Marvel Rivals, since its unveiling, has drawn inevitable comparisons to Overwatch. Superficially, the similarities are striking: both are competitive multiplayer hero shooters, with Marvel Rivals employing Marvel characters where Overwatch uses its own roster. Both share similar mechanics and gameplay. Both are free-to-play, live-service titles relying on new character additions to maintain player engagement.
Marvel Rivals' explosive popularity since its December launch has fueled speculation about a corresponding decline in Overwatch 2's player base. The prevailing narrative suggests NetEase's Marvel Rivals is actively drawing players away from Blizzard's title.
In a recent GamesRadar interview, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged this new competitive landscape, unprecedented for Overwatch, with Marvel Rivals attracting tens of millions of players.
Overwatch 2's Response
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Keller described the situation as "exciting," praising Marvel Rivals for taking established Overwatch concepts in "a different direction." However, he also admitted Marvel Rivals' success has compelled Blizzard to adopt a more aggressive approach to Overwatch 2, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe."
Consequently, Blizzard announced significant changes for Overwatch 2 in 2025. While the roadmap includes expected new content, core gameplay will undergo a major overhaul, introducing hero perks and the return of loot boxes.
The success of these changes in revitalizing Overwatch 2 remains to be seen. Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch's debut and two and a half years since Overwatch 2's launch, while Blizzard doesn't release player numbers, Steam concurrent player counts are at an all-time low since its 2023 release, peaking at 37,046 in the last 24 hours.
In contrast, Marvel Rivals maintains a top 10 Steam position, with a 24-hour peak of 310,287 concurrent players.
### Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Overwatch 2 continues to hold a "mostly negative" user review rating on Steam, having briefly become the worst-reviewed game on the platform in August 2023. Criticism largely centers on monetization practices following the controversial transition from a premium model to a free-to-play sequel, rendering the original Overwatch unplayable. Further controversies, including the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, have fueled negative player sentiment.
IGN offers further coverage of Marvel Rivals, including developer statements on datamining and the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 release.
