With two new characters, a map, a battle pass, and a boatload of fresh skins, Season 2: Hellfire Gala has been a treat. But things are only just heating up from here, as Marvel Rivals Season 3: The Abyss Awakens is right around the corner, and the pace of new content is picking up dramatically from here onwards.
Below, I'll go over everything there is to know about Marvel Rivals Season 3 now that it's officially been revealed by NetEase, including the release date and the latest news on new heroes and other content arriving in the next major update.
Marvel Rivals Season 3 release date and time
Marvel Rivals Season 3: The Abyss Awakens will launch on Friday, July 11, 2025, after server downtime at 1 am PDT / 4 am EST / 9 am GMT, based on the in-game countdown to the end of Season 2.
The mid-season update, Season 3.5, should launch on or around Friday, August 8, 2025, one month after the first half of the update. If this sounds sooner than usual, then you're right: starting with Season 3, the update schedule will be much more rapid. Each season will now last two months instead of three, with at least one new hero (and potentially maps) launching every single month–one with the debut of a season, and one in the mid-season update.
If you've been keeping up with the game's lore and story (which isn't easy), then you'll know that Knull is being hyped up, and Blade–originally teased in a gallery card back in Season 1–has woken up. With the new trailer now out, we're officially picking up these plot points as Season 3's story focuses on Knull corrupting our heroes.
Here's a quick rundown of everything Marvel Rivals Season 3: The Abyss Awakens will feature:
- Two new heroes: Phoenix and Blade
- Two new maps
- A new battle pass, including both free and paid cosmetics and items
- New store skins
- New events
Marvel Rivals Season 3 new heroes
The Marvel Rivals Season 3 characters are Phoenix and Blade, who are surprisingly both expected to be Duelists—a controversial choice if correct, due to an already bloated DPS roster compared to the other two classes.
Marvel Rivals Phoenix release date and abilities
While NetEase has yet to specify which new hero arrives first, Phoenix is expected to release alongside the launch of Season 3 on Friday, July 11.
Phoenix, also known as Jean Grey, has been teased throughout Season 2 and was dug up in various leaks before the game's release back in December 2024. Finally, this anticipated hero is officially joining the roster.
Based on the Season 3 trailer, it looks as though Phoenix/Jean Grey can switch between these forms to change her abilities, similar to Cloak & Dagger. If so, she'll have a high skill ceiling that'll no doubt pay off with massive impact in the right hands.
Marvel Rivals Blade release date and abilities
Blade has been teased in every season so far, and now that he's finally woken up in Wakanda at the end of Season 2, the vampiric vampire hunter is making his long-awaited grand debut in Season 3. Blade is likely the second hero of the update, coming with Season 3.5, estimated to land on Friday, August 8, 2025.
Since Blade has been the biggest bait and switch imaginable, I was half expecting NetEase to delay his arrival once again just for shits and giggles, especially as Captain Marvel has also been dig up in recent leaks of potential new Marvel Rivals characters.
Here are some of Blade's leaked abilities:
- Blade Chopper (primary attack): Use Dracula's Sword to slash in front of you, inflicting damage to the enemy you hit.
- Hunting Gun (primary attack): Use a hunting shotgun to fire a long-range explosive fragmentation round that delivers a large amount of shrapnel at the point of detonation.
- Damage Block (alternate attack): Use Dracula's Sword to set up a sword stance that reduces damage from in front of you.
- Ultimate: After building up your strength for a short period of time, you quickly unsheathe your sword and charge forward, while releasing a powerful chop and leaving Dracula's sword frantically chopping the area behind you.
- Step and Chop (ability): Sprint forward. If wielding a gun, shoot an enemy and apply reduced healing; if wielding a sword, slash an enemy and apply reduced movement speed.
- Blood Liberation (ability): Activate vampiric bloodline. All blood becomes Dracula's blood, gaining stronger senses. You can't be healed at this time, but you can restore Dracula's blood by inflicting damage.
Marvel Rivals Season 3 skins and costumes
Of course, a new Marvel Rivals Season wouldn't be complete without heaps and heaps of new costumes, and Season 3 is no exception. From the announcement trailer, we've seen new skins for:
- Wolverine
- Magik
- Blade
- Jeff the Landshark
No doubt there will be even more skins teased leading up to Season 3, and more beyond.
