Marvel Rivals Season 3 Empire of Eternal Night launches — new heroes, new mode, ranked reset

Season 3 is here

Marvel Rivals Season 3 "Empire of Eternal Night" launched this weekend, and it's the most ambitious season yet. Two new heroes, a new 6v6 mode, a new map, and the seasonal ranked reset that restarts every player's climb.

New heroes: Doctor Doom and Clea

The headline additions are the two new heroes that anchor the season's storyline.

Doctor Doom (Vanguard, 6'4" Latverian monarch):

• Passive: Doom gains shield equal to 15% of damage taken by allies within 12 meters.
• Tactical (Latverian Might): A short-range ground slam that knocks back enemies and applies a slow.
• Ultimate (Doom's Edict): A 6-second buff that increases Doom's damage output and gives him a dash on every ability use.

Doom is the most "tank-vanguard" character in the game. His kit rewards staying in the fight and using the shield generation to soak damage for the team. He's a hard hero to learn — the timing on his ultimate matters — but a dominant pick at high rank.

Clea (Duelist, Sorcerer Supreme apprentice):

• Passive: Clea generates spell energy on hit. At max energy, her next ability is enhanced.
• Tactical (Flickering Step): A short-range blink that deals damage at the destination.
• Ultimate (Flames of the Faltine): A 4-second burn channel that locks Clea in place but deals massive area damage.

Clea is the highest-skill-ceiling duelist in the game. Her kit rewards precise aim and ability chaining. Low-rank players will struggle with her, but at high rank she's a top-tier pick.

New mode: Doom's Domain (6v6)

The new mode is a 6v6 objective mode with a unique respawn mechanic. Each team has 6 players and a single objective to defend or attack. The respawn timer scales with how many teammates are alive — the more teammates dead, the longer you wait.

The mode is designed to feel like the "Doom dimension" storyline from the comics. The map is a dark version of Latveria with floating platforms and vertical combat.

The new mode isn't a permanent addition to the ranked rotation, but it will be a featured mode in Quick Play for the full season. Expect it to be a major part of the community discussion for the first month.

New map: Castle Doom

A 5v5 control map set in Doctor Doom's castle. The map is asymmetric — attackers spawn in a teleportation chamber, defenders have a fixed spawn in the throne room. The map is the new "first" map for new players in the tutorial, replacing the previous default.

Ranked reset

The seasonal reset hits the usual targets: Gold and above players will see the biggest swings in their first 5-10 games. The new season has a new ranked reward track, which means the season pass you earned last season doesn't carry over.

For competitive players, the smart play is to grind the placement games early in the season while the lobbies are most volatile. Climbing against players still finding their new rank is the easiest path to a season-high.

What to queue first

• If you main Vanguard: Doctor Doom. The kit is a perfect fit for the role.
• If you main Duelist: Clea. High skill ceiling but very rewarding.
• If you want the new mode first: Doom's Domain. It's a 6v6, so the queue is faster.
• If you only play ranked: Wait for the new mode to settle into the rotation. Ranked is still 5v5 control with the old map pool.

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Read the Marvel Rivals review for the long take, or check our Overwatch 2 hero database for comparison.