Do you need PS Plus to play Marvel Rivals? Benefits and reasons explained

Ever since its release Marvel Rivals has managed to gather a massive player base on PlayStation 5 consoles, thanks to its free-to-play model and intuitive controls that pull fans into the popular hero shooter. With a pool of 37 Marvel characters, including Season 1 additions like the Fantastic Four, the game includes destructible maps like Yggsgard and team-up skills like Hulk bolstering Iron Man’s armor, resulting in dramatic superhero showdowns.

The game is powered by Unreal Engine 5, and it runs at 1440p/60fps, with a 120fps mode and PS5 Pro support pushing visuals close to 4K. Furthermore, the game currently stands tall among the top 10 titles on the PS Store and supports crossplay with platforms like Xbox and PC. With its rich online features and PlayStation benefits, one question remains for PS5 owners — do you need PS Plus to play Marvel Rivals? We’ve got the answer for you right here.

Is a PlayStation Plus subscription needed to play Marvel Rivals online?

The answer is No, you do not need a PS Plus subscription to play Marvel Rivals on a PlayStation 5 console. Since the game is free-to-play, it supports free online connectivity between your console and the game’s servers for a user to play it.

The official Marvel Rivals PSN store page shows a free game that you can simply add to your library and an Online Play is required. Which means all your PS5 needs is an internet connection and a DualSense controller to play with.

This accessibility allows everyone to enjoy the game without having to shell out any money to have access to it. Due to this free-to-play model, the game has taken over giants like Overwatch 2 on console to quickly become a fan-favorite, especially on PlayStation, largely in part thanks to the benefits players get.

PlayStation exclusive benefits in Marvel Rivals

PlayStation players and PS Plus subscribers get free cosmetic benefits if they play Marvel Rivals on their PS5 console. If you’ve launched Rivals on a PS5 console and have played the game, you’ll automatically be granted the free Scarlet Spider costume for Spider-Man. You can also head to the Rivals add-on page on the PS Store to claim the skin for free.

However, if you’re a PS Plus subscriber, you’ll be able to claim a free Marvel Rivals Season 0 Bundle in the PS Store add-ons which includes the following items:

• Peni Parker VEN#m: Costume
• Peni Parker VEN#m: MVP
• Peni Parker VEN#m: Spray
• Peni Parker VEN#m: Nameplate
• 300 Chrono Tokens

Simply head over to the PS Plus bonuses in your subscription and click on Add To Library to claim the cosmetic items for absolutely free. If you’re looking for more free Marvel Rivals items, check out how to get a free Groot skin in the game.