Blizzard Welcomes Marvel Rivals, Acknowledges Unique Competition in Overwatch 2

From the moment it was unveiled, Marvel Rivals has drawn inevitable comparisons to Overwatch. At a glance, Marvel Rivals bears a striking resemblance to Blizzard's game. While Marvel Rivals features Marvel heroes and villains as its playable characters, it shares with Overwatch the essence of being a competitive multiplayer hero shooter, complete with similar mechanics and gameplay systems. Both Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 are free-to-play, operate as live services, and rely on the introduction of new characters to keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.

Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has experienced explosive growth in popularity, which some speculate 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 a significant portion of its player base.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller addressed the new competitive landscape Blizzard faces with Marvel Rivals now 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 remarked.

Overwatch 2 Perks

4 Images

Contrary to what one might expect, Keller found the situation "exciting" and praised Marvel Rivals for taking ideas established by Overwatch in a "different direction." However, he acknowledged that Marvel Rivals' success 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. The roadmap includes expected new content, but the core gameplay will undergo a major transformation, featuring the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes. These changes are anticipated to potentially reignite interest in the game.

It's been nearly nine years since the original 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 reached its lowest point since Overwatch 2's launch on the platform in 2023, with a peak of 37,046 players over the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals continues to thrive, maintaining its position as a top 10 most-played game on Steam, with a peak of 310,287 concurrent players over 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, primarily due to backlash over its monetization model. Blizzard faced heavy criticism for converting its premium predecessor into a free-to-play sequel, making the original Overwatch unplayable in 2022. Overwatch 2 has also faced several 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, including the developer's stance on datamining and speculation about a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version, check out IGN's coverage.