Overwatch 2 Dev Blizzard Welcomes Marvel Rivals Competition, Says It’s Never Faced Another Game ‘So Similar to the One We've Created’

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 utilizing Marvel characters where Overwatch employs its own roster. The core mechanics and gameplay share remarkable resemblance. Both titles are free-to-play, live-service games 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 attracting Overwatch 2 players.

In a recent GamesRadar interview, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller addressed this new competitive landscape, acknowledging the unprecedented challenge posed by a game so similar to Blizzard's creation.

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 conceded that Marvel Rivals' success has prompted a significant shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, declaring, "this is no longer about playing it safe."

This has led to the announcement of sweeping changes for Overwatch 2 in 2025. While the roadmap includes expected new content, the core gameplay will undergo a substantial overhaul, including the introduction of 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 after Overwatch 2's launch, while Blizzard doesn't release player numbers, Steam concurrent player counts show Overwatch 2 at its lowest point since its 2023 release on the platform (a 24-hour peak of 37,046). Conversely, Marvel Rivals maintains a top 10 Steam position, boasting a 24-hour peak of 310,287 concurrent players.

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Overwatch 2 continues to hold a "mostly negative" user review rating on Steam, having briefly achieved the dubious distinction of being Steam's worst-reviewed game 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 anticipated PvE Hero mode, have fueled negative player sentiment.

IGN offers further coverage of Marvel Rivals, including developer commentary on datamining and potential Nintendo Switch 2 development.