Marvel Rivals recently commemorated its first anniversary in style, and it’s keeping the celebrations going with a New Year’s event that’s open to all players. Following in the steps of other live-service titles such as Fortnite, Netease has announced a ball drop mini-event that players can spectate alongside their friends and even strangers.
The event will be held in the Times Square map, meaning the devs are basically digitizing the age-old ball drop tradition associated with the New York landmark. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to join in on the celebrations, here’s everything to know about the Marvel Rivals New Year’s event.
Marvel Rivals New Year Event 2026 Countdown Timer and Ball Drop Timings
The Marvel Rivals New Year’s event will take place on December 31 at 8 PM ET (5 PM PT/1 AM UTC/ 1 AM BST). It’ll remain active until January 1 at 1 AM ET (10 PM PT/ 6 AM UTC/ 6 AM BST), and will repeat at hourly intervals until the expiration time.
It’s unclear exactly what will happen during the event, but you can expect to see a countdown on the central screen of the Times Square map and a ball drop of some sort when the clock hits zero.
What we do know for sure is that the event is being organized by New York’s Mayor and resident Kingpin, Wilson Fisk. Also, Loki’s Ultimate Ability will be disabled during the event since it’s known to cause performance issues.
To help you keep track of the exact timing, here’s a countdown for the Marvel Rivals New Year’s event:
Marvel Rivals New Year’s Event Rewards
The only reward in the Marvel Rivals New Year’s Event is the aptly named ‘New Year 2026’ title. So, if you want the bragging rights of having attended the game’s first New Year’s celebration, then this exclusive title offers precisely that. To get it, just jump into the Times Square map and attend the ball drop once the mini-event goes live. You’ll receive the title via an in-game email.
And that wraps up everything you need to know about the Marvel Rivals New Year’s event. Will you be attending the ball drop? Let us know in the comments.
When does the Marvel Rivals New Year event go live?
The Marvel Rivals New Year’s event will kick off on December 31 at 8 PM ET.
How long will the New Year’s event remain active?
The New Year’s ball drop will remain active until January 1 at 1 AM ET.
