NetEase Games has confirmed that Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 drops Friday, August 8, bringing the long-awaited vampire hunter Blade to the playable roster. The mid-season update also introduces Resource Rumble, a brand-new game mode, plus major changes to team-up abilities and competitive penalties.
Season 3.5 launches at 2 AM PDT / 5 AM EST / 10 AM BST with servers going offline for two to three hours during the update. This marks a faster release schedule than previous seasons, with mid-season content arriving just four weeks into Season 3 instead of the usual six-week wait.
Blade Joins as Aggressive Duelist
After 162 days of teasing, Blade finally becomes playable as a Duelist hero. NetEase has positioned him as a mid-to-close range fighter who combines shotgun attacks with devastating sword combat.
Blade's kit revolves around his dual weapon system. His shotgun handles medium-range engagements while his ancestral sword dominates close quarters. His Step and Chop ability lets him dash forward and strike with either weapon, and it comes with two charges for repeated use.
The vampire hunter's Blood Liberation ability channels his dhampir bloodline for lifesteal attacks, but prevents allied healing while active. He can also block incoming damage by spending resources, and his titanium sword deflects projectiles and certain abilities like Mantis' sleep dart.
Blade's ultimate, Sword of Dracula, sends him dashing through enemy lines while unleashing a barrage of sword strikes. The ability leaves a trail of red cuts that slice through any enemies caught in the path. Gameplay footage shows Blade eliminating Luna Snow and Hela in seconds, highlighting his burst damage potential.
Players have already drawn comparisons between Blade's ultimate and Vergil's attacks from Devil May Cry, specifically noting the shared "A Thousand Cuts" terminology. With 350 HP and an aggressive playstyle, Blade looks set to become a popular pick in the already crowded Duelist category.
Resource Rumble Mode Launches August 22
Marvel Rivals gets its first non-event game mode with Resource Rumble, arriving two weeks after the main update on August 22. The mode features its own dedicated map, Throne of Knull, though NetEase hasn't revealed specific gameplay mechanics yet.
Resource Rumble will debut in quickplay first for feedback gathering before rolling out to competitive play later. NetEase typically tests new features in casual modes before adding them to ranked.
The new mode represents NetEase's effort to differentiate Marvel Rivals from competitors like Overwatch, moving beyond the current payload and point capture formats.
Team-Up System Gets Major Overhaul
Season 3.5 brings sweeping changes to team-up abilities with two new combinations, two removals, and four major adjustments to existing pairs.
New Team-Ups
Duality Dance pairs Adam Warlock and Luna Snow, giving Luna a tethering ability that damages enemies while healing herself. Vibrant Vitality combines Mantis with Groot or Loki, letting Groot's walls heal allies and Loki's domain boost ally damage.
Expanded Team-Ups
Lunar Force now includes Blade alongside Cloak & Dagger and Moon Knight, giving both Blade and Moon Knight shadowy dome abilities for invisibility and self-healing. Chilling Assault adds Iron Fist to the Luna Snow and Hawkeye combination, sharing healing effects while letting Hawkeye fire terrain-piercing ice arrows with stun potential.
Rocket Network incorporates Star-Lord with Rocket Raccoon and Peni Parker, adding teleport beacons and transforming Rocket's revive beacon into a mine-equipped nest.
Retired Abilities
Guardian Revival (Adam Warlock, Mantis, Star-Lord) and Atlas Bond (Iron Fist, Luna Snow) have been removed entirely. Ragnarok Rebirth also loses Loki, now focusing solely on Hela's ability to auto-revive Thor with headshot kills.
Tougher Penalties for Competitive Leavers
NetEase is cracking down on players who abandon competitive matches with harsher punishments including longer bans and bigger point deductions. Remaining players will receive point compensation at match end to soften the impact of unbalanced games.
The update also reduces the number of votes needed to surrender matches, making it easier for teams to exit hopeless situations. These changes address long-standing community complaints about incomplete ranked games.
Enhanced Community Moderation
"Operation: Shield the Community" introduces automatic voice chat screening that's been active since July 24. All in-game voice communications now get AI monitoring with human review to catch toxic behavior more effectively.
Players can also create custom text chat filters to mute specific words, with NetEase tracking commonly blocked terms to add them to the official filter system. The developer promises faster appeals processes for players disputing moderation actions.
Technical Improvements
PC players get updated shaders that eliminate the previous startup wait times, promising faster load times and smoother initial gameplay. The update also includes various behind-the-scenes improvements to competitive systems and match integrity.
Season 3.5 runs for approximately one month before Season 4 arrives in early September. The compressed timeline reflects NetEase's commitment to the two-month seasonal schedule announced earlier this year, keeping content flowing at a rapid pace while addressing community feedback on multiple fronts.
