Marvel Rivalsis a true celebration of the Marvel universe, including everything from fan-favorite characters and locations to deep cut references. While the game is accessible to Marvel newcomers, longtime fans of the universe will get a lot out ofMarvel Rivals. The playable roster inMarvelRivalsincludes heroes and villains from all corners of the Marvel universe, giving players a diverse cast to play as.Marvel Rivalswill be adding new characters every 45 days, meaning players won’t have a shortage of characters to choose from. However, there is one character that can be seen all throughout the game, and yet, they still don’t have a place among the rest of the playable cast: Deadpool.
Marvel Rivals Is Full of References to Deadpool
Wolverine Cosmetic Bundle
To tie-in withDeadpool & Wolverine,Marvel Rivalsadded a skin for Wolverine based on his costume from the movie. While the skin itself may be a subtle hint thatMarvel Rivalswill add the other half of the duo eventually, the most crucial piece of evidence is the accompanying spray. Players who bought the bundle for thisMarvel RivalsWolverine cosmetic were given a spraythat is Wolverine’s mask represented as half of a heart. The missing half is undoubtedly reserved for Deadpool when he is eventually added to the game. Like the Wolverine cosmetic, it’s likely that Deadpool’s equivalent of this spray will be available as part of a cosmetic bundle based on his MCU appearance.
Marvel Snap Collab
Soon after the initial ofMarvel Rivals’, the game collaborated withMarvel Snap, a collectible card game featuring characters from the Marvel universe. As part of this crossover promotion, new cosmetics were added toMarvel Rivalsfor players to enjoy. One of these is theMarvel SnapNameplate, which shows Deadpoolwith his face full of arrows. While the game has alluded to Deadpool prior to this, the Nameplate is one of the first times the character himself can be seen inMarvel Rivals. Though he is yet to be included as a playable hero, he’s still been a part of the game since its early stages with this Nameplate.
Squirrel Girl Lore
On the Hero Profiles of each ofMarvel Rivals’ playable characters, a Lore tab can be found, which gives players an insight into the backstories of the game’s cast. In Squirrel Girl’s BFFFs hero story,Psylocke mentions a “strange man in red”who was sent to find her. The description is vague, but it seems like it could be alluding to Deadpool. Though there are plenty of Marvel superheroes who wear red costumes, the key piece of information is that this mysterious character wasn’t looking for Psylocke for their own reasons; they were sent by someone else to find her. As the merc with a mouth, it could be possible that Deadpool was hired to track Psylocke down and will eventually catch up to her when he joins theMarvel Rivalscast.
Deadpool Accessory
As of July 11, anew type of cosmetic has been added toMarvel Rivals. As well as customizing their character’s costumes, sprays and emotes, players now have the option to add Accessories to certain heroes. These can be seen on the character model, but it also adds an icon to the side of the player’s screen which reacts to KOs. One Accessory that players can have hanging from Jeff’s fin is a Deadpool Plush, inserting the character intoMarvel Rivalsagain before he’s found a place on the roster. Many of the other Accessories are based on characters who are already playable in the game, so this could be a hint that Deadpool is on the way very soon.
Jeff Handbag Accessory
TheJeff the Land Shark Handbag Accessory, much like the Deadpool Plush, is another cosmetic available to players from the new Accessory system. Exclusive to Emma Frost, the Jeff Handbag can give players a new way to style the character on the battlefield. The handbag is more than just a cute add-on, though, as it is a direct reference to theDeadpoolcomics. Emma mentioned to Deadpool that Jeff looks like a “handbag with legs and teeth”, much to Deadpool’s dismay. It’s likely that, when he is added to the game, Deadpool will share his disapproval of Emma’s Accessory in a unique character interaction.
Deadpool Could Be Joining Marvel Rivals Very Soon
Deadpool’s inclusion inMarvel Rivalshas always been a matter of when, not if.Marvel Rivalsleaks have been hinting at Deadpoolfor quite some time, and with each new reference to him in the game, it seems like it won’t be long before he is finally playable. The inclusion of Jean Grey and Blade in Season 3 means that he won’t be added this season, but it’s possible that he could be added to the roster in Season 4.
The remaining quandary with Deadpool is what type of character he will be. Typically, he has used an assortment of guns and blades throughout his major appearances, making Duelist the likely choice, but this may not be for the best. Fans of the character remember him most for his eccentric personality and humor, so the funniest option may be to makeDeadpool a Strategist inMarvel Rivals. This could work surprisingly well with the character, and would alleviate player concerns that the game is becoming overrun with Duelists.
Deadpool’s presence inMarvel Rivalscan’t be easily ignored. From his inclusion as a plush Accessory to possible mentions in another character’s lore, it’s impossible for players to avoid him. He’s become one of the most prominent characters in Marvel media, and with each new character reveal,Deadpool’s omission from theMarvel Rivalsrosterbecomes more noticeable. Every additional reference to the character in each of the game’s updates makes it seem as though Deadpool will not be missing for long, though, possibly even becoming playable in the game’s next season.
