The upcoming team-based shooter, Marvel Rivals, initially sported a significantly different look during its development phase.
During their presentation at the GDC 2026 developer conference, the creators of Marvel Rivals unveiled gameplay footage from an early build of the game. This initial version of Marvel Rivals eschewed its now-familiar vibrant, comic-book aesthetic in favor of a “realistic” graphical style.
Many observers noted that this early art direction, which some felt resembled games like Overwatch, failed to impress. A significant point of contention was its strong resemblance to the infamous live-service title, Marvel’s Avengers, developed by Crystal Dynamics, which had previously faced widespread criticism for its visual style among other issues.
Based on community feedback and developer insights, players are evidently pleased that NetEase Games ultimately settled on the distinctive “comic-book style” for Marvel Rivals. This decision has been widely praised for lending the project its unique identity and differentiating it from past Marvel game attempts that opted for a more realistic approach.