# Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 updates > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/marvel-gaming-developments-insomniacs-future-plans-and-marvel-rivals-update > Updated: 2026-08-04T16:22:50.000Z. Sources: 65. Developments: 12. Following the May 7 2026 Season 7.5 patch, NetEase rolled out Season 8 (May 15) with Devil Dinosaur, Cyclops, and the Alchemax map, then Season 8.5 (June 12) added Cyclops as a Duelist, the 18‑v‑18 Bounty Annihilation mode, and a summer festival. Early July saw the controversial Captain America “Seaside Sentinel” swimsuit skin and a leaked Jubilee variant. Season 9 launched on July 10, introducing Jubilee as a Strategist, a Black Widow rework, the Egyptian map Thebes, and the Path to Doomsday co‑op mode; The Hood, voiced by WWE star Damian Priest, joined as a Vanguard in early August. Season 9.5 debuted on August 7, confirming The Hood’s Vanguard status, adding a new map (released July 24), the Path to Doomsday PvE mode (July 31), balance tweaks, fresh cosmetics, and a hint of X‑Man Dazzler. The update also brought Swimsuit Special skins, customizable Lady Loki animations, the return of the Krakoan Reels mini‑game in Summer Festival Vol. 2, and major storage optimizations that cut PC install size by up to 40 GB and console sizes by about 15 GB without affecting visual quality. The August 7 2026 launch, titled “The Mystery of Thebes,” confirms The Hood’s ability to shift between human and demonic forms and features WWE superstar Damian Priest as his voice. The storage optimisation relies on texture compression, so the initial download is larger but the final footprint is reduced by roughly 40 GB on PC and 15 GB on consoles. A second wave of Swimsuit Special skins arrives, and the patch will be released worldwide via Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox platforms. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-04: Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 Adds The Hood and Reduces Install Size by Up to 40 GB Season 9.5 of Marvel Rivals arrives Aug 7, adding The Hood (voiced by Damian Priest) and new skins, while a texture‑compression overhaul shrinks the install by up to 40 GB on PC and 15 GB on consoles. 20 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-season-9-introduces-the-hood-as-new-vanguard ### 2026-07-20: Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 Introduces The Hood and New Content Marvel Rivals' Season 9.5 arrives Aug 7, 2026 with new hero The Hood, balance changes, new map, cosmetics, PvE mode, and a leaked hint about Dazzler. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-season-95-introduces-the-hood-and-new-content ### 2026-07-10: Marvel Rivals adds The Hood, voiced by WWE star Damian Priest Marvel Rivals Season 9 adds The Hood, voiced by WWE’s Damian Priest, and introduces Jubilee with firework‑based healing and damage abilities. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-adds-the-hood-voiced-by-wwe-star-damian-priest ### 2026-07-07: Marvel Rivals Season 9 launches July 10 with new hero Jubilee and major updates Marvel Rivals Season 9 arrives July 10, adding hero Jubilee, a Black Widow rework, a full team‑up overhaul, new map Thebes, the Path to Doomsday mode and Los Angeles esports finals. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-adds-jubilee-and-the-hood-for-season-9-launch ### 2026-07-04: Marvel Rivals Nerfs Controversial Captain America Skin After Viral Outcry Marvel Rivals released a revealing Captain America summer skin on July 2, 2026; after viral backlash over its exaggerated bulge, NetEase quietly reduced the model within days, prompting debate over censorship, 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-captain-america-swimsuit-outfit-triggers-fan-outcry ### 2026-07-04: Marvel Rivals announces Jubilee skin leak and controversial Captain America July‑4 costume Marvel Rivals hints at a new Jubilee skin for Season 9 and draws attention with a controversial July‑4 Captain America swimsuit design, which artist Rob Liefeld says mirrors his infamous 1996 illustration. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-announces-jubilee-skin-leak-and-controversial-captain-america-july4-costume ### 2026-07-03: Marvel Rivals launches Captain America swimsuit skin for July 4 event Marvel Rivals adds a revealing “Seaside Sentinel” Captain America swimsuit skin for July 4, featuring a duck‑shield mankini, alongside similar beach outfits for other heroes. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-launches-captain-america-swimsuit-skin-for-july-4-event ### 2026-06-18: Marvel Rivals rolls out Season 8.5 summer festival and Twitch drops Marvel Rivals' Season 8.5 adds a summer beach festival with new swimsuit skins, a social hub and limited‑time events, while a Twitch drops campaign offers Storm cosmetics for 240 minutes of viewing. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-adds-summer-festival-and-twitch-drop-rewards ### 2026-06-10: Marvel Rivals launches Season 8.5 with Cyclops and new 18‑v‑18 mode Marvel Rivals released Season 8.5 on June 12, adding Cyclops, a new 18‑v‑18 Bounty Annihilation mode, new map and summer events, while leaks hint at future heroes such as Doctor Doom and Nightcrawler. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-launches-season-85-with-cyclops-and-new-18v18-mode ### 2026-06-09: Marvel Rivals introduces Cyclops hero and 18v18 Bounty Annihilation mode Marvel Rivals Season 8.5 (June 12) adds Cyclops as a Duelist, launches 18v18 Bounty Annihilation mode, summer skins and festival, and delays Doomsday phases to July and October. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-introduces-cyclops-hero-and-18v18-bounty-annihilation-mode ### 2026-05-13: Marvel Rivals Season 8 adds Cyclops and Devil Dinosaur Marvel Rivals Season 8 launches May 15, adding Cyclops and Devil Dinosaur with a new Alchemax map and storyline. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-season-8-adds-cyclops-and-devil-dinosaur ### 2026-05-07: Marvel Rivals update adds Winter Soldier and Venom skins, fixes bugs Marvel Rivals' May 7 update adds Winter Soldier and Venom skins and patches several gameplay bugs. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/marvel-rivals-update-adds-winter-soldier-and-venom-skins-fixes-bugs --- Cite as: Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 updates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/marvel-gaming-developments-insomniacs-future-plans-and-marvel-rivals-update