Marvel Rivals Season 9.5’s Dev Vision Vol. 20 has arrived.
NetEase Games has officially released more information on Marvel Rivals Season 9.5, via the newly-released Dev Vision Vol. 20 video. This half-season update adds a second playable character in The Hood, a new hero joining the Vanguard roster.
Watch the Dev Vision Vol. 20 below:
Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 storyline explained
Parker Robbins AKA The Hood is joining the Marvel Rivals playable roster in Season 9.5, as a long-awaited new Vanguard. In the game’s lore, The Hood has been locked up for murdering Gambit (albeit temporarily), and volunteered to unlock the secrets of the Tablet of Death and Entropy, which is an artifact used to communicate with the dead.
Moon Knight uses the tablet and speaks to lost souls speaking of Apocalypse’s atrocities, while also discovering his true killer: a new wielder of All-Black, the Necrosword. With this revelation, the heroes discover that a secret mastermind has been playing them like a fiddle, and one whom Marc Spector knows well, no less.
Is The Hood a Vanguard in Marvel Rivals Season 9.5?
The Hood is described as a dynamic gunner, switching between the forms of an average human mobster and a demon. His primary weapons are twin pistols, while his mystical Cloak allows him to channel the energy of Oblivion and create shields for his allies.
The Hood can also throw dark magic orbs that warp into barriers, weakening incoming enemy fire. As the Hood’s Demonic Energy level rises, his inner demon comes through. At this point, he'll enter a half-demon state.
In the half-demon state, his arms will become demonic rifles. For his ultimate ability, the Hood will enter a Full Demon State, transforming into a fully-realised sentry-like Gun Demon. His bullets become massive high-Impact piercing rounds which punch through shields and enemies. At the same time, he will grant bonus health to nearby enemies.
Here is The Hood’s description, according to NetEase:
"From the shadows of the New York underground comes the newest power-hungry villain.
"Cloaked in a cursed mantle, Parker Robbins lost his faith in heroes alongside his father and his world's Captain America - replacing it with an insatiable appetite for the power to change the world. Stealing an enchanted cloak from the Vault, he remade himself as the feared crime lord, The Hood.
“Now, The Hood treads a perilous path through channeling dark magic, devouring enemy firepower, and transforming into a demonic abomination of cosmic magic and steel. Even after a deadly clash in Thebes with Gambit and Doom 2099 over the Tablet of Death and Entropy, his dark journey is far from over…”
In Marvel Rivals, The Hood will officially be voiced by WWE wrestler Damian Priest. A new costume for the character, Sinful Blackout, will also be available.
More Marvel Rivals swimsuit skins for Black Cat, Magik, and more
Marvel Rivals is keeping the good times rolling with more summer-themed swimsuits for its playable roster. The following heroes are getting new swimsuits, following a 13 August update:
- Star-Lord
- The Winter Soldier
- Scarlet Witch
- Black Cat
- Storm
- Magik
The new swimsuits will soon hit the store. Additionally, Lady Loki’s swimsuit skin is getting new movement and ability animations, which will be customisable. The Krakoan Reels event will also return for Volume 2.
Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 storage space update
In Marvel Rivals Season 9.5, a massive texture compression overhaul is coming to reduce the game’s storage size. PC players will see the game’s storage size reduced by roughly 40GB, while PlayStation 5 and Xbox versions will have their storage size reduced by 15GB.
However, the incoming Season 9.5 update will be larger than usual to accommodate these changes.
Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 launches on 7 August, 2026.
