NetEase has revealed one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements arriving with Marvel Rivals Season 9.5. While the mid-season update brings a new hero, balance changes, and gameplay adjustments, it will also significantly reduce the game’s installation size across all platforms.
The update launches on August 7 and introduces a new texture compression system designed to free up valuable storage space without sacrificing visual quality.
Major Storage Savings Across All Platforms
As live-service games continue to grow with each update, storage requirements have become an increasing concern for players. According to the developers, Update 9.5 addresses that issue through a complete overhaul of the game’s texture compression technology.
The new system will substantially reduce the final installation size while maintaining the same visual fidelity players expect.
Expected storage savings include:
- PC: Approximately 40 GB smaller install size
- PlayStation: Around 15 GB saved
- Xbox: Around 15 GB saved
Although the update itself will be larger than usual because existing game files are being repackaged, the completed installation will occupy considerably less space once the process is finished.
Why the Update Is Larger Than Normal
Players downloading Update 9.5 may notice a much larger patch than previous releases.
This is because NetEase is rebuilding and reorganizing many of the game’s assets as part of the new compression system. After installation is complete, redundant files are removed, leaving players with a significantly smaller game footprint.
The developers have confirmed that the optimization affects storage only and does not reduce texture quality or overall graphical performance.
Season 9.5 Adds The Hood
Storage improvements aren’t the only addition coming in the update.
Season 9.5 also introduces Parker Robbins, better known as The Hood, as a new Vanguard hero.
The Hood combines firearms with dark magic, creating a unique combat style that blends ranged attacks and supernatural abilities. His Ultimate transforms him into a demonic, turret-like form capable of dealing heavy sustained damage across the battlefield.
The new hero joins the roster following the arrival of Jubilee, who debuted earlier during Season 9.
Continued Improvements Behind the Scenes
Alongside new content, NetEase continues refining Marvel Rivals through regular balance patches, technical optimizations, and anti-cheat measures.
The studio has consistently released seasonal updates while also improving the game’s underlying systems. Earlier this year, another large anti-cheat ban wave targeted players using unauthorized software, reinforcing the developers’ commitment to maintaining fair online matches.
Update 9.5 continues that trend by focusing not only on gameplay additions but also on technical improvements that benefit every player.
What This Could Mean for Switch 2
The reduced installation size may also prove beneficial for a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version of Marvel Rivals.
Although NetEase has not officially announced a release for Nintendo’s newest platform, previous comments from Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo suggested that a Switch 2 port was under consideration once development hardware became available.
A significantly smaller game size would make Marvel Rivals easier to accommodate on the console’s internal storage, though no release window has been confirmed.
With Season 9.5 launching on August 7, players can look forward to a leaner installation, a new playable hero, and another round of updates aimed at improving the overall Marvel Rivals experience.
