Marvel Rivals is doing what most live-service games only dream of: holding players’ attention past Season 1. Sure, Ultron didn’t exactly inspire awe, more like a collective shrug, but the overall momentum has been decent. Still, there’s one nagging problem players can’t stop buzzing about as too many fliers, and not nearly enough ways to shoot them down. Enter Cyclops, potentially Marvel Rivals’ Season 3 saving grace.
Flying heroes are cool until you have to play against them. In Marvel Rivals, once an enemy takes to the skies, half the roster might as well take a seat. Unless your character can scale walls or leap like the Hulk, you’re stuck swatting at air. If you’re playing someone like Wolverine, good luck hitting anything more than your own frustration.
The latest additions to the roster haven’t actually helped. Ultron joined the fray with the grace of a lead balloon, and all he did was add another airborne headache. The core issue remains, there’s a lack of proper counters for these high-flying heroes.
Cyclops Makes Sense Now Thanks to His Few Good Elements
Season 3 is right around the corner, and if NetEase Games wants to keep the hype alive, they’ll need a solid crowd-pleaser. Cyclops, the optic-blasting leader of the X-Men fits the bill.
Scott Summers has been long overdue in the lineup, especially considering the recent surge of X-Men characters joining the fray. He is iconic, tactically inclined, and most importantly, built to shoot things out of the sky. His concussive eye blasts have range, precision, and enough raw power to make anyone second-guess their altitude. Introducing Cyclops wouldn’t only be a good nod to fans of classic Marvel lore but it’d fill a gaping hole in the current meta.
Cyclops isn’t a one-trick pony either. While his optic blasts are his claim to fame, his background as a battlefield strategist makes him a flexible mid-range option. Give him a quick burst-fire mechanic for rapid damage and maybe a longer beam for situational sniping, and you’ve got a hero who can shift the tempo of a match.
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There is also his melee potential not be ignored. Cyclops is trained in hand-to-hand combat, and he could play a hybrid role that rewards positioning and timing. Pairing him with teammates like Emma Frost for synergy or bringing in Wolverine and Psylocke for the gritty mutant edge brings a serious comp potential.
Of course, there’s the small matter of balance. Cyclops can’t be the “delete all fliers” button. If NetEase wants to avoid breaking the game’s already fragile balance, they’ll need to give him some vulnerabilities perhaps limited vertical mobility or cooldown-heavy abilities. Otherwise, we’re just trading one broken mechanic for another.
Cyclops fits the theme, addresses a major gameplay issue, and brings recognizable name value to the table. If Marvel Rivals wants to keep its momentum heading into Season 3, introducing a solid, skill-based anti-flier like Cyclops could be the power move the game needs.
