Since its reveal, Marvel Rivals has been frequently compared to Overwatch due to their striking similarities. Marvel Rivals, featuring Marvel's iconic heroes and villains, mirrors Overwatch's competitive multiplayer hero shooter format, complete with similar mechanics and gameplay systems. Both games are free-to-play, operate as live services, and rely on introducing new characters to keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has seen explosive popularity, which some speculate has come at the expense of Overwatch 2's player base. The narrative suggests that Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 is experiencing a decline as NetEase's Marvel Rivals captures the attention of millions of players.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller addressed the new competitive landscape, acknowledging the unprecedented challenge posed by Marvel Rivals. "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.
Surprisingly, Keller viewed the situation as "exciting" and appreciated how Marvel Rivals took Overwatch's established ideas in a "different direction." He also admitted that Marvel Rivals' success has prompted a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, emphasizing that "this is no longer about playing it safe."
In response, Blizzard has unveiled ambitious plans for Overwatch 2 in 2025, which include not only new content but also significant changes to the core gameplay. These changes will feature hero perks and the reintroduction of loot boxes, aiming to revitalize interest in the game.
As Overwatch 2 approaches its ninth year since the original game's debut in 2016 and two-and-a-half years since the launch of Overwatch 2, the spotlight is on these upcoming changes. While Blizzard keeps player numbers under wraps, Steam data shows that Overwatch 2's concurrent player peak over the last 24 hours was only 37,046, the lowest since its launch on the platform in 2023. In contrast, Marvel Rivals maintains a strong presence, ranking among the top 10 most-played games on Steam with a concurrent player peak of 310,287 over the same period.
Overwatch 2 continues to struggle with a 'mostly negative' user review rating on Steam. In August 2023, it even became the worst user-reviewed game on the platform, primarily due to backlash over its monetization model. This criticism intensified after Blizzard forced an update that turned the premium original Overwatch into a free-to-play sequel, rendering the original unplayable. Further controversies, such as the cancellation of the much-anticipated PvE Hero mode, have fueled ongoing discontent among players.
For more insights into Marvel Rivals, including developer clarifications on datamining and discussions about a potential Nintendo Switch 2 version, you can check out IGN's coverage.
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