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Marvel Rivals might be the new kid on the competitive shooter block, but it’s already making big moves in how it wants its esports scene to grow. And if you’re expecting it to follow the same franchising path we’ve seen in other big titles, think again.

Right now, the game is in the middle of its first-ever LAN event, the Marvel Rivals Ignite Mid-Season Finals, part of a whopping $3 million Ignite series that’s been helping put the game on the esports map. Naturally, that’s got fans wondering: where does competitive Marvel Rivals go from here?

Marvel Rivals Ignite 2025 Mid-Season Finals preview: A new challenger?

Image Credit: NetEase Games

Learning from the Overwatch League’s Missteps

Marvel Rivals sits in the same “hero shooter” category as Overwatch, so comparisons are unavoidable. The Overwatch League went with a franchise model, where teams paid around US$20 million for a permanent spot. This meant no relegations, which was great for stability and appealing to sponsors, but also led to things feeling a bit stale for fans.

In the end, that model didn’t save it. The Overwatch League folded in 2024, leaving a big “what not to do” example for newer titles.

Marvel Rivals’ Head of Esports, Adam Huang, has made it clear in an interview with Jake Lucky that NetEase isn’t rushing into the same structure:

“For the beginning we will not undergo this, because they will restrict how we behave. We want to go independently… If everything goes smoothly, we’ll consider every possibility in the future.”

So, What’s the Franchise Model Exactly?

In simple terms, a franchise model is when teams buy their way into a league and keep their spot no matter how well, or badly, they perform. Think of it like buying a permanent seat at the table.

Call of Duty League is a prime example, with city-based teams like Atlanta FaZe or London Royal Ravens. League of Legends has the LCS, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang runs its MPL (Mobile Legends Professional League) in the same way.

MPL PH Season 15 Suguhkan Duel Panas Menuju MSC 2025

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Franchise League MPL | Image Credit: Moonton

CS2 and VALORANT, though, have different approaches. CS2 still thrives on open qualifiers, if your squad’s good enough, you can climb all the way to a Major. VALORANT uses a partnered league system for its top tier, but also has Ascension tournaments where teams can fight their way in. Marvel Rivals, at least for now, is leaning more towards the CS2-style openness.

Open Qualifiers and Big Upsets

The current Marvel Rivals setup allows any team to join through online qualifiers, with some invitations going to squads that impressed in earlier events. And it’s already giving us classic underdog moments, like when Virtus.Pro, favourites to win EMEA, didn’t even make it to the Mid-Season Finals.

Esports Skin Bundles Could Be Next

While franchising is off the table for now, Huang says they’re exploring other ways to financially support teams, like in-game esports bundles.

Gambar

Image Credit: NetEase Games

These could work a lot like Overwatch’s team skins or VALORANT’s Champions bundles, where a slice of the revenue goes to the teams or adds to prize pools. Huang explained they’re looking at bundles that could help both all teams equally and the top finishers at big events.

“If we want to build this ecosystem, we have to do more than the initial prize pool… maybe bundles that contribute to the players, to the teams, and to the Grand Finals prize pool.”

With the Ignite series still in full swing, Marvel Rivals is clearly in no rush to lock itself into a rigid system. For now, the open-door approach feels fresh, and in a scene where franchising has had mixed results, that might just be the smarter play.