Multiplayer shooter games likeMarvel Rivalsare often created and maintained with the competitive scene in mind. However, there’s always room for some lighthearted fun. Titles likeFortniteandOverwatch 2often provide whimsical cosmetics and limited-time game modes to let players have fun and unwind during and after their intense ranked matches. It looks likeMarvel Rivalsalso took a crack at injecting more humor into the game through a recently concluded limited mode.
Marvel Rivalstook the competitive shooter scene by storm when it released in December 2024, capturing over 600,000 concurrent players. It’s no surprise that the hero shooter genre is quite popular, and the game’s characters have a massive following among different generations of gamers. As with any multiplayer title, however, the hype is bound to die down.Marvel Rivalsrecently hit a new lowof 159,426 concurrent players in early May 2025, so it could benefit from rolling out some fun new features like the limited Giant-Size Brain Blast Game Mode to encourage fans to get back into the action.
Marvel Rivals’ Giant-Size Brain Blast Should be the First of Many Wacky Game Modes
Marvel Rivals’ Giant-Size Brain Blast ran for two cycles, from Jul 08, 2025, to July 31, 2025, and June 06, 2025, to June 25, 2025. For those who missed out on the event, the mode looks just like it sounds. TheMarvel Rivalscharacters’ headsare supersized to look like silly-looking bobble-heads, making it significantly easier for everyone to land those crisp headshots. This wacky feature called for a more lenient set of rules, too.
Within this mode, the two competing teams raced to score 50 points. If both groups failed to reach that limit within four minutes, the team with the highest score was the victor. Tokyo 2099 Ninomaru is the only map that this mode can be played in, with the rewards for this mode including:
Marvel Rivals’ Whimsical Modes Shouldn’t Stop at Brain Blast
Marvel Rivalsis currently seen as a casual-competitive hybrid type of shooter because of its more lenient abilities. There’s more room for seemingly difficult-to-counter shenanigans, likeJeff’s team-swallowing ultimateand the melee Iron Fist being able to pick off flying enemies, compared to its closest competitor:Overwatch 2. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If anything, a more laid-back multiplayer shooter game is exactly what the gaming scene needs to counter the pressure and vitriol that comes from the more competitive titles. As such,Marvel Rivalsshould continue to lean into its more whimsical side and release even more fun and out-of-left-field game modes like Giant-Size Brain-Blast.
The game could take a page out of other games likeCall of Duty Zombies. Its Whimsical GobbleGums provide pointless but fun power-ups, like dressing the undead in rubber ducky floats or Christmas attires. Other hilarious effects include weird color overlays, floating corpses, and getting zombies to projectile vomit when killing them.
PerhapsMarvel Rivalscould create a mode with similarly silly perks that players could acquire through team-ups, parodying one of the game’s best features. It could also introduce more sports-themed modes, similar to itsOverwatch 2Lucioballequivalent, Clash of Dancing Lions. When it has created enough casual modes, it could rotate them in the Arcade section throughout the season, ensuring there’s always something fresh for those looking to goof around. While such modes likely won’t be the main attraction, they’ll be the perfect palate cleanser for players coming from rough ranked games or those who just want to have some pressure-free fun with their pals.
