NetEase Games rolled out its Season 1 mid-season update for Marvel Rivals last week, and with it has come a reign of terror from the hero shooter’s growing list of flying heroes.

Fans of the popular competitive multiplayer game hopped in to check out the update after it went live Friday, February 21. It came with headlines such as new characters The Thing and Human Torch, alongside a new Central Park map, an army of balance tweaks, and more to keep fans of the Marvel spinoff game entertained while work on Season 2 continues. Players have found plenty to love so far, but for every change the community welcomes, there is one thing hogging all of the attention: the sky.

Marvel Rivals matches for players of all skill levels have been plagued with flying heroes, specifically the likes of Iron Man, Storm, and Human Torch, since the update went live a few days ago. Characters previously seen as minor aerial annoyances have graduated into all-around menaces thanks to a few new key elements. The emergence of a legion of aerial hero experts is far from enough to break the experience, but it has seen players diverting their attention from objectives as they work to deal with this new trend.

There’s one obvious culprit behind the community’s newfound fear of flying heroes: Human Torch. As with any major content drop, new heroes are going to attract attention from those looking to try out new content for themselves. Marvel Rivals’ mid-season update adds a whopping two new heroes into the mix, so it’s no surprise to see one of each on either team in both casual and competitive modes. In the case of Fantastic Four’s Johnny Storm, that means almost always having to worry about one friendly and one enemy Human Torch for every match. It’s a lot on its own, but Marvel Rivals has more than just one hothead to worry about.

Last week’s update also introduced buffs to the already popular Iron Man and his Unibeam ability. These are nothing to scoff at, as NetEase moved to increase its damage from 120/s to 140/s, while also pumping up its Armor Overdrive damage by 10/s. Iron Man lives in the air regardless of map choice, and with buffs enticing players to hop into matches as Tony Stark more often, it’s leaving those on the ground with no choice but to counter-pick or start praying.

Storm, meanwhile, was hit with several small nerfs to her kit but remains a secret weapon for players with the skill to effectively use her in battle. She’s been slowly crawling her way up Marvel Rivals’ Hero Hot List following balance tweaks earlier in Season 1, meaning players are still being pulled in by the X-Men hero’s weather-based abilities.

In theory, your average 12v12 Marvel Rivals game could have all three of these heroes pop up on both teams, giving players six flying characters to watch out for. Toss in those with flying abilities like Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange as well as high mobility names like Spider-Man and matches can quickly become a nightmare for anyone unable to land their shots. It’s making for an especially brutal time for melee heroes like Wolverine as they do their best to find opportunities to sneak in a few swings. Those who favor Marvel Rivals’ Strategist support role are running into their own issues as they aim at their teammates in need of healing.

As NetEase continues to roll out more updates and playable heroes from across Marvel canon, the balance between the land and sky will surely shift. Still, players are looking for new strategies to combat their fear of flying characters, including picking hit-scan heroes like Punisher and Hela. Another thing keeping fans grounded during these trying times are copious amounts of memes about their struggles.

A team of melee heroes fighting off a horde of flying heroes pic.twitter.com/X9xo8rIhjy

— Lucas Evan Fryman (@LucasFryman) February 22, 2025

pic.twitter.com/qe8QvwoeXC

— MarvelPlays (@PlaysMarvel) February 22, 2025

Why is no one talking abt how hard it is as a support to heal them😭 esp with sue… maybe we buff her range soon😭🙏

— Su 🤍 🇹🇷 (@marieannfred1) February 22, 2025

Marvel Rivals launched in December and instantely became a huge hit for Marvel and NetEase. Last week, we learned about why its success almost never came to be. We also spoke with the indie developer behind a handmade Doctor Octopus concept that was good enough to win over thousands of fans. For more on Marvel Rivals, you can read up on recent NetEase layoffs that impacted members of its Seattle team.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).