Get ready, Marvel fans! Marvel Rivals is set to complete The Fantastic Four lineup with the addition of The Thing and Human Torch, launching as playable characters on February 21, 2025. The release date for these iconic heroes was announced today, coinciding with an update for the second half of Season 1. While the specifics of the Season 1.5 update remain under wraps, a Dev Talk blog post on the Marvel Rivals website has hinted at "major balance adjustments" to keep the game fresh and exciting.

As for The Thing and Human Torch, fans are eagerly awaiting to see how these classic heroes will illuminate the roster with their new moves and abilities. Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman kicked off the post-launch hero additions when Season 1 started last month, introducing unique mechanics that shifted the game's meta. Reed Richards used his elastic powers for stretchy (and goofy) attacks, while Sue Storm brought invisibility to the battlefield. With Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm set to join the fray soon, we're hopeful NetEase will unveil some gameplay footage beforehand.

The upcoming Marvel Rivals Season 1 update will also feature a rank reset for Ranked players. On February 21, expect your Rank to drop four divisions; for instance, a Diamond I player will find themselves at Platinum II the next day. NetEase has outlined future plans for rank resets, with new seasons prompting a six-division drop and half-season updates causing a four-division drop. As the game evolves, NetEase assures they will "tune this as necessary" to meet player expectations.

It's not all about rank resets, though. Competitive players in the Gold rank have new costume rewards to look forward to with the launch of the second half of Season 1. Additionally, NetEase is introducing new Crests of Honor to celebrate players at the Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and One Above All tiers (the top 500).

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Marvel Rivals fans have been eagerly anticipating more details on the game's post-launch roadmap, and The Fantastic Four's expansion is just the start. Last month, creative director Guangyun Chen sparked excitement by promising to release a new playable character every half-season. This means a new Marvel hero will join the battle approximately every six weeks, keeping the community engaged with each seasonal update. There's strong evidence suggesting that the vampire-hunting Daywalker Blade might be the next addition, although amidst rumors and leaks that have stirred discussions for weeks, the future of Marvel Rivals remains shrouded in mystery.

While you await the mid-season update to shake things up, you can check out our current Marvel Rivals Season 1 tier list to discover the best characters. Also, delve into how the original Marvel Rivals Season 1 patch transformed the meta and why the community has been vocal about the alleged bot issue.