Who Is La Reina: The Crowd Magnet?
La Reina, nicknamed The Crowd Magnet, is the latest fighter joining Rivals of Aether II as a free post-launch character on January 6, 2026, for PC via Steam. She originally began life as a hugely popular community Workshop character in the first Rivals of Aether, and Aether Studios has now promoted her into the official sequel roster thanks to sustained fan demand.
She is styled as a flamboyant luchadora-style wrestler who treats every match like a live show, complete with theatrical poses, hard-hitting slams, and a metal folding chair that quickly became her visual trademark in the reveal trailer. The dev team describes her whole persona as “magnetic” – hence the subtitle – designed to grab attention the second she walks on screen and keep the spotlight firmly on her from round start to KO.
Release Date, Platform, and Price
Aether Studios confirmed that La Reina will arrive as the fifth free character update for Rivals of Aether II on January 6, 2026. Like previous DLC additions, she will be available at no extra cost for all players who own the game on PC via Steam, fitting into the studio’s long-term plan of supporting Rivals II as a live platform fighter with regular free content drops.
The character was first shown publicly during the EVO 2026 announcement show, then immediately followed by an official character trailer titled La Reina: The Crowd Magnet on Aether Studios’ YouTube channel and social feeds. That timing effectively tied her reveal to the wider 2026 fighting game calendar, giving Rivals II a moment in the spotlight during one of the community’s busiest news windows.
Playstyle and Moveset Flavor
La Reina’s game plan centers on big-body grappler energy blended with Rivals of Aether’s fast, platform-fighter movement. In the reveal trailer and follow-up dev stream, you can see her using a mix of:
- Heavy command slams and throws that send opponents bouncing off platforms.
- A signature steel chair that functions as both a projectile and a stage-control tool, letting her threaten space even when she’s not right next to you.
- Flashy elbow drops, running strikes, and taunt-like animations that sell the “showwoman” angle as much as the raw damage.
During the “La Reina in the Making” developer stream, the designers talked about iterating on her Workshop origins – keeping the personality and core ideas fans loved while tightening up her kit to fit Rivals II’s more competitive pacing and balance standards. They specifically called out the chair as something they wanted to feel powerful but not oppressive, acting as a flexible zoning and setup tool rather than a single, dominant gimmick.
From Workshop Favorite to Official Roster
One of the coolest angles to La Reina’s addition is her journey from community creation to canon fighter. In Rivals of Aether 1, she was a fan-made Workshop character who quickly built a following thanks to her pro-wrestling flair, expressive animations, and crowd-pleasing moves. According to dev commentary, she consistently ranked near the top of internal team polls when staff were voting on which Workshop concepts they most wanted to see “graduated” into the sequel.
That popularity put her on a shortlist of community-born fighters that Aether Studios seriously evaluated for Rivals II. The team then spent extended time reworking her visuals, cleaning up animations, and adjusting her element and lore hooks so she would mesh cleanly with the official Rivals universe. The end result is a character that still feels like the La Reina fans remember, just sharpened, polished, and integrated at the same level of quality as the base roster.
Lucha Flair, Crowd Control, and Event Tie-Ins
La Reina isn’t arriving alone. Alongside her, Aether Studios is rolling out a January event with a clear lucha-wrestling theme that includes new stage skins and cosmetics for existing characters. Community breakdowns of the trailer point out a new Godai stage skin and themed variants for fighters like Ranno, Kragg, and Galvan, creating a mini seasonal package that makes La Reina’s debut feel like a full-on show rather than a lone DLC drop.
Her tagline, “The battle is my stage,” sums up how the team wants players to think about her: a performer as much as a competitor. Between the entrance swagger, crowd-popping chair spots, and the way her jabs, walks, and taunts ooze personality, La Reina is clearly designed to be a clip factory – the kind of character who generates highlight reels and social media buzz even when you lose the set.
Quick Reference Table
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Game | Rivals of Aether II (PC via Steam) |
| Character Name | La Reina: The Crowd Magnet |
| Release Date | January 6, 2026 |
| Price | Free character update (5th free DLC fighter) |
| Archetype | Lucha-inspired grappler with chair-based stage control |
| Origin | Fan-favorite Workshop character from Rivals of Aether 1, promoted to official roster in Rivals II |
FAQs
Which game is La Reina from?
La Reina: The Crowd Magnet is a playable character in Rivals of Aether II, Aether Studios’ platform fighting game currently available on PC via Steam.
When does La Reina release?
She joins the Rivals of Aether II roster as a free update on January 6, 2026, as part of the game’s fifth post-launch character drop.
How much does she cost?
La Reina is completely free DLC for all Rivals of Aether II owners, continuing Aether Studios’ approach of adding new fighters at no extra charge to keep the player base unified.
What is her playstyle like?
She plays like a showy, wrestling-inspired bruiser with big slams, command grabs, and a signature steel chair that works as both a projectile and a space-control tool. Her kit leans into explosive, crowd-pleasing moments more than delicate zoning or keepaway.
Was La Reina always an official character?
No. She started as a Workshop character in the first Rivals of Aether and became a fan favorite before Aether Studios decided to rework and promote her into the official Rivals II roster.
Is there any special event tied to her launch?
Yes. Community posts and the trailer tease a January event with a lucha theme, including a new Godai stage skin and themed skins for several existing characters like Ranno, Kragg, and Galvan.
Where can I watch the reveal trailer?
The official character trailer, titled La Reina: The Crowd Magnet | Official Character Trailer, is available on Aether Studios’ YouTube channel and was first shown during the EVO lineup announcement show.
Conclusion
La Reina is exactly the kind of addition that keeps a platform fighter feeling fresh a year after launch – a fan-favorite concept polished into an official character, delivered for free, and wrapped in a themed event that celebrates her over-the-top personality. If you like grapplers, wrestling aesthetics, or just characters who turn every match into a spectacle, January 6, 2026, looks like the perfect time to hop back into Rivals of Aether II and let The Crowd Magnet steal the show.