Marvel Rivals Season 5.5 launch: our live coverage of today’s Rogue update, including downtime and early reactions

Rogue is a Vanguard

I love what Marvel Rivals has done with Gambit and Rogue this season. Many had expected Rogue to be Strategist, and Gambit a Duelist, but NetEase has subverted expectations. Rogue joins as a new Vanguard, following Gambit as a new Strategist.

How long is Marvel Rivals downtime expected to last?

Downtime has been estimated at 2-3 hours by NetEase. Over the last year, the switchovers have taken pretty much exactly 2 hours each time. I predict the same here, unless there’s any unexpected delays.

Deadpool is coming to Marvel Rivals

Just one hour until downtime

Hello and welcome back. We’re now just one hour away from downtime, and therefore only a few hours until the launch of Season 5.5!

That’s all for today

I’m heading off now, but I’ll be back an hour before downtime kicks in to cover the live release of Season 5.5. Until then!

Rogue teams up with Gambit

Rogue joins Magneto and Gambit’s Team Up. She’ll get an area of effect damage buff to her regular attacks, and they’ll also heal nearby allies. Well worth pairing her with the new Strategist, then.

New event features a fantastic Iron Man reward

The Seeds of the Gardener event drops alongside Marvel Rivals Season 5.5. It’s a kind of mini Battle Pass with rewards like Iron Man Mark 1, a Captain America werewolf skin, and more.

Marvel Rivals will feature at The Game Awards

Developer highlight video

NetEase has released an extensive deep dive into Season 5.5, focusing on Rogue and changes to Team Ups. Watch it below:

Luna Snow gets a new skill

Luna Snow is easily the best Strategist in Marvel Rivals, and now she’s getting even stronger. Idol Aura can be activated on Luna herself, healing her while she’s healing others. She also gets a 10% boost to damage and healing while the ability is active.

Rogue joins the battle

The new Hero for Marvel Rivals Season 5.5 is Rogue. She’s a Vanguard that uses power-stealing abilities to make use of a versatile kit. Her Ultimate steals Ultimate Energy from foes, making it a very unique skill indeed. She teams up with Magneto and Gambit, adding an AoE effect to attacks, and a healing aura to teammates.

Downtime will kick in at this time

Season 5.5 roadmap revealed!

NetEase has revealed the full roadmap for Marvel Rivals Season 5.5. There’s a New Years Eve Time Square event where players can gather and countdown to 2026. There’s also new game modes and skins to enjoy.

When does Marvel Rivals Season 5.5 start?

Marvel Rivals Season 5.5 kicks off on December 12 at the times listed below:

• East Coast (US): 6AM ET
• West Coast (US): 3AM PT
• United Kingdom: 11AM GMT
• Australia (Sydney): 10PM AEST
• Japan (Tokyo): 8PM JST

This is an estimation based on the confirmed downtime start time, and the fact that the game is expected to be offline for precisely two hours. This has been the case all year between seasonal switchovers.

Welcome on in, as I countdown the hours until the launch of Marvel Rivals Season 5.5

There’s a new season of Marvel Rivals dropping tomorrow (December 12), and it adds one of the most sought-after Heroes yet. Rogue joins the battle as a new Vanguard, and she looks mighty powerful.