numerous balance updates to ensure competitive integrity.

As part of our coverage, we will delve into the early patch notes preview derived from the official Dev Diary video, Dev Vision Vol. 07, released by NetEase, unveiling the extensive changes players can expect in this new season.

Major Hero Balance Changes in Marvel Rivals Season 3

The developers are focusing intently on balancing the game's meta for Season 3. In a bold move, several heroes will undergo tuning adjustments; some will be nerfed, while others will receive buffs, and a few will gain entirely new mechanics to enhance gameplay diversity.

The aim of these adjustments is to promote more flexible team compositions, ensuring that no single strategy becomes overly dominant and that players can explore a variety of tactics. Here are the key balance updates for Season 3:

  • The Thing: Gains a new ability called Battle Blitz, allowing him to leap directly to an enemy and execute a Storm Haymaker mid-air, effectively knocking airborne heroes out of the sky with precise timing.
  • Mantis: Her healing capabilities and ultimate utility have been increased, making her a more formidable support option.
  • Invisible Woman: Increases in healing efficiency to enhance her survivability.
  • Namor: Buffs to his primary attack and ultimate, boosting his overall damage output.
  • Scarlet Witch: Receives a slight buff to her ultimate ability, further enhancing her magical prowess.
  • Venom: Also gets buffs aimed at improving his viability in various team compositions.
  • Emma Frost: Will see a reduction in her effectiveness, especially in her Diamond Form, to keep her in check.
  • The Punisher: His Culling Target ultimate charges too quickly after previous buffs, leading to a minor nerf.
  • Iron Man: This iconic hero is also facing a slight nerf to balance his strengths.
  • Mr. Fantastic: His survivability in his inflated state will be reduced.
  • Loki: The charge rate for his ultimate is being slowed down.
  • Ultron: Experiences a slight nerf to his survivability as he has been dominating in the current meta.
  • Garden Revival Team-Up (Adam Warlock + Mantis): The effectiveness of this combo will be slightly reduced to provide other team compositions with more opportunities.

New Team-Up Abilities and Retired Ones

Team-ups are a fundamental aspect of Marvel Rivals, and the developers are expanding this system further in Season 3. A total of four new team-ups will debut while two older ones will be retired. These new combinations will be associated with current and upcoming heroes, introducing new status effects like burn chasers and team-based synergies. Here’s what to expect:

  • Phoenix + Wolverine – Primal Flame: Phoenix empowers Wolverine’s Feral Leap through the Phoenix Force, adding a burn effect to nearby enemies over time and granting life steal on all of Wolverine’s attacks.
  • Human Torch + Spider-Man – Ever-Burning Bond: Human Torch equips Spider-Man with a gadget that allows him to shoot flaming webs, applying a burn effect that stacks with Spider-Man's classic abilities.
  • Hela: Now features a Soul Drain effect, binding enemies together and slowing them while pulling them toward the impact point.
  • Squirrel Girl: Now joins Stark Protocol, where Iron Man outfits her with a nanotech gauntlet that enables her to send a rocket-powered squirrel that homes in and explodes on enemies.

With the launch of Season 3, the following Team-Ups will be removed from the game:

  • Stormy Ignition
  • ESU Alumnus

New Cosmetics & Hero Customization Options

Customization is receiving a significant upgrade this season. Players can look forward to a plethora of new options that will allow for greater visual personalization of their heroes. Here are the highlights:

  • Battle Pass: Now includes 10 costumes and offers more Chrono Tokens to facilitate faster unlocking of rewards.
  • Accessories: A brand new feature allowing players to earn Accessory Points by engaging in Quick Match and Competitive matches, which can then be exchanged for fun visual items for characters like Winter Soldier, Psylocke, and more.
  • Chroma Color Variants: More skins will support multiple color palettes, adding to the visual diversity of the game.
  • Ultimate VFX: Some skins will unlock special visual effects visible only to the player, which can be purchased using Unstable Molecules earned through events and the battle pass.
  • MVP Animation Customization: Players can mix and match MVP animations with any costume for the same hero.
  • Team Backgrounds: The backgrounds will now change based on the selected costume, adding an extra layer of personalization.

Marvel Rivals Season 3: UI Changes, Quality of Life Updates & More

A slew of smaller but significant changes are also on the way, focusing on improving the user interface and overall player experience. Here’s what players can expect:

  • Mission System Rework: Weekly missions will no longer expire weekly, allowing for catch-up play. New Season Missions will also be introduced, offering substantial token rewards.
  • New Event Tab: Added to the main menu to simplify tracking of live events.
  • Cinematics Page: Players will be able to watch cutscenes from all maps at their convenience.
  • Post-Match Screen Overhaul: Battle Pass, event, and mission progress will be displayed right after matches conclude, streamlining the feedback process.
  • Replay Notice: Season 2 replays will not be compatible with the new client, so players should save important replays before July 11.
  • Discord Integration: Full support for Discord SDK to chat with friends in-game or when using the Discord app.
  • Student Program: Verified university students in regions like the US and UK will gain access to 10 free costumes plus MVPs after email verification, with plans to expand this support to more regions soon.
  • NVIDIA GPU Crash Fix: Players are advised to update their drivers to version 576.80 or above to prevent crashes.

In conclusion, Season 3 promises to deliver a wealth of content and improvements to Marvel Rivals, making it one of the most substantial updates in the game’s history. With new heroes, extensive balance changes, and a plethora of customization options, the community is buzzing with excitement. What are your thoughts on the upcoming changes? Are you eager to unleash Phoenix's power? Do you think the balance adjustments strike the right chord? We invite you to share your opinions in the comments below!