July 31 Is A Massive Day For MCU Fans In More Ways Than One

2026 is as thrilling a year for Marvel Rivals as it is for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and both are fortunate to have the hype they do at the moment, considering how swiftly and abruptly that success can seesaw. Blatant MCU synergy thankfully isn’t Marvel Rivals’ lone emphasis in seasonal content (it’s rather rare, considering how many other cosmetics are peppered into the game on a monthly basis), though it’s certainly a special ingredient that it can lean on whenever it needs another easy win with players.

For example, Marvel Rivals is hyping fans up for Avengers: Doomsday by debuting new “Path to Doomsday” events, such as the Avengers: Age of Ultron-inspired PvE mode revealed in Marvel Rivals’ Season 9.0 roadmap. Likewise, MCU fans are going to have a lot more to celebrate at the end of the month with the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

On July 31, Marvel Rivals is releasing skins for Spider-Man and Hulk that are inspired by their appearances in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which comes out on the same day. As revealed on Twitter/X in the Season 9.0 roadmap. Spider-Man’s costume adapts the stunningly comic-accurate and realistically depicted suit from the movie, while Hulk’s interestingly shows a side of the character we’ve yet to get a decent look at in Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s trailers and TV spots: Smart Hulk.

Ironically, Dr. Bruce Banner first transforming into Smart Hulk before later transforming into a more monstrous, rage-fueled Hulk would parallel Hulk’s evolutions in Marvel Rivals’ gameplay. Likewise, this’ll be one of Spider-Man’s first classic skins in-game, besides the heavily pixelated Marvel Cosmic Invasion-inspired skin.

But that’s not all. On the same day, Marvel Rivals skins for Winter Soldier and Scarlet Witch that are inspired by their appearances in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron, respectively, will also be available to purchase/unlock. These are two skins that fans have been waiting since Marvel Rivals’ launch for—Winter Soldier, especially.

The whole lot of these skins, along with an MCU-themed PvE mode, are sure to please fans of the MCU. The fact that they’re all being released on the same day, then, guarantees that the release of Avengers: Doomsday on December 18 will be an even more spectacular occasion.

If it’s anything like its trailers have portrayed it to be, Spider-Man: Brand New Day could easily be the least MCU-indulgent Spider-Man movie of Tom Holland’s to date. It appears to be detached from the MCU and more in service of the Marvel Comics source material, and the movie being a hit would make for a wonderful celebration in Marvel Rivals thereafter.

Systems

Released

December 6, 2024

ESRB

T For Teen // Violence

Engine

Unreal Engine 5