NetEase has revealed plans for crossover events involving their hit game Marvel Rivals.
In a recent earnings call covered by Yahoo Finance, NetEase shared:
"NetEase plans to continue investing in development and marketing, with a long-term operational strategy. The team has plans for eSports and will announce these plans to enhance the gaming ecosystem. There will also be crossover events and promotions with other media to expand the user base."
While they didn't share many specifics, gamers are already buzzing with theories.
Most fans think these crossovers will mainly connect with other Marvel games and movies rather than bringing non-Marvel characters into the game. However, some players are hoping to see Marvel Rivals characters show up in games like Fortnite.
Of course, this is all just fan speculation for now, as NetEase hasn't confirmed any specific crossover details.
In addition to crossover events, NetEase has announced ambitious plans to establish Marvel Rivals in the competitive gaming scene. They earlier revealed "The Marvel Rivals Invitational," the largest tournament for the game to date, featuring an impressive $400,000 total prize pool.
This major eSports tournament already concluded in Oceania and Asia, followed by EMEA just started, and North America starts in mid-March, each offering $100,000 in prizes.
NetEase has taken a measured approach to developing the game's eSports scene, learning from past industry mistakes. Marvel Rivals game director Guangyun Chen stated in January that the team wanted to create a game that appeals to both casual and competitive players, avoiding the pitfalls that affected games like Overwatch, which rushed into setting the Overwatch League shortly after release.
This announcement comes while NetEase is enjoying strong financial results. Their earnings report shows a record total net revenue of RMB105.3 billion in 2024, up 2% from last year. Games and related services brought in RMB83.6 billion, a 3% increase from 2023.
Marvel Rivals has played a big part in this success, keeping hundreds of thousands of players online at all times. Like most new games, it's had a few bumps along the way, but overall feedback has been positive.
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