Apparently, according to information provided by the insider leaks, the Emma Frost Hellfire Protocol skin shall be the next update in the Marvel Rivals skins series. The leak further alleges that Emma Frost emojis might also be released as a complement for the skin since it appears to be the only cosmetic item hitting the shops this week. And that little bit of rumor has since set off a very vibrant debate within the Marvel Rivals community, whose opinions range from excitement to disappointment for both the design of the skin and the course change in content release.
What, then, is this Hellfire Protocol skin? From the leaked image, it looks to be another variant of Emma Frost’s core taste with that tailcoat design which seems to be almost a running motif in her cosmetic designs. To be honest? The community is quite divided over this one. Some say finally “An Emma skin for the collection,” while the rest ask why NetEase keeps giving her the same silhouette but with different color schemes?
This reply reaction says the whole story. Player Cđđ€ commented, “Can they make a cute skin of her and one that doesnât have a yellow wigâŠ.” Fair point? Maxx, on the other hand, demands, “I want Emma with no tailcoats and her classic outfit or a business suit from the comics with a little more style like Hela!!!” He’s so true; indeed, there are many voices in the comments saying the tailcoats are becoming repetitive.”[source]
And what was I saying? Oh yeah: The big debate seems to be on the schedule changes. Players such as Carol Crave and Jeff are complaining about the change from two skins per week now to one (Carol Crave inquired specifically, “Why are we not getting two skins a week anymoreâŠ.. I donât like this direction”), and here begins a whole thread debating if that is permanent or just temporary post last week’s five skins drop.
Then there are debates on quality. ChickenNugLover called it “Lame skin so sad” while Valkyrjra begged the developers: “Make her hair flat not curled please god” â apparently, hair options are yet another point of controversY. Saakaar70 opined, “They need to up their hairstyle designs, it’s ain’t the 60s bruh every skin she’s had it’s made her look like she belongs in 60s Hollywood,” which gave me a chuckle, but he had a point.
Then there’s confusion around the skin’s rarity. Creed_Eleven started off by asking if it was legendary or epic, saying that her release skin was epic. Then Vengeance said, “Danny confirmed its legendary,” thereby settling that question but opening another: if it’s legendary, why does it look so similar to her existing skins? Ishadowlove said: “I think its an epic one..since it has the coattails like her default skin. Although if it is legendary damn they cant give her a dress for shit huh”â this is a real struggle, folks!
For a moment one has to talk about those emojis. SkaVorah commented with tears of laughter, “They need to slow down with the emojis I fear.” This statement was so ironic but true, right? Like, who in the world needs that many emojis? Then again, another user, Death_UchihaX, chimed in, “I’ve been wanting to buy an Emma skin since I have none. I only have the Twitch drop skin for her;” so some players are rather looking forward to more options.
Body type-wise, things went downhill. Sonyaformk1 asked, “Why they make Emma Frost fat?” to which zgrztrk660 retorted, “She ain’t fat. Her body is perfect. Feminine af.” So that’s a thing. Meanwhile, cmarc057 predicted, “It’s going to have that fuck ass tailcoat isn’t it đ @zingodude please give us a caped skin.” The thirst for variation is real.
What is interesting is how this one skin leak exposed so many ongoing discussions within the Marvel Rivals community. From complaints about the release schedule to repetitive designs to arguments about hairstyles – the players have strong opinions about how they want their favorites to be represented. Another point to watch will be how slowing down the skin releases by NetEase will impact player engagement and satisfaction going forward.
Some like HoEx07 had their eyes set on other characters already, commenting, “Stilll waiting for the legendary adam skin,” followed by a crying emoji – so the demand for variety extends beyond just Emma Frost, obviously. The PlayStation and Xbox platforms both host the Marvel Rivals cosmetic ecosystem, which seems to be at a bit of a crossroads, wanting both quantity AND quality, which is always the tricky balance for live service games.
The hellfire protocol will probably be appreciated by the Emma Frost mains who just want more options, even if it’s not the radical redesign that some players were hoping for. The new emojis may make it even more attractive to collectors, and one has to wonder if the single-skin release week is just a temporary thing rather than a permanent change. How NetEase decides to answer to the community feedback is yet to be seen, but there is one thing that all Marvel Rivals players agree upon: They really care about their cosmetics, and they’re not shy about expecting changes on what they want to see in the coming updates.
