Marvel Rivals: Why The Punisher Needs Some Love
For a hero shooter that launched in late 2024, *Marvel Rivals* has been incredibly active, consistently introducing new heroes and a steady stream of fresh skins. The developers at NetEase have been working hard to balance the game while keeping things interesting with new maps and power-ups each season. Despite all this activity, some characters haven't received the same attention as others. While popular heroes enjoy a wealth of options, others are being left behind.
The Punisher's Plight While characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine are swimming in new skins, The Punisher is lagging far behind. In fact, he's the only character from the game's initial launch in December 2024 who hasn't received a single new skin since then. Astonishingly, he only has one more skin than Emma Frost, a character who was added to the roster much later. Every other launch character has gotten at least one post-launch skin, making The Punisher's situation particularly noticeable. He hasn't even been in any of the battle passes after Season 0.
A Popular Character Overlooked? It's not as if The Punisher is an obscure or unpopular character. As a well-known antihero from the Marvel Universe, he even had his own Netflix series. Furthermore, his appearance in *Daredevil: Born Again* officially makes him part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which could potentially pave the way for an MCU-inspired skin. Several other characters, including Captain America, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, and Black Widow, have already received MCU skins, raising hopes that Frank Castle might be next in line.
Even though The Winter Soldier is no longer part of the team, The Punisher still benefits from Rocket's Ammo Overload ability. One possible explanation for the lack of skins could be the simplicity of his design. He's typically depicted as a muscular, dark-haired man in a skull t-shirt, which might not offer as much room for variation compared to characters like Spider-Man or Wolverine. However, this doesn't fully excuse the situation, especially since *Marvel Rivals* has created original designs for other characters, such as Cloak and Dagger, who have three game-original skins.
The Reliable Shooter Character Despite the lack of cosmetic love, The Punisher is a frequently played character, largely due to his straightforward and effective abilities. His simple kit makes him a reliable duelist in almost any situation, and he's seen significant use alongside Rocket after the latter received buffs in Season 2. He excels at taking down flying characters, dealing with tanks using his shotgun, and controlling points with his turret. He's also an excellent choice for players new to hero shooters but familiar with traditional shooter mechanics.
What Could Be An outfit based on a prehistoric version of The Punisher, or a skin featuring a gritty trench coat, are just a couple of possibilities that NetEase could explore. Yet, The Punisher remains the only character without a post-launch skin, a title he probably isn't too thrilled about. His recent inclusion in the MCU might change things, but for now, Frank Castle will have to stick with his signature skull t-shirt. It seems *Marvel Rivals* isn't treating all its characters equally, and The Punisher is bearing the brunt of that imbalance.