Marvel Rivals’ big Season 7.5 drop
Creators are covering a large Marvel Rivals update that teases a new playable character (Black Cat), fresh modes, and a slate of free cosmetic skins in what videos call 'Season 7.5.' (youtube.com). Multiple update videos emphasize character additions, mode variety, and free skins as the headline features driving player interest. (youtube.com).
Marvel Rivals is adding Black Cat on April 17, with NetEase packaging the new hero into a midseason update it calls Season 7.5. (marvelrivals.com) The official patch notes say Version 20260417 starts April 17 at 09:00 Coordinated Universal Time, with about two hours of maintenance. Black Cat joins the roster that day, and NetEase also adds new Black Cat and Spider-Man story entries. (marvelrivals.com) The same update opens an in-game event called ESU Open Day that runs from April 17 to June 12. Players who finish missions can earn the Mantis “Black & Gold” costume for free, plus rewards tied to Squirrel Girl and Psylocke. (marvelrivals.com) Season 7.5 is larger than a balance patch because NetEase is spacing content across several dates. The developer’s April 14 Dev Vision says the update begins April 17, while creator coverage and follow-up reports point to more modes and event beats arriving later in the month. (marvelrivals.com) (destructoid.com) That staggered rollout helps explain why videos are treating “Season 7.5” like a mini-season. Reports ahead of launch say April 23 is set for the Blood Hunt player-versus-environment mode and Hellfire Gala content, with an Avengers-versus-Loki mode planned for April 30. (destructoid.com) (altchar.com) Black Cat is being positioned as the headline gameplay addition. Early coverage says she is a Duelist, the damage-focused class in Marvel Rivals, with mobility tools including wall climbing, a grappling hook, and double-jump movement. (hardcoregamer.com) (insider-gaming.com) NetEase is also tying cosmetics to several different reward tracks instead of only the store. The patch notes list a Black Cat rank reward for players who reach Gold, a returning Season 2 battle pass from April 17 to April 30, and Twitch Drops that include Daredevil and Gambit costumes on separate schedules. (marvelrivals.com) The paid side is still substantial. NetEase lists a limited-time Spider-Man “Peter Parker: The Photographer” bundle, a Blade bundle, a Black Cat “Urban Predator” bundle, and a Black Cat “Gilded Shadow” item in the store rotation starting April 17. (marvelrivals.com) Marvel Rivals launched as a free-to-play team shooter with “all heroes free to unlock,” so midseason updates are one of the main ways NetEase keeps the roster and event calendar moving. Season 7.5 follows Season 7’s White Fox update and pushes the game into late April with a new hero first and the bigger mode experiments right behind her. (marvelrivals.com) (marvelrivals.gg) If NetEase hits the April 17, April 23, and April 30 beats on schedule, Season 7.5 will land less like one patch and more like a three-week content rollout built around Black Cat. (marvelrivals.com) (altchar.com)
