Wade Wilson is finally here. Honestly, the wait for Deadpool felt longer than a line at the DMV, but Marvel Rivals Season 6: Night at the Museum has officially dropped. This isn't just another small tweak; we are looking at a massive shift in how the game feels, especially if you’ve been leaning on certain Strategists to carry your rank.
NetEase is clearly trying to shake the "safe" meta. The latest Marvel Rivals patch notes for January 16, 2026, show a developer team that isn't afraid to kill darlings. They’ve deleted popular Team-Ups, turned a single hero into a triple-threat role-swapper, and finally gave Hulk the respect he deserves.
The Merc with a Mouth (and Three Roles)
Deadpool is the star of the show. Period. Unlike every other hero who is locked into a specific job, Wade is a hybrid. He can swap between Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist roles mid-match. It sounds broken because, well, it kind of is on paper.
If your team is dying, he can swap to Strategist and start throwing out heals. If the frontline is crumbling, he bulks up as a Vanguard. He’s got the katanas, the quips, and a healing factor that makes him a nightmare to pin down. To keep him from being a total "must-pick," his stats are slightly lower than dedicated role specialists, but that flexibility is a game-changer.
✨ Don't miss: Stygian Stones Diablo 4: What Most Players Get Wrong About Farming
He also brings a new Team-Up called Mr. Pool’s Interdimensional Toy Box. If you have a Jeff the Land Shark on your team, Jeff gets a "Cuddle Buddy" ability. Meanwhile, Deadpool gets a flat buff depending on his current role: +50 Health for Vanguard, +5% Damage for Duelist, or +5% Healing for Strategist. It’s a lot to track.
The Big Winners: Vanguards and Brawlers
If you play Hulk, you’re eating good today. For a long time, Hulk felt like a big, green target. Not anymore. The January 16 update gives Hero Hulk a massive cooldown reduction on Gamma Burst (down to 6 seconds) and a damage bump to 75.
Even better? Monster Hulk is now immune to launch and knockback effects. You can’t just boop him off a ledge or displacement him out of a fight anymore. He is a literal wall.
🔗 Read more: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Great Fairy Requests Explained Simply
- Doctor Strange: His Cloak of Levitation is way more responsive. You can now cancel it mid-use to preserve your speed and change direction instantly.
- Black Panther: Wakanda is up. His Spear Toss damage moved from 45 to 50, and he now gets a 50% Damage Reduction during the startup of his Ultimate. No more getting deleted while you’re mid-pose.
- Iron Fist: His fourth strike in the Jeet Kune Do combo now hits for 35 damage, and his Dragon’s Defense lasts slightly longer. It’s a small buff, but it makes his rhythm feel much more forgiving.
The Nerf Hammer: Why Strategists are Crying
Let’s be real: Strategists have been dominating the solo queue. NetEase noticed. The Marvel Rivals patch notes specifically target the "un-killable" support meta that’s been plagueing the higher tiers.
Invisible Woman took the hardest hit. Her Guardian Shield value dropped from 250 to 200, and she heals herself for half as much as she used to. You actually have to play for cover now instead of just standing in the open with your bubble.
Gambit also got slapped. His healing output from the "Big Easy Impact" explosions was gutted from 25 per pop to 15. His Ultimate healing also dropped significantly. He’s still a great hybrid, but he’s no longer a main-healer substitute.
💡 You might also like: Master Chief Face Halo 4: Why That Legendary Reveal Still Hits Different
Then there’s the speed. Rocket Raccoon is slower during his Wild Crawl—moving at 8m/s instead of 10m/s. It’s just enough of a difference that a focused Duelist can actually catch him.
Team-Up Casualties
This part hurts. NetEase is "retiring" certain Team-Ups to keep the game from getting stagnant. The Ever-Burning Bond between Human Torch and Spider-Man is officially gone. No more fiery webs.
Peni Parker also lost her connection with Rocket Raccoon, meaning she no longer gets that extra spider-nest armor. Instead, she now teams up with Spider-Man for the Parker Power-Up, which gives Spidey a Sticky Spider-Bomb and gives Peni a flat 50 HP boost. It’s a shift from defensive utility to pure aggression.
What’s Happening with the Maps?
The Museum of Contemplation map isn’t live just yet—mark your calendars for January 29 for that one. However, the update did something controversial: it yeeted Resource Rumble out of the Quick Match rotation.
The devs say it’s being reworked for an 18v18 mode later this year. For now, it’s gone. In its place, we got a new Photo Mode in Times Square and a 1v1 duel system coming later this month where you can actually pay Units to have your fight broadcast on the big screens in the map. It’s flashy, unnecessary, and perfectly Marvel.
Actionable Tips for Season 6
The meta is in flux. If you want to climb in the first week of the new patch, you need to change your habits.
- Stop diving Hulk alone. Seriously. With his new knockback immunity in Monster form, he will simply sit on you and win the trade. Wait for your Strategist to debuff him first.
- Abuse the new Spider-Man/Peni Team-Up. The Spider-Bomb is incredibly sticky and deals enough burst to one-shot most Strategists if you follow up with a basic combo.
- Check your Proficiency. All that mastery you’ve been grinding? It’s been converted into the new leveling system. Go to the Hero menu and claim your rewards—there are a ton of free Units and animated avatars waiting for you.
- Practice the Deadpool role-swap. Don't just stay in Duelist. If you see your support getting dove by a Blade, swap to Vanguard mode instantly. The extra health pool can bait the enemy into a bad commitment.
The January 16 update feels like the start of "Year 2" for the game. It’s faster, the supports are more vulnerable, and the tanks finally feel like they can lead a charge. Grab the update, jump into the Whac-A-Jeff event for that free 8-bit skin, and get used to seeing Wade Wilson in every single lobby.