Marvel Rivals can add original NetEase characters. Here is what that really means.

Marvel has given NetEase permission to create original characters for Marvel Rivals. The game director confirmed the approval and added a simple note for fans to stay tuned. There is no timeline and no character reveal yet, but the door is open.

This is a bigger shift than it looks. Marvel Rivals already pulls from a deep bench of heroes and villains. Allowing NetEase to design someone new gives the team room to build a kit from the ground up with the game in mind. It also lets NetEase shape a character’s personality, voice, and playstyle without being boxed in by decades of canon. If one of these newcomers clicks with players, Marvel has a path to grow that character beyond the game.

The studio is also trying to keep surprises intact. NetEase said it is working on countermeasures to curb leaks. That will matter if original characters are in the pipeline. Fewer spoilers means bigger moments when a reveal finally lands.

Bottom line
NetEase now has creative space to do more than pull from the catalog. If they use it well, Marvel Rivals could get a fresh face that plays great, feels authentic, and earns a place in the wider Marvel universe.