Call me crazy, but I think Marvel Rivals' latest Deadpool tease might be more than just a joke

Marvel Rivals is gearing up for its sixth season of content, bringing its most anticipated post-launch hero yet to the roster. When Marvel Rivals Season 6 launches on December 6th, it will bring the Merc With a Mouth, who will apparently be voiced by Alejandro Saab as opposed to regular actor Nolan North. Players have already seen him in action against Devil Dinosaur and other Marvel oddballs collected by The Collector, and NetEase's distinct take on his character design – an exaggerated score on his loose-fitting mask and a stylish jacket – has been well received. Despite all the hype and the fact that his release is only seven days away at the time of writing, his role remains unknown. However, the teasers for it have created an interesting possibility.

As the weeks have passed since Deadpool's arrival was announced at The Game Awards, he's been breaking the fourth wall and trolling Marvel Rivals players by switching roles in the hero selection menu and hero gallery. Deadpool started as a duelist before switching to a strategist and vanguard, where his role is now shown as a question mark. The debates about what role Deadpool will fill have been fun, with some even suggesting that he could switch between each role upon death or have a hybrid role all his own. However, that is not the most interesting thing for me. Instead, it's Deadpool's latest fourth wall break, which sees him listed as a map in the game's menus. I'm fully aware that this could be – and most likely is – a NetEase joke, but if it isn't, I wanted to take a chance. I think Deadpool isn't just pretending to be a map, but will actually be one… or at least his mind.

How a Deadpool map for Marvel Rivals Season 6 could work

Motivating a Deadpool map wouldn't be much of a challenge for NetEase. A simple answer would be to say that the characters were randomly thrown into a Deadpool-centric universe, while a more interesting approach could lean into The Collector's hobby. Perhaps his museum contains a powerful device that allows people to enter and explore other people's minds and see things as they do. During Deadpool's fight with Elsa Bloodstone, this device could be triggered, revealing Wade Wilson's inner thoughts and creating a bold new arena in which to play. This kind of thing feels even more possible given how Jeff the Land Shark got a dedicated map for the Winter Splash mode this year, with players having no problem accepting a playground dedicated to the game's mascot.

This kind of concept would be just as interesting for a character like Moon Knight, whose fractured mind could create an amazing map. The goal could be to make a pilgrimage to visit Khonshu, while interacting with Steven Grant and Jake Lockley in the respective spawn rooms could be neat.

As for what this hypothetical Deadpool map could mean, there's plenty of room for fun nods to Deadpool's history. Payload player escorts can be filled with chimichangas, while map locations can host an endless barrage of crazy sights and sounds. Potential points of interest for a Marvel Rivals map highlighting one of Marvel's most unsuspended characters is as follows:

A training room with thinly rendered dummies of Deadpool sparring partners like Cable and Wolverine.
Plushies and balloons of not only Deadpool, but his loved ones from the comics, such as his daughter Ellie, Lady Death, Valentine Vuong, Copycat and Shiklah.
We may have Gwenpool to thank for Jeff the Land Shark, but Deadpool has a deep bond with the cute animal, as shown via the Deadpool Jeff accessory. A shrine to Jeff somewhere on the map would be appropriate.
A costume display featuring Deadpool's various looks over the years, which may tease future skins (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for his gray X-Force outfit).
Unicorns, rainbows and tons of guns everywhere to really sell the Deadpool vibe. Some silly messages left around the map by the man himself would be fun too.
Deadpool Corps as NPCs in the spawn rooms, acting as Spider-Zero in Tokyo 2099.

What a Deadpool map would mean for the other Marvel rivals is teased

If Deadpool is listed as a map in Marvel Rivals is a teaser and not a gag, then that would mean his role change was also hinting at something. Whether he's a hybrid character, switching roles with each life, or is an entirely new role with elements of all the existing categories is anyone's guess, but I'd really love to see Deadpool break the rules instead of just turning out to be the Duelist everyone expects.

While all the trolling on NetEase's part has been fun, even if the studio ends up playing things safe in the end, I'm confident it will shake things up through one of my favorite Marvel characters. Deadpool presents a unique opportunity to go against the grain that will only really be seen again with fellow fourth wall breaker She-Hulk, and even then his unique sense of humor allows for more opportunities for creativity. Hopefully Season 6 takes full advantage of or everything Deadpool has to offer, releasing a Deadpool-themed map alongside the man himself.