Marvel Rivals players have a lot to look forward to in the back half of Season 3. New legendary skins, updates to existing cosmetics, and developer insight into the game’s future hero roster and matchmaking system are all on the horizon.

Cloak & Dagger and Winter Soldier polarity skins

This week’s store update brings two striking legendary outfits tied to the Phoenix vs. Knull storyline:

Cloak & Dagger – Polarity Bond
Dagger wields the Phoenix Force, while Cloak’s design blends in Venom symbiote elements. The contrasting Phoenix flames and Venomized cloak make for one of the game’s boldest skin combinations.
Winter Soldier – Polarity Soldier
Bucky’s look mixes Phoenix iconography with half-symbiote corruption, complete with animated tendrils in his hair, gold armor accents, and fiery VFX. His custom emote powers up the Phoenix symbol on his chest with a burst of flames.

Both skins feature unique sound effects and visual flair, and their release trailer also teased a major upcoming cosmetic — the Abyssal Flame Venom skin.

Abyssal Flame Venom — mini pass coming August 22

Later this month, Venom receives his own legendary treatment through a new mini pass launching August 22. The Abyssal Flame skin gives Eddie Brock phoenix-like feathered accents, a fiery head crest, and a blazing chest emblem. Glowing claws, phoenix VFX, and detailed facial animations make this one of the most elaborate Venom skins yet.

Rare skins: Cyan Venom and White Scarlet Witch

In an interview with Rivals Assembled, Marvel Rivals’ creative director Guang confirmed that the Cyan Venom and White Scarlet Witch skins will never return. These were exclusive rewards for closed beta and alpha test participants.

Going forward, most skins — even limited-time ones — will be made available again at certain points, though with controlled timing and frequency. This means Cyan Venom and White Scarlet Witch now stand as the game’s only truly unobtainable rare skins.

Queen in Black Hela — VFX update coming

The Queen in Black Hela legendary skin from the Queen’s Codex event is set to receive updated ultimate effects in the next patch. Currently, her ultimate still shows green VFX instead of the intended red-and-black scheme. The fix will align her ability visuals with the skin’s color theme.

Role imbalance and future heroes

Guang acknowledged community concerns about the current hero role imbalance — particularly the large number of duelists compared to strategists or vanguards. While the team is committed to balancing the roster, Marvel Rivals’ development pipeline is already planned out roughly 12 months ahead, so significant shifts will take time.

Players can expect:

A few more duelists in upcoming seasons before the balance evens out.
New villains joining the roster in the future, though no names were revealed.

Matchmaking clarity and EOMM rumors

In response to persistent player claims about Engagement Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM), the developers reiterated that Marvel Rivals does not use EOMM.

A developer insight video explaining exactly how matchmaking and the ranking system work is scheduled for release next week — likely alongside the trailer for the new Resource Rumble mode and the Throne of Knull map arriving on August 22.

Source: Dylbobz on YouTube

Marvel Rivals Season 3 update — FAQ

When are the new Cloak & Dagger and Winter Soldier polarity skins releasing?

Both legendary skins are available in the in-game shop now, with the update having dropped this week.

What is the Abyssal Flame Venom skin and when can I get it?

Abyssal Flame Venom is a phoenix-themed legendary skin for Venom that will be available through a mini pass starting August 22.

Are Cyan Venom and White Scarlet Witch skins coming back?

No. The developers have confirmed these two cosmetics were exclusive to the closed beta and alpha test and will never return.

Will other limited-time skins return in the future?

Yes. While some event skins will be limited-time, most will be reintroduced at certain points, though the timing and frequency will be controlled.

Is the Queen in Black Hela skin getting updated?

Yes. A patch next week will fix her ultimate’s VFX, changing the current green effects to match the intended red-and-black color scheme.

Why are there so many duelists compared to other roles?

The developers acknowledged the imbalance and plan to adjust the roster over time. However, because development is planned 12 months ahead, it will take several seasons before the change is fully visible.