There are big balance adjustments coming to Marvel Rivals in Season 10, with a single new character arriving too in Gorr the God Butcher. However, the way this Season is being approached is somewhat different than other content drops in the past, making significant changes to the game’s roster in unique ways. Instead of just adding new characters, Marvel Rivals is removing others, reflecting both its ongoing narrative and perhaps plans for larger gameplay overhauls.
Gorr the God Butcher is the latest character for the Marvel hero shooter, arriving as a Duelist with a number of innovative abilities. The character’s play style revolves around wielding the All-Black, or Necrosword, using a bond with the oldest symbiote to drive a crusade against all gods. The melee fighting and dark minion summoning of Gorr make him a distinct, almost villainous, expansion of Marvel Rivals‘ roster, but his narrative inclusion has also caused another character to be removed.
In the days leading up to the Season 10 reveal, players noticed an odd part of Marvel Rivals‘ roster, that the character Loki wasn’t available in some modes. Although players could still play as Loki in Competitive online matches and general social hubs (such as the New York City area), the character was listed as “Missing” in other places. If you tried to play as Loki in Quick Play, 18v18 matches, or even the Practice mode, the Asgardian god was simply inaccessible. The same did not apply for Thor or Angela, the two characters related to Loki within Marvel Rivals.
The fate of Loki was later revealed with the Season 10 trailer, which showed the god being slain by Gorr the God Butcher arriving in Yggsgard. Thor immediately fought Gorr afterwards, but with the Season being titled “Butcher’s Blasphemy,” it seems like Loki’s death is the core part of this Season’s story. Loki’s partial removal from the game is likely a way to make that narrative have a greater impact, making players feel like Loki is truly dead by Gorr’s hand.
This not only hypes up Gorr the God Butcher as a playable character, similar to Ultron in Season 2, but also has fans wondering how Loki might return. Already, previews of Season 10 show Gallery Cards and in-game lore that talk about Loki, who may become the fabled God of Stories following his death. Marvel Rivals has hinted at this transformation in past Seasons, with Loki in the game’s story gathering a feather from the Phoenix to write on the Canvas of Destiny. Despite Loki’s best efforts, no ink worked on the Canvas, until his own divine blood from Gorr’s attack finally stayed on the page.
This allowed Loki’s to use his final moments to write on the Canvas at last, becoming the fabled “God of Stories” in Marvel Rivals. This title represents a big shift in Loki’s character from Marvel Comics, where Loki becomes less of a God of Mischief and Lies and more of an omniscient story teller of infinite possibilities. In Marvel Rivals‘ case, Season 10’s synopsis talks of imagination and perspective in regards to Loki’s new role, where the once deceptive god is no longer capable of telling anything but the truth.
The story implications for Loki’s temporary absence makes sense, but there are rumors this roster shake up is for another reason. Some players suspect that Loki being gone gives the developers an opportunity to rework the character, giving them new abilities or removing old ones. When Loki comes back, his role as the God of Stories might transform the character entirely, perhaps beyond the Strategist role he has been in since Marvel Rivals‘ launch. Although Loki has a God of Stories skin in the Season 10 Battle Pass, fans are hoping this change isn’t all cosmetic.
Similar to how Black Widow was reworked in Season 9, Loki could get an overhaul before Season 10 is over. For example, Marvel Rivals might replace the character’s Regeneration Field with another ability, or even shift his Ultimate skill into something else. The gameplay possibilities are almost endless, opening the door for plenty of creative changes. Not every Loki player will likely enjoy too many changes, but this process gives Marvel Rivals more chances to examine characters who need some time off like Loki.
Future Seasons could see characters like Ultron, Black Panther, or Scarlet Witch be removed from the game in order for a rework to take place. For story purposes, these characters could be imprisoned, incapacitated, cursed, or killed like Loki was, giving players a reason for why they need to go missing for awhile. This creative approach to planned character changes in Marvel Rivals softens the blow of a fan-favorite hero or villain’s disappearance, at least for long enough until they come back with refreshing changes.
