From the moment Marvel Rivals was unveiled, comparisons to Overwatch were inevitable. At first glance, Marvel Rivals shares striking similarities with Blizzard's game. While Marvel Rivals features an array of Marvel heroes and villains as its playable characters, it mirrors Overwatch as a competitive multiplayer hero shooter with comparable mechanics and gameplay systems. Both games are free-to-play, monetized as live services, and rely on the introduction of new characters to keep the experience fresh.
Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has experienced explosive popularity, and it's speculated that this has come at the expense of interest in Overwatch 2. The narrative suggests that Blizzard's game is losing ground 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 now faces, with Marvel Rivals attracting tens of millions of players. "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 stated.
Overwatch 2 Perks
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Despite the competition, Keller found the situation "exciting," and even praised Marvel Rivals for taking ideas established by Overwatch in a "different direction." He admitted that the success of Marvel Rivals has necessitated a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe."
In response, Blizzard has announced significant changes coming to Overwatch 2 in 2025. Alongside expected new content, the core gameplay will undergo a seismic shift, including the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes. The gaming community is keenly watching to see if these changes will 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 publicly, Steam data shows concurrent player numbers at their lowest since Overwatch 2's launch on the platform in 2023, with a 24-hour peak of 37,046 players.
Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals remains in the top 10 most-played games on Steam, boasting a 24-hour peak of 310,287 players.
Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Overwatch 2 continues to hold a 'mostly negative' user review rating on Steam. In August 2023, it became the worst user-reviewed game on the platform, largely due to criticisms of its monetization. Blizzard faced backlash for updating the premium original Overwatch into a free-to-play sequel, rendering the original game unplayable in 2022. Overwatch 2 has also faced multiple controversies, including the cancellation of its highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, which many players believed justified the sequel's existence.
For more on Marvel Rivals, IGN provides additional insights, including the developer's stance on datamining and speculation about a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version.
