The Timestream Entanglement just got a lot more crowded. Marvel Rivals Version 20251127 is live, and while the anniversary rewards are nice, the headline act is the absolute mayhem of the new 18 VS. 18 Annihilation mode. If you thought coordinating ultimates in a 6v6 setting was difficult, try doing it with three times the player count.
This update kicks off the "Rivals' Day 2025" celebration, marking one year since launch. NetEase is leaning heavily into the multiverse lore here—with realities collapsing, it makes sense that battles would scale up from tactical skirmishes to all-out wars. Here is what you need to know about the anniversary patch and how it shifts the game.
18v18: The New Chaos Meta
The new Annihilation Mode drops 36 players onto the Grand Garden map. This isn't just a player count bump; it fundamentally changes how you have to play. In standard 6v6, picks and isolated duels win rounds. In 18v18, individual pick-offs matter less than sustained area denial and massive Team-Up combos.
Expect AoE (Area of Effect) heroes like Storm and Scarlet Witch to see a massive spike in value. When there are 18 targets on the objective, precision aiming takes a backseat to raw damage output. This mode is likely a response to players asking for a more casual, "turn-your-brain-off" arcade experience compared to the sweat-fest of Ranked.
Anniversary Rewards & Season 1 Returns
For the collectors, the biggest news is the return of the Season 1 Battle Pass. From November 27 to December 11, 2025, players can access the original pass content. If you missed out on the launch cosmetics because you were late to the party, this is your second chance. It's a rare move for a live-service game to un-vault a Battle Pass, but it fits the "timestream" theme perfectly.
Phase 1 of the anniversary event also includes:
- Log-in Rewards: Up to 2,500 Units and exclusive emotes.
- Exclusive Title: "Rivals' Day 2025" for participating.
- Black Friday Sale: Running until December 2, offering discounts on bundles.
What hero fixes are in Patch 20251127?
Aside from the festivities, the dev team pushed several critical bug fixes that were affecting competitive integrity. Peni Parker mains will be relieved to see her speed boost restoration, fixing a bug that left her feeling sluggish in engagement transitions.
Other notable fixes include:
- Cloak & Dagger: Resolved an issue where their Ultimate ability wasn't triggering correctly under specific latency conditions.
- Gambit: Fixed a collision error with his cards that caused them to fizzle out on certain terrain geometry.
- Mister Fantastic: Addressed a visual glitch with his stretching animation that made his hitbox misleading to enemies.
The anniversary update is live now on all platforms. If you want to experience the 18v18 chaos, queue up for Annihilation mode before the event phases shift on December 4.