From the moment Marvel Rivals was unveiled, comparisons to Overwatch were inevitable. At a glance, Marvel Rivals mirrors Blizzard’s game closely; it utilizes Marvel heroes and villains as playable characters, yet it remains, like Overwatch, a competitive multiplayer hero shooter with strikingly similar mechanics and gameplay systems. Both Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 are free-to-play, monetized as live services, and rely on the introduction of new characters to keep the game fresh and engaging.
Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has seen explosive popularity, and it's speculated that this surge has come at the expense of interest in Overwatch 2. The narrative suggests that Blizzard's game is experiencing a decline as NetEase's Marvel Rivals captures its player base.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller discussed the new competitive landscape Blizzard faces with Marvel Rivals now attracting tens of millions of players.
Overwatch 2 Perks
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"We're obviously in a new competitive landscape that I think, for Overwatch, we've never really been in before, to this extent where there's another game that's so similar to the one that we've created," Keller noted. Contrary to what one might expect, Keller found the situation "exciting" and appreciated how Marvel Rivals took ideas established by Overwatch in a "different direction."
However, Keller acknowledged that Marvel Rivals' success necessitated a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe."
In response, Blizzard has revealed significant changes planned for Overwatch 2 in 2025. While the roadmap includes expected new content, the core gameplay will undergo a major overhaul, introducing hero perks and bringing back loot boxes.
The gaming community will be watching closely to see if these changes can reignite interest in Overwatch 2. It's been nearly nine years since Overwatch debuted in 2016 and two-and-a-half years since the launch of Overwatch 2. Although Blizzard does not disclose Overwatch player numbers, the concurrent player count on Steam has hit an all-time low since Overwatch 2 was launched on the platform in 2023, with a peak of 37,046 players in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals continues to rank among the top 10 most-played games on Steam, boasting a peak of 310,287 concurrent players in the last 24 hours.
Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Overwatch 2 currently holds a 'mostly negative' user review rating on Steam. In August 2023, it even became the worst user-reviewed game on Steam. The bulk of the negative feedback centered around monetization issues following Blizzard's controversial decision to update its premium predecessor into a free-to-play sequel in 2022, which made the original Overwatch unplayable. Overwatch 2 faced further backlash due to several controversies, including the cancellation of its much-anticipated PvE Hero mode—a feature many players felt justified the sequel's existence.
IGN provides extensive coverage on Marvel Rivals, including insights on datamining and discussions about a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version.
