Marvel Rivals Season 3.5: Release Date, New Blade Character, and Full Update Details

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 is on the verge of launching, bringing with it the highly anticipated character, Blade, and a massive update aimed at revamping the ranked play experience and rebalancing hero abilities. In this comprehensive coverage, we'll delve into everything you need to know about the new season, including maintenance downtime and upcoming content details.

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Key Information About Marvel Rivals Season 3.5:

Start Date: August 8, 2024.

Downtime: Begins two to three hours before launch.

New Character: Blade, the renowned vampire hunter.

Hero Balance: Adjustments to improve the performance of some characters and weaken others.

Ranked Play Changes: Updates to the matchmaking and rewards system.

NetEase has revealed details for Marvel Rivals Season 3.5, confirming the imminent launch of a host of new additions. The season roadmap outlines upcoming events, skins, and new maps and modes that will keep Marvel Rivals at the top of the best PC games lists.

After hundreds of hours playing the game and gaining early access to the new season, I can confirm that Blade is a powerful addition. With his unique abilities in the training arena, it's clear he's a deadly duelist who will shift the balance of power in upcoming matches.

Here's the complete guide to the launch of Marvel Rivals Season 3.5, from pre-launch details to our live impressions after the servers are back online.

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 Start Time

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 is expected to arrive after a two to three-hour maintenance period. Accordingly, here are the expected launch times in different regions:

East Coast (USA): 7 AM ET (August 8)

West Coast (USA): 4 AM PT (August 8)

United Kingdom: 12 PM BST (August 8)

Europe (Central): 1 PM CEST (August 8)

Japan (Tokyo): 8 PM JST (August 8)

Australia (Sydney): 9 PM AEST (August 8)

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 Downtime

The downtime for Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 will begin at the following times:

East Coast (USA): 5 AM ET (August 8)

West Coast (USA): 2 AM PT (August 8)

United Kingdom: 10 AM BST (August 8)

Europe (Central): 11 AM CEST (August 8)

Japan (Tokyo): 6 PM JST (August 8)

Australia (Sydney): 7 PM AEST (August 8)

According to NetEase, the downtime is expected to last 2-3 hours, which has been the case for the previous two seasons. We will update this page with any information regarding potential delays.

Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

Blade will be released on August 8, 2024, in Marvel Rivals. As the new hero in Season 3.5, Blade is classified as a Duelist who focuses on dealing significant damage. He possesses a damage-blocking ability, a dash attack, firearms for long-range attacks, and a katana for close-quarters combat.

In the Marvel universe, Blade is known as the "Daywalker," a half-human, half-vampire hybrid who dedicates his life to eradicating vampires and other supernatural entities, utilizing their powers against them without being affected by their traditional weaknesses like sunlight.

Interestingly, he can unleash his ultimate ability using "Dracula's Sword," which deals massive damage to enemies in a specific area and can hit flying targets. Blade also joins the team of Moon Knight and Cloak & Dagger, granting him the ability to stealth and reposition thanks to synergy with them.

Marvel Rivals Hero Balance

Season 3.5 will see adjustments to a range of heroes. Here's a quick summary of the changes. For a full list of adjustments, you can visit the official Marvel Rivals blog post.

Heroes Receiving Buffs:

Star-Lord, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Groot, Thor, Adam Warlock

Heroes Being Nerfed:

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Black Panther, Wolverine, Magneto, Mantis, Cloak & Dagger

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 Ranked Play Changes

Ranked play will see significant changes in Season 3.5, most notably:

New Rewards:

Emerald Blade skin for Blade (upon reaching Gold rank).

New frames for Diamond and Platinum ranks.

Exclusive badges for higher ranks (Grandmaster, Eternal, Celestial, Top 500).

Matchmaking System:

Bronze - Gold: Any team size can play except 5-player teams.

Platinum - Grandmaster: Can play in teams of up to 3 players.

Celestial - One Above All: Can play in teams of up to two players only.

Surrender Option:

In the first round, if a player disconnects and does not return within 90 seconds, their team can vote to surrender. The decision requires a majority vote from current team members.

Disconnection Penalties and Compensation:

If any player disconnects during match loading or hero selection, the match is void. Point adjustments and compensation vary by situation.

Additional Improvements:

Ranked nameplate frames can now be displayed in more in-game locations.

Doctor Strange Receives Long-Awaited Buff

Finally, Doctor Strange receives a buff that many hope will bring him back to strong contention. Here are the details of the changes:

Increased Daggers of Denak projectile charges from 8 to 10.

Reduced Cloak of Levitation cooldown from 15 seconds to 12 seconds.

Blade Joins the Battle

Blade arrives as a new hero in Marvel Rivals. As a duelist, he masterfully wields his katana and firearms, and can summon "Dracula's Blade" to unleash a devastating ultimate ability. His abilities allow him to block incoming damage then dash towards enemies to deliver a finishing blow.

Twitch Rewards for Season 3.5

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Get ready for new Twitch Drops! Watch your favorite content creators' streams to earn a spray, nameplate, emote, and the legendary Cosmic Mantis skin "Will of Galacta".

Event Time:

Starts: August 8, 12:00 PM UTC / 8:00 AM ET.

Ends: September 5, 9:00 AM UTC.

To get the "Will of Galacta" skin for Mantis, you must watch 4 hours of eligible content creators' streams on Twitch.

New Skins in the Shop

The following skins will be available for purchase in the shop upon the new season's launch:

Blade - Polarity Edge Bundle

Blade - Emoji Bundle

Blade - Dynamic Mood Bundle

Queen’s Codex Event Launches with New Season

The Queen's Codex event arrives with Season 3.5, offering free and premium rewards. In the free track, The Thing finally gets a Symbiote skin. To acquire the Queen in Black skin for Hela, and the Phoenix-inspired Black Widow skin, you'll need to purchase the Premium Battle Pass.

When Does Downtime Begin?

Let's summarize the server downtime for Marvel Rivals maintenance. Downtime begins at the following times:

East Coast (USA): 5 AM ET (August 8)

West Coast (USA): 2 AM PT (August 8)

United Kingdom: 10 AM BST (August 8)

Europe (Central): 11 AM CEST (August 8)

Japan (Tokyo): 6 PM JST (August 8)

Australia (Sydney): 7 PM AEST (August 8)

Welcome to Our Season 3.5 Coverage

We're less than 24 hours away from the launch of Marvel Rivals Season 3.5. We'll get a brand-new duelist to try out, plus a new event featuring skins for Hela, The Thing, and Black Widow as rewards. Join us as we cover the details of the new season before maintenance begins.