Marvel Rivals defied the odds to become one of the most successful multiplayer games in recent years. Despite a rocky start and tough competition, it carved out a space for itself and built a loyal community of fans, many of them longtime followers of Marvel’s comics and cinematic universe.
While it’s no longer riding the wave of peak popularity, the title continues to resonate with players. Surprisingly, it’s also found an audience among younger gamers who aren’t necessarily invested in Marvel’s films or other products. In fact, one of those players is the son of Kevin Feige, the man responsible for building the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kevin Feige’s son discovered the MCU through Marvel Rivals
As the architect of one of the most successful film franchises in history, Kevin Feige has played a pivotal role in shaping the modern superhero genre. From producing the early X-Men movies to launching the MCU with Iron Man in 2008, his influence is undeniable.
Still, not even Feige could convince his own son to care about the Marvel Cinematic Universe—at least, not until recently.
Just a few days ago, The Wrap attended a group interview where Kevin Feige spoke to various media outlets about the future of Marvel on the big screen. One key topic emerged: how to get younger audiences interested in a cinematic universe that’s nearing its 20th anniversary. Many teens and kids today weren’t even born when Iron Man hit theaters, and the novelty that once drew in fans has started to fade.
Feige reflected on this challenge and used a personal anecdote to illustrate his point. He admitted that for years, his son showed little to no interest in the franchise. “He would pretend to care just to be polite,” he said. But everything changed at the end of 2024, when Marvel Rivals exploded in popularity. Suddenly, his son became curious, not about the movies, but about the characters he encountered in-game.
“Out of nowhere, he started asking me about Hela, The Punisher, and all these other heroes. Then he began looking them up in the shows,” Feige recounted.
He also pointed out that the films and series can only introduce a limited number of characters, while the free-to-play videogame has the freedom to showcase a wider range of heroes and villains. Net Ease Games’ growing roster includes not only fan favorites but also obscure picks like Luna Snow and Jeff the Land Shark, characters who might never make it to the big screen but still find a place in players’ hearts.
Marvel Rivals is still going strong, but signs of decline are showing
The unexpected success of Marvel Rivals has created a potential new gateway to the MCU for younger audiences and could drive renewed interest in upcoming films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday. However, the game itself now faces the challenge of maintaining momentum.
After its launch in December 2024, the title reached a staggering peak of 644,269 concurrent players on Steam, breaking into the platform’s top 15 most-played games. But the hype has begun to taper off. Season 3, which launched on July 11, has been the least popular so far, peaking at just 163,000 concurrent users.
Whether Marvel Rivals can continue to thrive remains to be seen. But for now, it stands as a rare example of how a game, and not a blockbuster film, managed to breathe new life into a universe approaching its third decade.
