Is Loki permanently removed from Marvel Rivals?

No. Loki has simply disappeared from the character select screen and visible menus, but remains fully playable in competitive mode. It's a deliberate decision by NetEase to build its teasing around Gorr.

Who else risks disappearing with Gorr's arrival?

Gorr kills gods in the comics and Thor: Love and Thunder, which puts all divine characters on the roster at risk. Thor is the logical next target, but Hela, Angela and even Storm (called a goddess in the comics) could also be targeted.

Is this really a marketing campaign or a bug?

It's 100% intentional. Posts from Dexerto carry the "paid partnership" tag confirming the promotional operation, and insider mmmmmmmmiller was among the first to relay the news as part of the campaign.

When does Loki come back?

No date has been announced. NetEase may even use this tactic to manage roster inflation by symbolically killing a few heroes each season.

Marvel Rivals: Loki disappears from the roster, Gorr is on his way

Loki has disappeared from Marvel Rivals's selection screen. In his place: a grey "Missing" poster written in Asgardian font. No bug, no permanent removal: NetEase is orchestrating a marketing stunt ahead of Gorr the God Butcher's arrival in season 10, this Friday.

The scheme was relayed by accounts such as insider mmmmmmmmiller, with a Dexerto post marked "paid partnership" confirming the promotional operation. No one official has yet confirmed that Gorr is joining the roster, but the message is clear: the god-killer went after Loki first.

Why it matters

Gorr is designed to exterminate deities, as backed up by the comics and the film Thor: Love and Thunder. On a roster as packed with divine characters as Rivals's, this opens up a real guessing game. Thor, Loki's brother, appears to be the next logical target. Hela, Angela, or even Storm - nicknamed goddess in the comics and who literally shouts "Feel the wrath of the goddess" on her ultimate - could follow.

A reassuring detail for competitors: Loki remains playable in competitive mode despite his disappearance elsewhere. NetEase thus avoids penalizing serious players while building up its teasing. No return date has been announced, and there's no guarantee he'll come back before Gorr's official release.

This disappearance mainly speaks volumes about how NetEase manages the constant inflation of its cast - symbolically killing off a few heroes to make room, while perhaps waiting for a Thanos who would come and wipe everything away with a snap of his fingers.