Marvel Rivals Season 9 changes most of the roster

July 10, 2026·3 min read

Marvel Rivals Season 9 is bringing the game’s biggest combat update yet. NetEase is changing roughly 80 percent of the hero roster as it pushes the hero shooter toward a more chaotic and fun-first direction.

The update, titled Season 9: The Mystery of Thebes, begins on July 10 UTC. It includes major hero balance changes, a redesigned Team-Up system, ultimate charge reductions and a new Regenerative Shields mechanic that could change how fast fights play out.

Most heroes are changing in Season 9

NetEase has described the Season 9 patch as a large balance update. The update affects most of the roster, covering Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists across damage, healing, survivability and ability values.

The main change is the scale of the update, not one single nerf or buff. Marvel Rivals is not just tuning a few problem heroes this season. It is changing large parts of the game at once, so the meta may feel unstable when the patch lands.

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Ultimate charge is being slowed down

Season 9 cuts ultimate energy generation across the board. Vanguards and Duelists will now get less ultimate charge from damage, while Strategists will get less charge from both healing and damage.

That change targets one of Marvel Rivals’ most familiar match problems. Team fights often depend on several ultimates being used back to back. Slower ultimate gain should make those moments less constant, even if it also forces players to rethink timing and engagement windows.

Team-Ups are being rebuilt

The biggest system change is the Team-Up overhaul. The old setup made certain Team-Up abilities depend heavily on specific hero pairings. Season 9 gives every hero two Team-Ups to choose from before a match.

The chosen Team-Up gives a base effect even if the matching hero is not on the team. If the matching hero is present, the ability gets an enhanced version. That keeps the Marvel synergy idea alive, but makes Team-Ups less dependent on teammates picking exact characters.

Regenerative Shields change survivability

Season 9 also introduces Regenerative Shields, a new health type that works like normal health for most effects but recovers after a player avoids damage for five seconds. The shield then refills over the next five seconds. That mechanic should help mobile heroes and flankers survive longer without relying as much on healers. It may also make some heroes harder to punish if they can escape, recover and return to the fight quickly.

Season 9 could make the game less predictable

The update arrives after months of debate around Marvel Rivals’ balance, role pressure and ultimate-heavy fights. NetEase appears willing to let Season 9 shake the game up instead of chasing a careful, narrow balance pass.

Marvel Rivals remains available on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Season 9 begins on July 10 UTC, and players will be able to test the new roster changes, Team-Ups and Regenerative Shields once the update goes live.