Summary
NetEase’s 6v6 co-op title,Marvel Rivals, features a roster of Marvel characters from across the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more, along with characters who haven’t been portrayed as often in mainstream media, such as Luna Snow, Magik or Jeff the Shark Dog as they battle their way through various alternate dimensions and timelines. Recently, the game has provided a better look at some of Marvel’s most popular superheroes, includingSpider-Man, through character trailers, but the version that appeared in the recent Closed Beta didn’t look the same as the promotional footage that came before.
When the original trailers showed offMarvel Rivals' version of Spider-Man, it was clear that NetEase was doing its own design for the character, and while some did comment that it was somewhat overdesigned in some places (having a lot more lines, and red gauntlets and lower leg patches with no webbing instead of gloves and boots) it was still one that people could easily tell was Spider-Man.In the Closed Beta, however, Spider-Man’s default look has been changed.Now, the top legs of his large spider emblem wrap around his shoulders - much like the black patches on Tom Holland’s outfit inSpider-Man: Homecoming- and he has proper boots with a webbing pattern on them.
While he still doesn’t have full red gloves to match, the gauntlets have been changed to also adorn the web pattern. The back spider emblem also appears to be red like the more traditional look, rather than black likeMarvel Rivals' original design, which is probably for the best considering how often players will be seeing the character’s back in a third-person perspective.
I’m Glad Marvel Rivals Is Shining A Spotlight On This Classic Villain
Marvel Rivals has revealed a new cinematic trailer at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, with its first proper look at Doctor Doom.
Fans Are Already Praising Marvel Rivals' Spider-Man Redesign
“It Feels More Spider-Man”
While the majority of fans didn’t seem to be complaining aboutMarvel Rivals' original Spider-Man design, his new suit does come slightly more in line with the more traditional look for the characters, and fans have been vocal in praising NetEase for these changes. Replying to a side-by-side comparison shared byMiller Rosson X, VFX artistJamie Bellamyremarked that while the essence is the same, the new design “feels more Spider-Man.”
Content creatorCaboosealso shared a different full-body comparison image of the two suits, calling it a “huge upgrade.” Replying to this post,TheDeliNBAcalled it “a perfect blend of the original design with the style of this game,” whileAaron Jason Espinozastated that “the black lines and logo give it some prominence.”
Perhaps the most impressive part about this was how quickly NetEase Games was able to turn around this new suit design betweenMarvel Rivals' Closed Alpha playtest in May and its Closed Beta in July. Consideringhow many suits Spider-Man has hadacross his 62 years in various media, it’s possible that this default suit design was already one of many, and that the character will have a huge array of different skins in the game, especially with the character trailer already showing homages to the likes of his Bombastic Bag Man look or Hobie Brown’s Spider-Punk suit.
