Marvel Rivals has gone through an invitation-only beta, luring players in and bringing combat into a genre still dominated by Strike Force 2 (despite its many issues). But NetEase seems to be playing a trick to get more people invested in its comic book-based third-person shooter: Jeff. He’s a little land shark with a cute little collar, and he’s taking the gaming world by storm.
Announced at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, Jeff can now be played in Marvel Rivals for those lucky enough to be invited. His original debut was in 2016’s West Coast Avengers, but he’s since become a favorite among comic book fans, appearing alongside Deadpool, Kate Bishop and more.
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Jeff plays a support role in Marvel Rivals, healing his team and moving quickly around the map with the help of his activateable Submerge ability. His ultimate ability, however, is pretty disgusting, allowing players to devour enemy players in a large area and then spit them out into a nearby selected area. He looks really tough, which only adds to his appeal.
While I may not have resonated with Marvel Rivals during my preview earlier this year, the game has won over many Strike Force refugees and Marvel fans alike. Some, including one of our own writers Fran, believe it harkens back to the earlier, more glorious past of Strike Force. Whichever way you end this debate, it’s always good to let competitors duke it out in a genre, lest complacency gets the best of you.
It would also be cool to see more niche characters pop up in Marvel Rivals. While characters like The Punisher and The Hulk have become commonplace, Jeff and Penny Parker aren’t big names in the minds of casual Marvel fans (perhaps excluding the Spider-Man movies), so It would be nice to see them get more time on the big stage.
Are you excited to reach out to Jeff? Let us know below!
