Don't leave the multiverse-hopping hijinks to MCU shows and movies Marvel has officially announced Marvel Rivals This new team-based shooter featuring your favorite Marvel characters, developed by NetEase Games in collaboration with Marvel Games, is a free PC title that pits heroes from the Marvel universe against Teams of six villains face off against each other in multiple worlds, from Asgard to Tokyo in 2099

Judging from the first gameplay trailer, which can be seen below, "Marvel Rivals" is very reminiscent of another team-based 6-on-6 PVP shooter you may already be familiar with: Blizzard's "Overwatch" However, there are some notable differences that should shake things up in interesting ways

First, "Marvel Rivals" is played from a third-person perspective, rather than the first-person perspective of "Overwatch" It also features partially destructible environments, which will change the flow of the match from map to map and should make each match different And characters from the same team, who are closely related to each other in the comic, have unique powers and team-up abilities

You can currently purchase "Marvel Rivals" on both Steam and the Epic Games Store No word yet on whether or when the game will be released on consoles Here is the official description of the game from Marvel:

"NetEase Games and Marvel Games are excited to announce our latest collaboration: Marvel Rivals is a cooperative superhero team-based PVP shooter! Players can assemble an ever-evolving all-star squad of superheroes and supervillains as they battle it out with unique superpowers across a dynamic lineup of destructible maps in the Marvel MultiverseMarvel Rivals is the first of its kind in the Call of Duty" and "Battlefield" and is being developed for the PC by the NetEase team, which is comprised of world-class talent from hit franchises such as "Duty" and "Battlefield

The game's storyline is that Doctor Doom and his 2099 version of the Time Stream Entanglement have clashed the Marvel Multiverse, and heroes and villains throughout the Multiverse have joined forces to put a stop to their evil plans

Like any team-based hero shooter, the plot is really just an excuse to get all the super-powered fighters in one place and trade punches There is a lot to process in the trailer There are glimpses of Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk during a fight, Doctor Strange calling up his Sling Ring to send Spider-Man and other superheroes into the thick of battle elsewhere on the map, and Black Panther summoning Bast

Marvel has not yet announced an official release date for "Marvel Rivals" The game will be free-to-play once it launches on PC, and Marvel has teased updates after release, including seasonal drops, new superheroes, and more new content Marvel Rivals can be wishlisted on both Steam and the Epic Games Store now

As for the game's roster, Marvel has confirmed that the following 18 characters are playable from the start:

If you've been itching to play Marvel's "Overwatch," you're in luck Marvel Rivals" can be played in a closed alpha test starting in May, and registration is officially open

To register for the "Marvel Rivals" closed alpha, you must first fill out this registration form, answering questions about the game genres you play most often, your favorite PVP shooters, and how familiar you are with Marvel comics, movies and shows

There is no need to feel pressured to give specific answers This is because development teams are often looking for players with diverse experiences in this type of initial testing According to developer NetEase, the test is intended to test game mechanics, find bugs, and gather feedback from players Invitations to the playtest will be sent via email, so keep an eye on your inbox