Highlights

  • MultiVersus saw initial success but lacked updates, leading to a planned relaunch with significant changes to core gameplay.
  • Despite criticism of presentation, the free-to-play team-based game gained attention, but pressure from completed titles hurt its longevity.
  • Larger character models in the game's return suggest a focus on improved animation and a more cinematic fighting experience.

An open beta which lasted for about a year after its Summer 2022 release initially had record-high player counts and a promising level of hype, but the progressive lack of updates MultiVersus received ultimately caused interest to wane. Some players may not even have realized that this was due to the game merely being an unfinished build which was always intended to be relaunched from the start, but the recent reveal of MultiVersus' official release date made it clear that developer Player First Games has been focused on making several important changes to the core of this Warner Bros. fighter.

While some agreed that MultiVersus' presentation and art style did not feel the most polished or distinct when it came to the challenge of uniting its disparate crossover cast, the overall fun nature of its team-based gameplay and free-to-play price point led to a massive launch that gained the attention of the platform fighter community. These shortcomings might make sense when considering that this was just a beta in retrospect, but the reality of existing in the same market as other fully-completed titles eventually put pressure on MultiVersus that it couldn't withstand without continuous updates. Now that it's set to return for a full release, however, there's one major difference in the look of the game's characters that seems to emphasize a heavier feeling to combat.

MultiVersus Gizmo
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MultiVersus' Relaunch Reveal Showed Off Larger Character Models

Fans Are Confused Over Character Sizes in MultiVersus

March's developer update unveiled changes aside from the general visual upgrade of moving over to Unreal Engine 5, as several fans were quick to notice that fighters such as Shaggy and Garnet now appear noticeably larger when compared to before. Giving a taller height to someone like Shaggy in MultiVersus naturally fits his depictions in Scooby-Doo, as he now towers over characters like Rick whose height used to be similar, but there are other examples that don't necessarily follow the same logic.

It's clear that some of the more stylized animated characters have also received a size increase, making it apparent that this is a change across the board. MultiVersus' Finn the Human and Steven Universe both seem to be closer to the size of fighters who used to appear bigger than these child characters, confusing some fans who found their original scales more accurate. In response to fan comments on the matter, the game's community manager confirmed the change on Twitter:

The Larger Size of its Fighters Accompanies an Overall Improvement to Multiversus' Animation

When other clear visual changes are considered alongside increasing the scale of some fighters, it seems that MultiVersus has been geared towards a more fluid and cinematic presentation. Transitioning to the technology of Unreal Engine 5 was a major element of focus within its recent developer update, and the adjustments that have come alongside this appear to go beyond better lighting alone. As some fans have noted, there appear to be more frames and detail to many animations, along with a greater sense of impact to attacks which was previously lacking.

There have been similar comments from fans regarding what seems to be a slower speed to the combat shown off in the game's most recent showcase, an unexpected change in what has always been perceived as a fast-paced experience. With the potential for a stronger feeling of weight which could make for more satisfying gameplay, it's possible that MultiVersus' relaunch increasing the size of its fighters ahead of launch represents a commitment to building an experience that visually reflects the true power of its diverse cast.