NetEase Games introduced a new 2v2 player-versus-player mode titled Avengers: Infinity War as part of the Marvel Rivals Season 10.5 update on Saturday. The mode limits character selection to 13 heroes and incorporates an ability card upgrade system between rounds.
Key points
- Marvel Rivals Season 10.5 introduces a 2v2 PvP mode themed around Avengers: Infinity War.
- The new game mode limits the playable roster to 13 specific Marvel heroes.
- Players upgrade existing hero kits across rounds using enhancement cards in a Wakanda arena.
- Winter Soldier and Captain America rank among the strongest picks in early match testing.
- Low-mobility and low-impact picks including Groot and Black Widow struggle in the two-player format.
The arrival follows previous themed modes based on the first two Avengers films, shifting the focus to smaller squad engagements tied to the Infinity Stones. Matches take place in an open Wakanda arena featuring a central health pack, placing a heavier emphasis on individual dueling capabilities and defensive utility than the standard six-player format.
Infinity War 2v2 Rules and Upgrade Mechanics
In the Infinity War mode, players select one hero from a restricted roster of 13 Avengers characters for the duration of the match. While base character kits remain unchanged from the core game, players acquire enhancement cards between rounds to augment specific abilities, rates of fire, and ultimate attack parameters.
The restricted roster spans three primary roles: Duelist, Vanguard, and Strategist. The 13 available characters are:
- Vanguards: Captain America, Doctor Strange, Groot, and Thor
- Duelists: Black Panther, Black Widow, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, and Winter Soldier
- Strategists: Mantis and Rocket Raccoon
Leading Duelists and Melee Picks
Winter Soldier currently ranks as the most effective character in early testing for the 2v2 mode. His baseline kit provides high single-target burst damage in 1v1 situations. When upgraded with cards that increase firing rate, maximum shots, and the Tainted Voltage ability, Winter Soldier can defeat opponents quickly and pressure flying enemies.
Black Panther serves as a primary melee alternative. The spacious ground layout of the Wakanda map allows Black Panther to close distances rapidly and outmaneuver grounded opponents. However, his effectiveness decreases against sustained aerial targets. Scarlet Witch offers consistent area damage and repositioning through Mystic Projection, alongside an upgraded Reality Erasure ultimate that can eliminate both opposing players in a single cast.
Iron Man received targeted adjustments in Season 10.5 that grant auto-tracking functionality to his missile barrage. Players investing upgrade cards into his missile abilities can activate continuous guided bombardment while using other primary attacks, though he remains vulnerable to grounded snipers and high-mobility targets.
Vanguard and Strategist Performance
Captain America leads the Vanguard role due to his personal defense tools and team utility. While his unupgraded damage output is moderate, card upgrades allow for multiple ricocheting shield tosses that wear down enemy duos. His ultimate ability grants temporary invulnerability to both himself and his teammate during decisive moments.
Doctor Strange serves as an alternative Vanguard pick. Players can lean into defensive barriers to protect fragile damage dealers or modify his kit for direct offensive spellcasting. His Eye of Agamotto ultimate remains a reliable crowd-control ability in small arenas.
Between the two available Strategists, Rocket Raccoon outperforms Mantis. Rocket combines his Bombard primary fire with Repair mechanics to heal allies while outputting critical hit damage. Mantis struggles with survival in the smaller format, facing fast eliminations when targeted by diving melee heroes or continuous missile barrages.
Low-Impact Heroes in the Two-Player Format
Several standard Marvel Rivals picks face disadvantages in the two-player Infinity War setting. Thor retains his standard ability kit rather than gaining movie-inspired dual-weapon mechanics, and upgrade cards fail to raise his damage enough to match Captain America or Doctor Strange. Groot also underperforms, as his Vine Walls and Spore Bombs offer limited zoning value in an open Wakanda environment, leaving him dependent on standard Vine Strikes.
Spider-Man faces terrain challenges, as the open map provides limited anchor geometry for aerial combos and swinging maneuvers, though he retains value as a counter against Iron Man. Black Widow ranks at the bottom of the mode, as her Season 10.5 kit adjustments do not provide the raw burst output or durability required to withstand coordinated two-player pushes.
