Marvel fans surprised with new free game you can check out now

If you’re a Marvel fan, I have a delightful treat to share with you.

By now, you may have heard that Marvel Rivals is on the way next year.

Developed by NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals is a team-based PvP shooter that’ll see players assume the roles of a wide array of Marvel heroes and villains.

“Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe,” reads the synopsis.

It’s not unusual for team-based shooters to be dead on arrival these days, with many fans of the genre bored of what many deem to be Overwatch clones.

We saw that when the upcoming PlayStation exclusive Concord dropped its first gameplay trailer at last month’s State of Play, with players highly critical of what they saw.

Marvel Rivals has avoided that pitfall though. Its trailers have managed to grab fans’ attention - and those fans will soon be able to dive into the game for free.

ICYMI: Check out the incredible trailer for Marvel 1943 Rise of Hydra.

The closed beta will be running on both console and PC from 23 July until 5 August.

If you want to get involved on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, you can fill in the dedicated sign up form.

For those who want to join in on Steam, simply head to the game’s Steam page and press ‘Request Access’.

Those who are selected to partake in the beta will be “promptly notified”.

To get involved, you need to be based in North America, Europe, or Asia.

As for what content is available to test, players will be able to sample the Convoy, Domination, and Convergence modes across four different maps.

The following characters will be playable: Adam Warlock, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hela, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Punisher, Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Storm, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, and Venom.

If you’re not selected for the beta, unfortunately, you’ll seemingly have to wait until 2025 unless a second test period is announced.