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Marvel Rivals Adds Cyclops and 18v18 Mode in Season 8.5

NetEase’s midseason patch signals a shift toward larger matches by increasing player count and elevating aerial threat.

Overview

  • The update, which launches Friday, June 12, adds Cyclops as a new Duelist hero available to players at the start of Season 8.5.
  • Cyclops’ kit centers on visor beams: a bouncing scattershot with two charges, a mobility laser blast for quick repositioning, and a charged ultimate that explodes overhead and can hit flying or back-row targets.
  • Season 8.5 introduces the new K’un‑Lun: Shenloong Arena map and a large-scale 18v18 mode called Bounty Annihilation that increases match size and changes battlefield flow.
  • NetEase is rolling out summer live-service content including a Hellfire Bay Beach social hub, a swimsuit-themed event, and a limited 616 Day Vault reissuing select 2025 skins from June 12–26.
  • Patch notes also reassign some team-up abilities (notably a new Blast Slash pairing Cyclops with Wolverine), announce delays to two Path to Doomsday special modes, and promise further balance updates ahead of or after the launch.