Marvel Contest of Champions Launches Alliance War Season 61

• Marvel Contest of Champions Alliance War Season 61 is almost here.
• The pre-season is currently live, with the main season starting on the first of the month.
• New ban lists feature Thanos and Mister Sinister, alongside two new gameplay tactics that raise the stakes.

For Marvel fans, the past few years have been a rollercoaster. While the MCU's momentum has slowed somewhat, major successes like Marvel Rivals have emerged, and several top-tier mobile games remain hugely popular—not least Kabam's enduring hit, Marvel Contest of Champions.

The battle continues with the arrival of Alliance War Season 61, introducing a brand-new tactical focus. This season's primary tactic is Defense, heavily centered on non-damaging debuffs, making encounters more about endurance and resilience.

Champions such as High Evolutionary, M.O.D.O.K., Mister Negative, and Stryfe will gain significant advantages from this new defensive approach. The Wrath defensive tactic allows you to accumulate Rage debuffs; at seven stacks, it grants the defender an Unstoppable passive. Meanwhile, attackers with the Forbearance tag can knock down defenders to earn an Endurance passive, helping to counter these abilities.

Strategic Shifts

These new tactics are part of a broader effort to streamline the strategic landscape in Contest of Champions. Of course, given the game's complexity, the new season also brings an updated ban list to consider when assembling your team.

You can cross-reference our continually updated Marvel Contest of Champions tier list, but be warned: if you're a fan of Mister Sinister or Deathless Thanos, they've been added to the ban list this season. On the bright side, many more champions are now eligible, including Thunderbolt favorites Yelena Belova and Baron Zemo (at least based on their comic book versions).

Season 61 begins on October 1st. To prepare, why not grab some free boosts to get a competitive edge? Check out our list of Marvel Contest of Champions codes for the latest rewards.