- Marvel Rivals will welcome its first non-combat player hub with the Season 5 update.
- The hub is set in Times Square and can host up to 100 players.
- While on the map, players can dance, read, and explore with users around the world.
Marvel Rivals Season 5 is shaping up to be pretty huge for the hero-shooter. As revealed by Netease, the season will be headlined by the duo of Rogue and Gambit, and the new features don’t end there. The devs have also unveiled a non-combat Times Square arena, which will serve as a hub for players to socialize, interact, and unwind.
Akin to the Fortnite pre-match lobby, where every player in sight is flexing their emote collection, the Times Square hub will let Rivals players show off their cosmetics and engage in all sorts of digital silliness.
Marvel Rivals Will Debut First Non-Combat Map in Season 5
The Times Square hub will be released as part of the Season 5 update on November 14, and will likely be available as a separate playlist option in the matchmaking menu. The map can host up to 100 players and features the iconic location’s neon-soaked facade, complete with all sorts of stores at the ground level and luminous signage everywhere else. To capture its glittering essence, the map also appears to be set at night time.
In the charming promotional video released by the devs, you can get a glimpse at the activities on offer. For starters, you can dance with fellow players (bonus points for the Venom twerk), and even watch videos together. What videos, you ask? Well, the trailer hints at a giant screen somewhere on the map, which will stream clips of some kind. In the trailer, the clip on display was a streaming trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, and I can say with great conviction that this screen will eventually host teasers for upcoming Marvel movies.
Besides this, you can apparently ‘read’ stuff together. What stuff, you ask? Frankly, I have no clue, but there is a chance that the in-game comic strips will be accessible on the map. While that sums up everything Netease has shared so far, the hub does sound pretty chill overall. It just seems like a nice place to not beat other heroes up for a change, and it has certainly piqued my interest.
Being a non-combat hub, it also leaves the door open for experimental events that encourage co-operation. For instance, Times Square could receive a wintery makeover for Christmas, and welcome seasonal activities for players to participate in. It could also host a New Year’s celebration of some sort, perhaps with an active timer that counts down the seconds until 2026.
Of course, all of this is wishful thinking for the time being, but it’s definitely within the realm of possibility. With all that being said, what do you make of Marvel Rivals’ new party hub? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
