My Hero Ultra Rumble Season 17 Enters Final Stretch Before Season 18 Launch

The battle royale arena is about to undergo a massive shift. Bandai Namco's hit free-to-play brawler, My Hero Ultra Rumble, is officially in the final days of its highly competitive Season 17.

According to the game's official release schedule, Season 17 will officially conclude on July 29, 2026 [1]. For players furiously grinding through the ranked tiers, this is the "Last Stretch." The developers have taken to the official My Hero UR social feeds to remind players to finish their Pro Licenses [1]. Once the servers go down for maintenance on the 29th, all of the limited-time cosmetics and banners associated with the current season will be vaulted, making way for the immediate launch of Season 18 [1].

Before the new content drops, here is a look back at the meta-defining champion of Season 17 and exactly who is stepping into the arena next.

Mirko Season 17 | The Year of the Rabbit

Season 17 was entirely defined by the highly anticipated arrival of Mirko (The Rabbit Hero).

Added to the roster as a high-mobility, aggressive strike-focused character, Mirko completely shifted the pace of standard engagements. Because she excels at darting around the battlefield with rabbit-like agility, her kit allows players to rapidly close the distance on ranged attackers.

Her primary Quirk Skills heavily lean into her physical brawling style:

• Luna Strike (Quirk Skill α): A flying kick that triggers a massive shockwave upon hitting an opponent or obstacle, sending Mirko into a large aerial flip for instant repositioning.
• Luna Arc (Quirk Skill β): A spinning leap that transitions directly into a devastating dropkick.
• Luna Crescent (Quirk Skill γ): A crescent-shaped vacuum wave generated by a spinning kick, which is highly effective at canceling out enemy projectiles.

If you haven't unlocked Mirko's "Final Battle" Hero Costume, the next few days are your final opportunity to roll for it before the seasonal reset.

My Hero Ultra Rumble July 2026 | Quick Patch Grid

For a quick overview of where the game stands:

• Current Season: Season 17 (Ending July 29, 2026)
• S17 Featured Character: Mirko (Strike-focused, high mobility)
• Next Season: Season 18 (Launching July 29, 2026)
• S18 Confirmed Character: Gentle Criminal (Revealed via Web Puzzle)
• Current Status: "Last Stretch" , Final days to finish Pro Licenses

Gentle Criminal Season 18 | Theatrical Villainy Arrives

While Mirko brought raw, physical aggression to the game, Season 18 is preparing to introduce a touch of theatrical villainy.

Rather than dropping a standard trailer out of nowhere, Bandai Namco launched an incredibly clever "Puzzle Challenge" on the official My Hero Ultra Rumble website. By solving a series of riddles (with the answers being HERO, ONCE, TRUTH, DREAM, and PRIDE), players unlocked a secret digital door. The final answer behind the door? GENTLE.

The puzzle officially confirmed that Gentle Criminal will be the headline character joining the roster in Season 18 [2]. Dataminers had previously spotted shifts in the game's code moving his character data to the forefront, but the puzzle serves as his official confirmation. Fans can expect his elastic air-trampoline Quirk to introduce wild new vertical mobility and defensive utility to team compositions.

Season 18 is also expected to bring fresh Quirk Skill Sets (Battle Styles), major map adjustments, and brand-new character skins. Make sure your Pro License is maxed out, because the arena changes forever on July 29.

Why This Matters: The Gentle Criminal reveal signals Bandai Namco's commitment to expanding the villain roster with characters who bring unique mechanical twists rather than straightforward brawlers. His elastic Quirk could fundamentally change how vertical space is contested in Ultra Rumble, forcing a meta shift away from ground-based engagements. For the My Hero Ultra Rumble hub, this marks the third major content season in 2026, demonstrating the game's staying power as a live-service title.

For more on the state of the game, check out our coverage of Season 16 featuring Star and Stripe and the Cluster Bakugo skill set breakdown.