Marvel Rivals, the upcoming superhero team-based game developed in Unreal Engine 5, has been officially announced for PlayStation 4 release on September 12, 2025. While this news might excite PS4 owners, many fans and gamers are questioning if this is actually a good idea. Let’s break it down.
Unreal Engine 5 vs PS4 Hardware
Marvel Rivals is built using Unreal Engine 5, a graphics engine designed for next-gen performance. The PS4, released in 2013, is now over a decade old. Pushing such advanced visuals and mechanics on aging hardware could lead to:
- Downgraded graphics
- Long loading times
- Frame rate drops
- Potential system overheating issues
This concern isn’t new—we’ve already seen similar problems with games like Mortal Kombat 1 and the Batman Arkham Trilogy when ported to the Nintendo Switch. Fans worry Marvel Rivals might suffer the same fate on PS4.
Why Only PS4 and Not Other Old Consoles?
Another strange part of this decision is that Marvel Rivals is only being ported to PS4—not Xbox One or Nintendo Switch. This raises questions:
- Why prioritize one old-gen console over others?
- Is Sony pushing for one last boost to PS4’s player base?
- Or is this simply a business decision to capture the largest old-gen audience still active?
The Case for Moving On
Let’s be realistic: it’s 2025. The PS5 has already outsold the PS4 in active players, and rumors of a PS6 release in the near future are already circulating. Many gamers argue that developers should focus entirely on next-gen systems rather than holding games back for old hardware.
Supporting outdated consoles can limit the game’s true potential, forcing developers to scale down visuals, mechanics, and overall performance just to make it playable on weaker systems.
If you own a PS4, you’ll technically be able to play Marvel Rivals this September. But don’t expect the full next-gen experience. If history repeats itself, the game could end up looking and performing far worse compared to its PS5 and PC versions.
For those planning to stick with PS4—just be prepared. As fans are joking, “one Doctor Strange portal is all it’ll take for your PS4 to explode.” 😅
Marvel Rivals is shaping up to be an exciting multiplayer experience, but the PS4 release might be its biggest gamble yet.
