Is Marvel Rivals Appropriate for Kids?

By Andrea Nelson
January 9, 2025
Marvel Rivals gameplay screenshot

A video game where you can play as your favorite Marvel character is a dream come true for fans of the Marvel universe. Since it was released in early December, Marvel Rivals has taken the gaming world by storm. Your child might want to play the game because it features their favorite superhero, but is Marvel Rivals appropriate for kids? Here’s what we found. 

What is Marvel Rivals?

Marvel Rivals is a 3rd-person shooter video game where players can choose from a lineup of 33 characters from the Marvel universe. Players join teams of six and face up against another team to see who can be the first to accomplish an assigned task. The game is available for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gaming systems.

Marvel Rivals age rating

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) gives Marvel Rivals a rating of T for Teen. 

For many games, the ESRB puts a rating summary and content descriptor on their website to give insight into their decision. Because every family has different values and concerns that they take into consideration when making content decisions for their child, this additional information is helpful. 

However, as of the writing of this article, the ESRB has yet to post anything for Marvel Rivals. The game is so new that Common Sense Media, a solid go-to for parents looking for in-depth media information for their child, hasn’t reviewed the game yet, either. 

The closest comparison to Marvel Rivals is Overwatch, which is similar in game mechanics and content. Common Sense Media rates Overwatch as ideal for players 14+.

Language in Marvel Rivals

Keeping with the historically tame language from Marvel (although they’ve pushed boundaries more in recent years), there isn’t any questionable language to speak of in Rivals. The closest is Rocket Raccoon’s use of “flerken” in place of the F-word. 

Is there sex and nudity in Marvel Rivals?

There’s no sex in Marvel Rivals. While some female characters wear costumes that reveal their cleavage or backsides, it’s nothing to raise an eyebrow over (unless you’re ultra-conservative in that regard). 

Safety considerations for Marvel Rivals

The biggest concern parents need to be aware is that Marvel Rivals is a team game, played online, often against strangers. Like many things that require working together, people can get quite heated at each other, and the chat can become downright toxic. 

This is compounded by the fact that voice chat is the default in the game, so your child could easily end up with a full-grown adult berating them through their screen. (There’s also a text chat option.) 

Luckily, you can turn off both voice and text chat. In this case, a player is still able to use preset “pings” to alert their teammates when they need help. For an added layer of protection, your child can avoid playing with strangers altogether and use practice mode against AI players. 

Is there violence in Marvel Rivals?

As one might expect from a game based on superheroes, there’s quite a bit of violence in Marvel Rivals. However, the violence is cartoonish and void of blood and gore. A few characters have intense, realistic-looking guns, which may give parents pause. However, there are also plenty of characters your child can choose from who use things like slingshots, fists, or non-weapon abilities to fight. 

Although killing is a big part of the game, it’s also not the main point. The team’s primary goal is to accomplish an objective, such as pushing a vehicle across a map or defending a specific zone. Also, when characters are “killed,” they just run out of health, fall over, and then respawn indefinitely. 

How to decide if Marvel Rivals is appropriate for your kid

When deciding if Marvel Rivals is appropriate for your child, the easy answer would be to follow the ESRB rating and wait until they’re 13. However, a closer examination reveals a more nuanced choice. 

With measures such as turning off chat, requiring your child to stay in practice mode against AI, and monitoring their play, the game can be a fine choice for a mature tween or older elementary-age kid. It’s helpful to draw a comparison to PG-13 movies. PG-13 doesn’t mean a movie is never appropriate for any child under thirteen. Instead, it suggests parental guidance is advised if younger children do watch it. The same can be said for Marvel Rivals. 

While it’s not a great choice to let your child loose on the game by themselves with no restrictions, parental involvement mitigates many of the concerns. 

Final thoughts

Marvel Rivals is a 3rd-person shooter game played with teams made up of Marvel characters. While there are some elements that raise concerns for kids, parents can take steps to make play safer for their child. 

BrightCanary can help you supervise your child’s online activity. While it doesn’t cover gaming platforms, the app’s advanced technology scans your child’s social media, Google, YouTube, and messages so you can keep an eye on what media they’re consuming online — like video game playthroughs on YouTube and conversations with the friends they game with. Download today to start your free trial. 

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