NetEase has announced that the next Closed Beta Test for Marvel Rivals will take place next month, and will be available for PC and consoles. The upcoming free-to-play hero shooter was originally announced for PC, but NetEase revealed earlier this month that it will be coming to both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as well.
With new platforms confirmed, it has now been announced that the first multiplatform Closed Beta Test will kick off on July 23rd at 3:00 PM PDT / 6:00 PM EDT (22:00 UTC) and run until August 5 at 12:00 a.m. PDT / 3:00 a.m. EDT (7:00 UTC).
Unlike the recent Closed Alpha, which was only open to those in North America, the Beta Test will be offered in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Sign-ups to participate in the beta on console are already open. Those interested can fill out a brief questionnaire that asks basic things like what genre(s) you currently play the most and which PvP shooter (ranked mode) is your most-played game on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S.
Those planning to play on PC can visit the Marvel Rivals Steam store page on July 20th and click "Request Access" under "Join Marvel Rivals Playtest" to sign up. NetEase will start confirming access daily after sign-ups go live with those selected "promptly" notified.
The contents of the test will be similar to that of the Alpha Test. Players will have access to a variety of Marvel heroes and villains, including: Adam Warlock, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hela, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Punisher, Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Storm, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, and Venom.
Convoy, Domination, and Convergence will be the three playable game modes across the following maps: Yggsgard: Yggdrasill Path, Yggsgard: Royal Palace, Tokyo 2099: Shin-Shibuya.
NetEase also announced that additional content, including events, tournaments, and live streams, will be unveiled in July.
Announced earlier this year, Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play team-based PvP shooter. Drawing comparisons to Overwatch, the pits two teams against each other in various game modes set across a variety of maps. As of June, there have been 21 playable characters revealed, drawing from popular Marvel franchises such as the Avengers, X-Men, and Guardians of the Galaxy. As a live-service game, additional characters, maps, and modes will likely be added post-launch. Recent datamining has revealed a lengthy list of possible playable characters who could be added, including the Fantastic Four, Thor, Blade, Wolverine, and more.
NetEase found itself in a bit of hot water last month when it conducted its Closed Alpha Test for Marvel Rivals. It was revealed that content creators invited to participate in the test had to sign a contract that contained a clause that prevented them from criticizing the game. Following an overwhelmingly negative reaction, NetEase issued an apology and lifted its policy forbidding players from criticizing the game.
With a Closed Beta Test now announced, hopefully, more players will get to see for themselves how Marvel Rivals plays. NetEase still hasn't announced a release date, but with the developer already conducting beta tests, it's possible that Marvel Rivals could launch later this year.