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 substituting Marvel characters for Overwatch's roster. Both share similar mechanics and gameplay. Both are free-to-play, live-service titles reliant 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 that Marvel Rivals' success has compelled Blizzard to adopt a bolder approach to Overwatch 2, declaring, "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, including the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

The success of these changes remains to be seen. Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch's 2016 debut, and two and a half years since Overwatch 2's launch, Blizzard doesn't disclose player numbers. However, Steam concurrent player counts for Overwatch 2 are at an all-time low since its 2023 release, peaking at 37,046 in the last 24 hours. In contrast, Marvel Rivals remains a Steam top 10 title, with a 24-hour peak of 310,287 concurrent players.

Overwatch 2 currently holds a "mostly negative" user review rating on Steam, reaching 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 highly anticipated PvE Hero mode, fueled negative sentiment.

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