So you’ve jumped into Marvel Rivals and noticed other players throwing out emotes during matches. These character animations are pretty useful – they help you communicate with teammates, celebrate victories, or just add some personality to your gameplay.
Let’s go through everything you need to know about emotes, from the basic controls to getting new ones for your favorite heroes.
How to Use Emotes in Marvel Rivals?
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals (via NetEase, screenshot by GameTechAnime)
Using emotes in Marvel Rivals is straightforward. If you’re playing on PC, just hold the T key to bring up the emote wheel. For controller players, press and hold the left D-pad button instead. Once the wheel appears, move your mouse or right analog stick to select the emote you want to use. Let go of the button, and your character will perform the selected emote.
Don’t like the default controls? You can change them in the settings menu. Head to Settings, then look for the Communication section under either Keyboard or Controller options, depending on your setup.
Image Credit: Marvel Rivals (via NetEase, screenshot by GameTechAnime)
Every hero in Marvel Rivals starts with a default emote, but you might want to switch things up with new ones. Here’s how to equip different emotes:
Go to the Heroes tab in the main menu
Select the hero you want to customize
Click on the Cosmetics section
Choose the Emotes tab
Click Equip on the emote you want to use
Place it in your preferred slot on the emote wheel
Remember that emotes are hero-specific, so you’ll need to repeat this process for each character you play. There’s no way to set universal emotes across all heroes.
How to Get Emotes in Marvel Rivals?
There are several ways to add new emotes to your collection:
Battle Pass: The most cost-effective way to get new emotes is through the Battle Pass. The Luxury Battle Pass costs about $5 and gives you access to various cosmetics, including emotes. The best part? These rewards don’t expire, so you can unlock them at your own pace.
Store Bundles: You can buy character bundles in the store that include emotes along with other cosmetics like costumes and sprays. These bundles usually cost between 1,800 to 2,600 Units (the blue in-game currency) or can be purchased with Lattice (the premium currency).
Twitch Drops: Keep an eye out for Twitch Drop events. For example, in December 2024, players can unlock Magneto’s Cosmic Collapse emote by watching two hours of eligible Marvel Rivals streams. These are usually time-limited offers, so check the official channels to stay updated on current drops.
Daily Missions and Currency: To unlock more emotes, you’ll need in-game currency. Complete daily missions for the fastest way to earn currency – these are usually simple tasks like upvoting other players or winning matches. You get three daily mission refreshes if you don’t like your current ones. There are also monthly challenges that take longer to complete but offer bigger rewards. These might require you to play specific heroes or maps, so plan accordingly if you’re saving up for a particular emote bundle.
Take some time to set up your emote wheel for each character you play regularly – it’ll make using them feel more natural during matches. Just remember that your character can’t move while emoting, so maybe save those victory celebrations for after you’ve secured the win.
Kanu is a veteran gaming journalist and industry insider whose work has appeared in prominent outlets including Dexerto and PCInvasion. Drawing from his experience across multiple gaming genres, he brings deep, firsthand knowledge to his coverage of the gaming and entertainment landscape.