Marvel Rivals Zombies Mode Goes Live Worldwide — Find Out When You Can Play

Marvel Rivals is about to get a lot noisier, bloodier, and frankly, more fun. The game is finally adding its first PvE mode, and yes, the undead are the headliners. You do not have to wait long.

Release date, exact time, and how the rollout works

Revealed at Gamescom Asia 2025 and teased again this week, the Marvel Zombies mode lands on October 23, 2025 at 12:00 AM UTC across all platforms. Marvel Games exec producer Danny Koo and Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum put that time stamp on it. NetEase and Marvel Games have not spelled out the rollout cadence, but past updates for Rivals have been simultaneous worldwide, so expect a global flip of the switch with your local clock deciding whether it is late-night or breakfast-time chaos.

• North America (PT): 5:00 PM PT on October 22
• North America (ET): 8:00 PM ET on October 22
• United Kingdom (BST): 1:00 AM BST on October 23
• Europe (CEST): 2:00 AM CEST on October 23
• India (IST): 5:30 AM IST on October 23
• China (CST): 8:00 AM CST on October 23
• Japan (JST): 9:00 AM JST on October 23
• Australia (AEDT): 11:00 AM AEDT on October 23

"This new mode throws you and your squad into a relentless fight for survival against endless waves of the undead. The city's burning, the infected are rising - and it's up to you to hold the line."

So what are we actually playing?

This is Marvel Rivals' first-ever co-op PvE mode: up to four players trying not to get chewed up by endless waves of zombies. The vibe is very much Call of Duty Zombies meets Overwatch's seasonal horde events. It is fast, it is chaotic, and it is clearly built to let you spam big hero effects without worrying about annoying another team on the other side.

The launch roster (and why each hero is built for the apocalypse)

At launch, you can pick from five heroes with tweaked kits built specifically for mowing down hordes:

Thor is permanently in his Awakened State and basically chain-lightnings everything nonstop. Blade gets bouncing Moon Blades that carve through packs like a blender. Magik can sit in her Darkchild form without a timer, mirroring Thor's always-on power-up. Jeff the Land Shark (yes, Jeff is here, and yes, it rules) can burrow and charge through crowds while staying hidden underground. The Punisher sets up automatic turrets and lays down sustained fire to keep chokepoints from collapsing.

Tie-in time: the Disney+ connection

The mode doubles as a crossover with Marvel Animation's Marvel Zombies series, which hit Disney+ in late September. Smart synergy: the show feeds the game, the game sends people back to the show. If you watched the animated series last month, the tone here will feel familiar.

Season timing and what to expect on rewards

Zombies arrives as part of the mid-season 4.5 update, with Season 5 following on November 14. NetEase has not confirmed event rewards or skins yet, but come on — a zombie mode dropping the week before Halloween practically screams limited cosmetics. I would be shocked if there were not themed unlocks tied to playing the mode.

Bottom line: Marvel Rivals' PvE experiment goes live October 23 at 12:00 AM UTC. North America gets a comfy evening kickoff on the 22nd, while Asia-Pacific wakes up to it. Squad up, pick your favorite chaos engine, and try not to get swarmed.