How Marvel Rivals Season 6.5 will impact esports

NetEase has revealed everything coming in Marvel Rivals Season 6.5, which officially launches on February 13th, 2026.

According to the latest Dev Vision, upcoming content includes the latest hero, Elsa Bloodstone, balance changes, and new features that will affect both casual and esports scenes.

Her main weapon of choice is a burst fire double-barreled shotgun, and she boasts a unique range of abilities. Elsa Bloodstone can deploy a trap that renders enemies immobile, while staying light on her feet with both a dash and uppercut move.

She has several ranged options, including firing a Living Bullet that ricochets off walls and splits to damage multiple enemies. Furthermore, she can switch to her rifle at any moment, firing a singular bullet that deals increased damage after using a movement skill.

Finally, her ultimate allows her to summon Glartrox, a monster that charges forward and pins enemies caught in its path. Elsa Bloodstone can recall Glartrox, causing the monster to run back to her along with any enemies caught in its jaws.

For Vanguards, characters Rogue and Venom will be buffed, while Doctor Strange sees a small nerf. Thor’s bonus health from Storm Surge has been reduced from 75 to 50, but his Hammer Throw now grants 50 extra health upon hit.

For Duelists, characters Deadpool, Wolverine, Punisher, Squirrel Girl and Star-Lord are buffed, while Psylocke, Phoenix and Moon Knight are nerfed.

Storm gains a range of buffs. The Weather Control Tornado mode gives her bonus health when using Wind Blade and Bolt Rush. Thunder mode also reduced Bolt Rush cooldown by 0.5 seconds with each Wind Blade hit. Finally, Thunder & Lightning’s ally buffs now decay over two seconds instead of vanishing instantly upon leaving the aura.

Strategists are also being addressed in the mid-season update. Ultron is buffed, while Loki and Invisible Woman are nerfed. Adam Warlock gains the ability to fly for four seconds at full energy, and Soul Bond now allows him to attack during the skill’s duration.

With every seasonal update, a new rotation of Team-Up abilities have been announced. This includes retiring old ones while introducing new and altered abilities.

Here is a breakdown of all the Team-Up changes coming in Season 6.5:

Marvel Rivals Season 6.5 will arrive with a variety of in-game features that will benefit both casual and competitive players.

Times Square, the in-game social hub, will hold a wedding care parade on February 14th, and a Spring Festival performance on a later date, both of which will allow players to earn in-game Units.

An in-game tournament will also be held through the Monster Kingdom Championship, and will function similarly to the PlayStation Cups. Running from February 21st to 22nd, players can compete in either the duos or squads divisions for in-game rewards such as Units, Unstable Molecules, and nameplates.

Five rounds of matches will be played, where teams will strive to secure as many wins as possible. Reaching three wins or three losses will immediately conclude a team’s run, with teams receiving rewards based on their performance. Developers also shared that there will be no rank or platform restrictions.

Marvel Rivals Season 6.5 brings a variety of major changes, from Elsa Bloodstone’s debut to the introduction of new Team-Ups, that will impact casual and competitive play.

Only time will really tell whether Elsa Bloodstone can overthrow popular Duelists that dominated Season 6, such as Phoenix, Hawkeye, Hela and Psylocke. It also remains to be seen whether she will be a popular choice for professional players when the Marvel Rivals Ignite 2026 circuit kicks off.

Dr Strange was a popular Vanguard in Season 6, as revealed in the Hero Hot List where he was the third most popular character on PC Competitive. With his new Team-Up with Invisible Woman, one of the best Strategists in the game as of writing, the two characters may dominate further in Season 6.5.