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. Both share comparable mechanics and gameplay systems. Furthermore, 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 addressed this new competitive landscape, acknowledging the unprecedented challenge posed by a game so closely resembling Overwatch.

Overwatch 2's Response

4 Images

Keller described the situation as "exciting," praising Marvel Rivals for taking established Overwatch concepts in "a different direction." However, he also admitted that 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 has announced significant changes for Overwatch 2 in 2025. While the roadmap includes expected new content, core gameplay will undergo a major overhaul, featuring the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

The success of these changes in revitalizing Overwatch 2 remains to be seen. Almost 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 their lowest since the game's 2023 release on the platform (peaking at 37,046 in the last 24 hours). In contrast, Marvel Rivals maintains a top 10 Steam position, with a 310,287 concurrent player peak over the same period.

Overwatch 2 currently holds 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 anticipated PvE Hero mode, have fueled negative player sentiment.

IGN offers further coverage of Marvel Rivals, including developer commentary on datamining and the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 release.