Marvel Puzzle Quest’s Next Big Feature: 6 Star Characters [FAQ Added]

S0kun
S0kun ADMINISTRATORS Posts: 1,041 Chairperson of the Boards
edited 10 October 2025, 23:13 in MPQ General Discussion

For over a decade, Marvel Puzzle Quest has thrilled fans by combining match-3 puzzles with the excitement of collecting iconic Marvel characters. It’s been 10 years since the game introduced its first 5-Star character, Silver Surfer (Skyrider), and from that initial release, the game has added over 80 5-Star characters, each bringing new abilities, synergies, and strategies for players to master. Now, the game is taking gameplay to a whole new level with 6-Star Characters that will redefine the battlefield by introducing even more powerful abilities, deeper team-building strategies, and fresh ways to experience the thrill of Marvel Puzzle Quest.

Gameplay and Collection

Also known as “Cosmic” characters in their debut to MPQ, 6-Star Characters are a new, higher rarity that not only raise the power level for players to reach but also introduce unique mechanics that change the way the game plays. They’re more than just stronger versions of existing heroes—imagine abilities that reshape the match-3 board, team synergies that impact your entire roster, and events designed specifically for 6-Star teams.

In addition to gameplay changes, 6-Star Characters bring fresh opportunities for collection. Players will encounter exclusive events, special challenges, and rare rewards that make building a 6-Star roster an exciting new goal. Initially, these characters will focus on extremely powerful or iconic Marvel figures, setting a high benchmark for the rarity. Over time, we’ll expand our horizons to include other characters, keeping the roster dynamic and exciting.

6-Star Competitive Battlefield at SCL 10

Part of the design changes for 6-Star Characters involves a new competitive shift at SCL 10. This level will serve as their arena, giving players a dedicated battlefield to test their ultimate heroes. The SCL 10 environment will allow for strategic experimentation, high-stakes matchups, and leaderboard-defining gameplay. 6-Stars can be used in all events, except where specific restrictions on rarities or affiliations apply, giving players flexibility while highlighting their strength in competitive settings.

Release Cadence

Timelines for 6-Star releases are still being finalized, but the current plan is for the first 3 to release on a roughly monthly basis to get a full team started. At that point, they are likely to replace an equivalent 4-Star release approximately every 3–4 months. We are finalizing the best way to integrate the two tiers of characters into the rotation, but 6-Stars are designed to complement the existing structure, offering both progression and challenge for players across all levels.

Looking Ahead

6-Star Characters are a major step forward for Marvel Puzzle Quest. As post-Unity roadmap developments ramp up, players can expect many more exciting features and updates designed to deepen gameplay, expand collections, and enhance the competitive landscape. With this new rarity, players will experience larger-than-life characters, game-changing mechanics, and a fresh level of challenge that pushes the boundaries of Marvel Puzzle Quest. The stage is set for players to chase the ultimate heroes and build teams that redefine what it means to dominate the board.

We’re thrilled to introduce these fresh new features and can’t wait to start sharing more about the exciting updates and innovations we have in the works! There’s plenty more for players to explore, strategize with, and enjoy so please stay tuned for our next update that will discuss what we’ve got planned for the roadmap ahead!

F.A.Q.

Now that Galactus has finally arrived as our first 6-star character, here are a few common questions that we've seen since his launch.

1. How do we get 6-star character shards or covers?
Beyond their higher rarity, 6-star characters in MPQ are designed to be true chase characters—powerful additions to a roster that aren’t meant to be easily obtained. Because new 6-stars will release every three to four months, the timeline to collect covers will generally follow that same pace. Players can expect to acquire their first cover within about a month of a character’s debut, depending on participation and event performance.

While this may seem challenging given that 6-star acquisition is currently shard-based, there will be multiple ways to earn those shards over time, including leaderboard rewards, targeted offers, and high-level PVE content in SCL 9 and 10. In addition, while character specific shards are available, 6-stars will focus more on wild card shards to provide a more custom path toward unlocking and progressing 6-star characters of the player’s choice.

2. Will we be able to ascend existing characters into 6-star?
At present, we do not have any plans to enable 5 Star ascension of characters. While the Champions 2.0 system currently allows players to ascend characters up through the existing rarities (up to 5-star), 6-stars was never a part of its original design since this tier of characters are literally meant to stand on their own space.

3. What is the release cadence of 6-star characters?
After the initial rollout, 6-star characters are planned to release roughly every three to four months. To establish the new 6-star meta and gather early feedback, the first three 6-stars will launch more quickly—about one per month. This faster start allows players to explore team synergies and gives the developers time to fine-tune balance and design before settling into the long-term schedule.

Once those first releases are out, the cadence will slow to a steady rhythm of one 6-star every three to four months, with each new 6-star taking the slot normally reserved for a 4-star in the release calendar.

4. How will 6-star content (PVE, SCL, etc.) scale?
With the release of 6-Stars, we’re revising the way that SCLs scale overall. The current SCLs 2 and 4 are going away, and the others are shifting downwards to make room at the top for a “new” SCL 9 and 10. So the old SCL 10 will be SCL 8 after this change.

Difficulty-wise, we’re intending SCL9 to be the challenging battle that players with strong rosters will face in order to battle for 6-Star Shards. SCL10 will have enhanced rewards, but ideally, you’ll need 6-Stars in your roster to really push hard on this difficulty.

In regards to rewards, players can expect increased rewards for playing in SCL9 and 10 when compared to 8, just as other SCLs increase. This is in addition to the 6-Star shards that are only available through SCL9+. In addition, we’ve also added additional rewards to ALL SCLs as you move up; Higher SCLs used to stop getting 2 and 3 star characters which made sense before Champions 2.0. Now though, those lower rarity covers still have value, and it feels bad to lose out on them by “upgrading” your difficulty level. So that’s no longer the case. Once you’re earning a tier of covers, you’ll continue to earn that tier. We’ve also opened up the overall tiers as well, providing more rewards to more players. Top placement rewards are now given to 1-5 instead of the top 1-2, and reward tiers have shifted upwards as well, so placing “lower” will give better rewards overall. No more slipping to 501+ on a leaderboard and being rewarded simply by a handful of Iso and a disapproving frown.

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Comments

  • SuperCarrot
    SuperCarrot Posts: 297 Mover and Shaker

    This was such a profound statement that needed days of work to really nail. Glad they got it in one and really assuaged feelings. Whew, what a relief.

  • fnedude
    fnedude Posts: 413 Mover and Shaker

    I for one, like the release "cadence" to be what you've listed so the 6*s don't overwhelm the existing system.

  • KGB
    KGB Posts: 3,896 Chairperson of the Boards

    @fnedude said:
    I for one, like the release "cadence" to be what you've listed so the 6*s don't overwhelm the existing system.

    Not sure it's going to work as you imagine. We get 3 really fast (1 month gap so 3 by the end of 2 months). At that point if they are as good as we think, those will be the ONLY 3 used for a very long time (several months) before the next one is released. That may well stagnate things if they are so good that 5s aren't needed.

    KGB

  • GrimSkald
    GrimSkald Posts: 2,749 Chairperson of the Boards

    Yeah, that post didn't say much that wasn't extremely general, did it? Honestly, I think we may need to think outside the box for these characters. I think they may well come with completely new mechanics (maybe they won't be tied to colors in the same way the lower tiers are?) and probably are going to have more varied powers than 5★. Honestly, I think they're going to be less powerful than we're all expecting. I feel fairly certain that at launch they will not be boosted (maybe they'll get a "new character boost?" Maybe not.) Nor, as a tier, we won't see them boosted for some time. So they probably won't have more raw power than a boosted 5★, they'll probably be more diverse and have more of the passives.

    Just my take, anyway. I also think we won't see ascension to 6★ in the near future, most likely it will be a "special tier." Maybe after it fills out a bit, but I think that will be more than months down the line.

  • NMANOZ1
    NMANOZ1 Posts: 171 Tile Toppler

    It didn't answer the 1 question I have. Can we ascend characters to 6 stars?

  • SuperCarrot
    SuperCarrot Posts: 297 Mover and Shaker

    I also want to know what they mean by “high-stakes”. We going to the races?

  • Floater
    Floater Posts: 23 Just Dropped In

    Just my take, anyway. I also think we won't see ascension to 6★ in the near future, most likely it will be a "special tier." Maybe after it fills out a bit, but I think that will be more than months down the line.

    Maybe it will be reserved for true 5* 550s.

  • SuperCarrot
    SuperCarrot Posts: 297 Mover and Shaker
    edited 1 October 2025, 01:11

    @toecutter3095 said:
    The best piece of info they could provide to help make this anniversary a spending success would be an answer to the question about whether there will be a new token/currency for getting 6-stars. Without knowing this detail, many players are likely to sit on their hoards rather than spending big with resources that might be desirable/needed when 6-stars drop.

    I’m sure they know that. I’m also fairly positive they weren’t that clear on purpose.

  • toecutter3095
    toecutter3095 Posts: 103 Tile Toppler

    Oh for sure, they definitely would know that already. But I'd be surprised if being vague and withholding that information is going to result in players spending big on anniversary, and then cracking open their wallets to spend big on 6-stars in the event they've used up all their resources. The bean counters can hope for that, but it would be a pipe dream.

  • entrailbucket
    entrailbucket Posts: 7,377 Chairperson of the Boards

    Oh boy

    "imagine abilities that reshape the match-3 board, team synergies that impact your entire roster"

    I guess we'll see. This does not inspire confidence.

  • SuperCarrot
    SuperCarrot Posts: 297 Mover and Shaker

    @toecutter3095 said:
    Oh for sure, they definitely would know that already. But I'd be surprised if being vague and withholding that information is going to result in players spending big on anniversary, and then cracking open their wallets to spend big on 6-stars in the event they've used up all their resources. The bean counters can hope for that, but it would be a pipe dream.

    Agreed. I think they want you to at least look at the new toys. If they told you the plans you might just go ahead and walk away, without taking it for a test drive.

  • TriSentinel
    TriSentinel Posts: 152 Tile Toppler

    This is what happens when your editor is ChatGPT.

  • Hammer3001
    Hammer3001 Posts: 264 Mover and Shaker

    Cosmic Characters!

    Eternity
    Infinity
    The Living Tribunal
    Death
    The Beyonder
    Galactus

  • WilliamK1983
    WilliamK1983 Posts: 1,300 Chairperson of the Boards

    I can picture my pvp experience already...did the 6 stars or supports just kick my ****?

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