Is Marvel Rivals free to play? Here’s what we know

Marvel Rivals is making waves among hero shooter fans, but will the “free” game snap their wallets to dust?

On December 5, Marvel Rivals went live with a sizable roster of heroes and villains. It is off to a strong start with mostly positive reviews on Steam, drawing in even non-shooter fans curious about its unique gameplay. Despite the hype, players still had many questions about the game’s pricing model. Fortunately for fans, NetEase confirmed all characters will be free for everyone.

While this generosity has been appreciated, it has also raised concerns among fans about the game’s base price. Some wonder if Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play game, or if there are “hidden charges.”

Is Marvel Rivals free?

Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play hero shooter featuring in-game microtransactions. Players can download the game for free from Steam or the Epic Games Store on PC. While Marvel Rivals is free to download, NetEase will charge in-game cosmetics. The model is similar to Dota 2,  where the entire roster of champions is available, but unique looks will cost some cash.

Marvel Rivals | Launch Trailer

Players can buy these items with Units or Lattice, the two currencies of Marvel Rivals. 100 Lattice costs $0.99, whereas players can get a discount for buying 11,680 Lattice at $99.99. Units are earned in-game and can be exchanged for Lattice on a one-on-one ratio. That way, all players can have a small amount of in-game currency based on their playtime, even if they don’t purchase Lattice with real money. The developer has mentioned cosmetic item prices in Units. The best bundles in Marvel Rivals are priced at a max of 24,000 units, which translates to roughly $24.

All the priced items are purely cosmetic and have no impact on gameplay. Players seeking visual upgrades don’t necessarily need to spend money, as free costumes and other cosmetic items can be earned through achievements and in-game events Fans are happy with monetization in Marvel Rivals since all items are fairly priced. Compared to Overwatch 2’s overpriced Mythic prisms, the cosmetics in Marvel Rivals looked outright cheap for some players. Players hope that NetEase sticks to this monetization model. After all, the move meant fans were more eager to support Marvel Rivals.