Ever since Marvel Rivals release, this Marvel hero shooter has been getting fans hyped with its ever-growing roster. This team-based hero shooter kept people engaged with the release of the Fantastic Four in season one. Season two has already proved to be just as exciting with the release of Emma Frost and Ultron on the horizon, and the excitement doesn’t end there. In a recent developer update, NetEase Games also confirmed that they would be releasing a new character a month during season three. The Marvel Rivals community is more thrilled than ever to know who is next. It seems clear that NetEase Games has plans laid out for what characters they want to debut and when based on the lore of their game. But that doesn’t mean that people can’t make lists of characters they wish will get added to Marvel Rivals’s already amazing roster. Of course, many people want to be able to play as characters like Deadpool, Daredevil, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, and Silver Surfer. But one thing Marvel Rivals’s character selection screen needs more of is villains. Of course there are overpowered, universe-breaking villains that many of us would want to see in the game like Galactus, Thanos, Apocalypse, and Dormammu. But to keep this list a little more unique and unpredictable, here are six other villains that would shake up the battlefield in Marvel Rivals.
Green Goblin
First, let’s talk about arguably Spider-Man’s most iconic rival: Green Goblin. This psychotic menace is to Spider-Man what The Joker is to Batman. So it only makes sense for this iconic villain to have a spot on the roster. The interaction between Spider-Man and Green Goblin would be very deep and specific since the two rivals have a long history with each other. And the interaction between Green Goblin and Venom could be very funny since they both hate the same wall-crawling hero. This jade jester is known for being highly intellect, strategic, and armed with an arsenal of unique throwing weapons.
As a result, Green Goblin would make an interesting strategist. Since this demented assailant is usually known for fighting on his goblin glider, he would be the first strategist to be a flying-style character similar to Storm, Iron Man, and the Human Torch. Since Green Goblin is commonly known to be a gadget-based character he would be able to provide support to his team using his diverse equipment. Green Goblin’s bag of tricks contains things like pumpkin bombs, ghost bombs, razor bats, and more. Green Goblin’s playstyle could consist of him getting in and out of fights using his glider while switching between bombs that can harm enemies and heal allies. Since Green Goblin is well-versed in dropping bombs on his enemies, a unique and game-changing ability that Spider-Man’s archenemy could have is dropping a specific bomb on enemies that briefly prevent them from being able to be healed.
Red Skull
Next up is the sinister mastermind and sworn enemy of Captain America: Red Skull. Since there is a Hydra map and lore already in the game, Red Skull would be an excellent addition to the Marvel Rivals villain roster. His synergy with Captain America would be one of the most compelling in the game, packed with intense dialogue and lore-rich rival interactions. And with one of Hydra’s greatest experiments, Winter Soldier, also being the game the interaction between the creator and monster would also be something you wouldn’t want to miss hearing. His presence could introduce a darker, more methodical type of disrupting duelist character to the game.
Being an expert marksman, Red Skull’s primary fire can consist of some type of firearm, but it’s possible that sinister killer playstyle can be even deeper than just guns. Known for his ruthlessness, tactical brilliance, and deep connection to Hydra, Red Skull could bring a unique ability kit centered around control and suppression. He could set up a dampening device that reduces enemy damage output, or he could launch a skill that temporarily disables an enemy’s abilities. Hydra’s notorious leader would not only add some political and psychological depth to the dialogue between characters, but also shift the meta of the game.
M.O.D.O.K.
Speaking of Captain America’s villains, next we have M.O.D.O.K., a perfect blend of raw power and absurdity. This Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing may be goofy-looking, but he’s no joke in combat. M.O.D.O.K. is known for having a highly intellect, strategic, and creative mind. This genius scientist possesses technology that grants him psionic and psychic powers great for both offensive and defensive uses. His hoverchair is also equipped with an arsenal of weapons. Due to M.O.D.O.K.’s abilities, weapons, and size, it is clear that he would make an excellent vanguard.
His tech-based powers would allow him to generate force fields and shields around his team for defense. Beam attacks, mental blasts, and a barrage of missiles would make him a ranged tank perfect for keeping enemies back. Since M.O.D.O.K. also possess telepathy, an interesting passive ability for this hovering genius is the ability to know if an enemy character you’re attacking has their ultimate ability. M.O.D.O.K. and his team would be able to take advantage of that information and strategize accordingly. M.O.D.O.K. would also be a gold mine for funny voice lines and bizarre interactions, especially against Iron Man, who he constantly rivals in intellect. With a character this chaotic, he would force players to think differently, breaking the traditional rhythm of what Marvel Rivals is right now.
Juggernaut
Few villains scream “meta-shaker” quite like Juggernaut. As an unstoppable force of destruction, Juggernaut would bring brute tank power to the vanguard lineup, offering a refreshing contrast to more strategic or long-range characters. This guy doesn’t dodge—he charges straight through. His playstyle could focus on powerful charges that break enemy defenses, clear paths, and knock players off objectives. A perfect passive ability for this walking tank is one that reduces knockback or makes him immune to stuns while charging, making him a terrifying initiator. Another ability that would stand out in this villain moveset is the ability to pull up part of the ground in front of him and throw it at the enemy team, knocking up anyone hit by the projectile. Juggernaut would have natural chemistry with characters like Storm, Magneto, or Wolverine, creating tense narrative-driven moments in-game. Introducing a heavyweight like him would completely change how teams approach the objective.
Ronan the Accuser
Now let’s add a more cosmic adversary to the battlefield, enter Ronan the Accuser. As one of the more underrated cosmic villains, he offers something that Marvel Rivals doesn’t currently have—a vanguard that balances both melee and area of effect attacks. With his massive size and Universal Weapon hammer, Ronan would be a walking tank on the frontline delivering AOE damage with different abilities from call down energy blasts to discharging shockwaves. He could attack enemies by swinging his hammer around while creating energy shields to protect allies or deny space. A cool, exclusive ability for Ronan would be one that lives up to his title: a judgment-based ability—imagine if he had a meter that fills up the more he attacks or the more he absorbs damage. Once the meter is filled, Ronan can pass judgment on allies or enemies granting a stat boost or penalty respectfully. His presence would be a huge benefit adding Kree lore within the Marvel Rivals storyline through dialogue between him and the Guardians of the Galaxy characters.
Doctor Doom
Finally, no list of potential meta-breaking villains would be complete without the tyrannical genius himself—Doctor Victor Von Doom. According to the lore of Marvel Rivals, Doom, more specifically two Dooms are the reason for the time entanglement started. So the Marvel Rivals community can only hope that the likelihood that players would be able to play as the ruler of Latveria is high. Doom is a one-man army: a sorcerer, a scientist, a ruler, and an egotistical powerhouse. Because of this it is hard to say what role Dr. Doom would fit specifically. Dr. Doom is a swiss knife when it comes to powers, abilities, and equipment making him perfect for the vanguard, duelist, or strategist role.
While on the battlefield, Doom could command arcane blasts and summon technological constructs paying homage to the tyrant mystic and scientific abilities. Imagine Doom being able to cloak teammates in magic armor or disrupt the enemy team by silencing their abilities for a short duration. His ultimate could even involve summoning Doombots or trapping players in a magic-tech stasis field. Doom’s interactions with practically every Marvel hero would be legendary—from Reed Richards to Iron Man to Scarlet Witch. Adding Doom to Marvel Rivals wouldn’t just shake up the meta—it would redefine it.
These six iconic villains each bring something distinct to the table, whether it’s chaotic energy, brute force, or high-level strategy. With Season Three introducing a new character every month, the door is wide open for more villains to enter the fray. Including any of these bad guys would not only balance the hero-heavy roster but also elevate Marvel Rivals’ gameplay and storytelling to thrilling new heights.