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Marvel Rivals Season 8.5 just dropped, and NetEase is rewarding players with a fully free Epic Groot skin — no purchases required. The Groot Ironwood Serpent costume is up for grabs through the new Shenloong Tournament event, and I’ve got everything you need to claim it before it’s gone.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Skin Name | Groot – Ironwood Serpent |
| Rarity | Epic |
| Event | Shenloong Tournament |
| Cost | Free (earn via missions) |
| Event Period | June 12 – July 10, 2026 (UTC) |
| Total Rewards | 12 (all free) |
The Groot Ironwood Serpent skin is unlocked through the Shenloong Tournament event, which launched alongside Season 8.5 on June 12, 2026. Here’s the exact process:
There is no premium pass or paid tier — every single reward in this event is free. Just play matches and knock out the event missions before July 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC.
Pro Tip: The skin is inspired by Xuanwu, the Black Tortoise of Chinese mythology — one of the coolest thematic designs Groot has received yet.
The event has 12 total rewards, all unlockable for free. Here’s the complete list:
| Tier | Reward | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Nameplate | Nameplate |
| 2 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Animated Spray | Spray |
| 3 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Emote | Emote |
| 4 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Emoji Bundle | Emoji |
| 5 | Cyclops Spray | Spray |
| 6 | Gallery Card | Gallery Card |
| 7 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Mood Bundle | Mood |
| 8 | Gallery Card | Gallery Card |
| 9 | Galacta Spray | Spray |
| 10 | Apocalypse Gallery Card | Gallery Card |
| 11 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” MVP Animation | MVP |
| 12 | Groot “Ironwood Serpent” Costume ⭐ | Skin |
The costume unlocks at Tier 12, so keep grinding those missions daily for the best progress rate.
The Shenloong Tournament is a free event introduced in Marvel Rivals Season 8.5. It’s tied to the new K’un-Lun: Shenloong Arena — the brand-new map for the 18v18 Bounty Annihilation game mode. Unlike a paid event pass, this is a purely mission-based event where participating in matches earns you progression toward all 12 rewards.
It’s the first event of Season 8.5 and runs until July 10, giving players just under a month to complete all tiers. There are no paid tiers, no premium currency required — just your time and match participation.
Note: The 18v18 Shenloong Arena map is temporarily unavailable on Xbox Series S due to performance limitations.
Yes, it is 100% free. You unlock it by reaching Tier 12 of the Shenloong Tournament event, which requires completing in-game event missions — no purchase needed.
The event runs from June 12 to July 10, 2026 (9:00 AM UTC). Make sure to complete all missions before it ends.
The event is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. However, the new 18v18 map tied to the event is temporarily unavailable on Xbox Series S.
No — once the event ends on July 10, the skin will no longer be available through the Shenloong Tournament. It may later appear in the store for purchase, but for now it’s exclusive to the free event.
Season 8.5 also includes the Rivals’ Summer Festival 2026 (starting June 18), new Twitch Drops featuring the Storm – Will of Galacta costume, and the 616 Day Vault sale with returning limited-time skins.
