The Thing and Human Torch Set for February Release in Marvel Rivals

The highly anticipated addition to Marvel Rivals will see The Fantastic Four team fully rounded out when The Thing and Human Torch launch as playable characters on February 21, 2025. This exciting update comes alongside the release of the second half of Season 1, promising a wealth of new content and gameplay enhancements.

The announcement, made today, did not reveal the full details of the upcoming Season 1.5 update, but a Dev Talk blog post on the Marvel Rivals website hinted at "major balance adjustments." This suggests that players can expect significant changes to the game's dynamics and strategies.

As for The Thing and Human Torch, fans are eager to see how these iconic heroes will bring their unique abilities to the roster. Following the introduction of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman at the start of Season 1 last month, these new additions are expected to further evolve the game's meta. Reed Richards' elastic powers allowed for some goofy yet effective combat moves, while Sue Storm's invisibility added a new layer of strategy. With Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm set to join the fray, anticipation is high for how they will impact gameplay.

The upcoming Season 1 update will also feature a rank reset for Ranked players. On February 21, players will see their ranks drop by four divisions. For example, a Diamond I player on February 20 will find themselves at Platinum II the next day. NetEase has outlined that future full-season updates will result in a six-division drop, while half-season updates will see a four-division drop. The company plans to continue refining the Ranked system based on player feedback.

Despite the rank reset, there's good news for competitive players, especially those in the Gold rank, who can look forward to new costume rewards with the launch of Season 1's second half. Additionally, NetEase will introduce new Crests of Honor to recognize top-tier players at Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All (the top 500).

Superhero enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting more details on Marvel Rivals' post-launch plans, and the addition of The Fantastic Four is just the beginning. Last month, creative director Guangyun Chen stirred excitement by promising to release a new playable character every half-season. This means fans can expect a new Marvel hero to join the battle every six weeks, keeping the game fresh and engaging. There's strong evidence to suggest the vampire-hunting Daywalker Blade might be next, though rumors and leaks have kept the community buzzing with speculation about future additions.

While waiting for the mid-season update, players can check out our current Marvel Rivals Season 1 tier list to find out the best characters. This will help you stay ahead of the curve as the meta shifts with the new update. Additionally, you can review how the original Season 1 patch transformed the game's meta and understand the community's reactions to the alleged bot issue in Marvel Rivals.