Marvel Zombies: Marvel Rivals Marvel Zombies Map

The setup you need to know

Marvel Zombies is a PvE survival mode played in waves. Zombies chase every surviving player, and a wave ends once all of them are down and any bonus objective for that wave is done. Clearing waves earns Moon Power, which you spend on Khonshu's Blessings in the short break before the next wave. If the whole squad gathers at the rally point the next wave starts early; when the break runs out, anyone still elsewhere is pulled to the rally point automatically.

You win by clearing every wave and taking down the Queen of the Dead, the boss of the last one.

Playing alone, one death ends the run. In a group, a downed player gets back up after 10 seconds, and the run only fails when the whole team is down at the same time. A Holy Ankh brings you back on the spot: you get 3 for each day you log in during the event, and a pack of 10 costs 100 Units.

The mode consists of nine phases or levels with two major boss fights: zombified Namor and zombified Scarlet Witch (the Queen of the Dead).

There are seven difficulty tiers (Normal to Nightmare IV), each with first-time clear rewards and higher Moon Power gains.

Playing the mode properly (general survival)

Stick together. Zombies prioritize attacking the closest target, and if your team spreads out, you all get surrounded individually. Cluster around your tank or Blade and let them clear the horde.

Focus elite zombies and bosses first. Threat Priority: focus elite zombies and bosses first. Regular zombies are just chip damage, but elites can one-shot squishies and bosses end runs.

Use hit-and-run tactics on higher tiers. Higher tiers especially demand hit-and-run play. Standing still on Nightmare IV means death. Always be moving while attacking.

Save your Holy Ankhs for emergencies. Don't waste them on early waves where teammates can revive you. Hold them for boss fights where a wipe ends the run.

Playing the mode properly (between waves)

Spend Moon Power wisely. Khonshu's Blessings are stackable temporary buffs (damage, health, cooldowns) or hero-specific power-ups.

Balance blessings between damage and survivability. Don't dump everything into damage if you're getting one-shot. Adapt to what's killing you.

Coordinate role assignment. Assign clear roles (Tank, DPS, Support) and plan Khonshu's Blessings to complement each build. Your tank takes survivability blessings, your DPS take damage blessings, and your support takes utility blessings.

Rally up fast. The rally point system starts the next wave early if everyone gathers. Use this to control pacing. Rally early if you're prepared, or use the timer to grab health packs and reposition if you're not ready.

Playing the mode properly (boss fights)

The final boss is Zombie Scarlet Witch. This is a dastardly difficult fight if your team hasn't optimized their stats and upgrades, as Wanda can wipe your squad with her "Reality Erasure." Failure to stop this mode causes a game over, sending you back to the very beginning.

For Scarlet Witch specifically, watch for her Reality Erasure cast. Stop the cast or get out of range, or your team wipes. There's no easy save once the ability lands.

For Zombie Namor (the mid-game boss), expect water-based mechanics. Spread out to avoid AoE attacks but stay close enough to revive each other.

Communicate constantly during boss mechanics. Always protect downed allies and revive strategically. Don't try to solo a boss while your team is down. Revive first, then re-engage.

Map-specific tips for Midtown

The map's tight street layout becomes more dangerous in horde combat. Avoid getting cornered in alleyways where you can't escape a swarm. Use the verticality. Climb onto cars, dumpsters, or low rooftops to gain temporary breathing room from melee zombies.

Watch for ambushes in interior spaces. The Grand Central Terminal section especially has multiple corridors where zombies can pour in from unexpected angles.

The Recursive Destruction mechanic from base Midtown isn't a major factor here. The zombie mode focuses on horde combat rather than environmental destruction, so cover matters less than positioning.

General things that matter

This was a limited-time event mode. It ran from October 23, 2025 to January 16, 2026 (multiple extensions). It is not currently in the standard rotation, so you can only revisit it if NetEase brings it back as a future event or makes it permanently available.

There are permanent upgrades that persist across runs, unlocking traits and ability variants that reward consistent play. So even if the mode returns, your progress from the original event may still carry over.

Marvel Rivals Zombies gives players an extra boost in Battle Pass XP as well as extra units as rewards. You get more rewards if you pick harder difficulties like Nightmare I to IV. If you're grinding the Battle Pass, harder difficulties give better XP gains.

For casual players, it's chaotic fun with explosive abilities and non-stop action. For veterans, it's a skill test with long-term unlocks and team synergy challenges.

Don't expect competitive PvP balance. The five heroes have modified kits specifically for this mode, so don't try to apply PvP knowledge here. Blade in PvP is very different from Blade in Zombies mode.

PS4 users are locked out. If you're playing on PS4, this mode was not available due to performance limitations. PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S worked fine.

Last thing: this was Marvel Rivals' first PvE experiment, and it was generally well-received. If the mode returns or expands, expect different bosses, maps, and hero pools in future iterations. Don't memorize Zombie Scarlet Witch's mechanics expecting to use them again. The dev team has hinted at evolving the PvE concept, so the next Zombies-style event may use a totally different ruleset.