Everything Coming in Marvel Rivals Season 2.5: Ultron, Arakko Map and New Game Mode
Marvel Rivals is gearing up for a massive midseason refresh with Season 2.5, introducing a new hero, map, game mode, and major shake-ups to Team-Up abilities and the game’s update cycle. Here’s a full rundown of what to expect when the update drops.
New Hero: Ultron Joins the Fight
The biggest highlight of Season 2.5 is the arrival of Ultron, a new Strategist-class support hero. Unlike what many players expected, Ultron is not a Duelist or Vanguard, but instead brings a unique kit that mixes healing, damage, and mobility — including the ability to fly, making him the first flying support hero in the game.
New Map: Arakko
Following the addition of Krakoa in Season 2.0, this update introduces Arakko, a mechanized sister island that has been overtaken by X-Tron, a resurrected version of Ultron. This map is believed to be a payload-style mode (possibly Convoy or Convergence), where players escort an objective through a location filled with lore.
New Game Mode: Ultron’s Battle Matrix Protocol
Season 2.5 debuts a limited-time experimental mode called Ultron’s Battle Matrix Protocol, a unique auto-chess-style game mode. Players will build teams by selecting hero cards and placing them on a grid. Once positioned, the heroes battle automatically. Note: not all characters will be available at launch for this mode.
Team-Up Overhaul: 6 Added, 4 Removed
This season brings a significant shift to Team-Up mechanics, with six new Team-Ups introduced and four older ones retired. Over half of the game’s Team-Ups have now been modified since Season 0.
New Team-Ups in Season 2.5:
- Rocket Network (Peni Parker + Rocket Raccoon) – Peni gains a second Spider-Nest that spawns armor packs. Rocket’s Beacon becomes defensive.
- Symbiote Shenanigans (Jeff + Venom) – Jeff heals allies using Venom’s Symbiote tethers.
- Stark Protocol (Iron Man + Ultron) – Ultron gets a piercing Unibeam that also heals teammates.
- Jeff-Nado (Storm + Jeff) – Combined Ultimates create a tornado that pulls in enemies and devours those not knocked out.
- Operation Microchip (Black Widow + Punisher) – Widow gains a piercing-fire mode when scoped in.
- Chilling Assault (Luna Snow + Hawkeye) – A fused ice-arrow stuns, penetrates terrain, and deals bonus damage.
Team-Ups Being Removed:
- Chilling Charism (Luna + Jeff)
- Allied Agents (Hawkeye + Black Widow)
- Ammo Overload (Rocket + Punisher)
- Symbiote Bond (Venom, Peni, Spider-Man)
Also, Iron Man has been removed from the Gamma Charge Team-Up, which will now only feature Hulk and Namor.
Season Length Changes: Faster Updates Ahead
Marvel Rivals is moving to a two-month season cycle (instead of three), starting with Season 3. This means more frequent content drops, heroes, and balance changes — making the meta more dynamic than ever. Competitive players will need to adapt faster to stay ahead.