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

From its unveiling, *Marvel Rivals* drew inevitable comparisons to *Overwatch*. Superficially, the resemblance is striking: both are competitive multiplayer hero shooters, differing primarily in their rosters—*Marvel Rivals* utilizes Marvel characters. Both games share free-to-play models, live service updates, and rely on new character additions to maintain player engagement.

Since its December launch, *Marvel Rivals* has exploded in popularity, sparking speculation about a potential decline in *Overwatch 2*’s player base. The prevailing narrative suggests NetEase’s title is siphoning players away from Blizzard’s offering.

In a recent GamesRadar interview, *Overwatch 2* director Aaron Keller acknowledged this new competitive landscape, stating, “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.”

Overwatch 2 Perks

Surprisingly, Keller framed the situation positively, describing it as “exciting” and praising *Marvel Rivals* for taking established *Overwatch* concepts in “a different direction.” However, he also admitted that *Marvel Rivals’* success has prompted a shift in Blizzard’s approach to *Overwatch 2*, declaring, “this is no longer about playing it safe.”

This bold statement foreshadows significant changes coming to *Overwatch 2* in 2025. While the roadmap includes anticipated new content, core gameplay will undergo a major overhaul, introducing hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

The success of these changes remains to be seen. Almost nine years after the original *Overwatch’s* 2016 debut and two and a half years since *Overwatch 2’s* launch, Blizzard doesn’t publicly release player numbers. However, Steam concurrent player counts reveal 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, boasting a 24-hour peak of 310,287 concurrent players.

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

*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. Negative reviews largely centered on monetization practices following criticism over the transition from a premium model to a free-to-play sequel, rendering the original *Overwatch* unplayable in 2022. Further controversies, including the cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode—a key selling point for the sequel—exacerbated player dissatisfaction.

For more on *Marvel Rivals*, including developer clarifications on datamining and potential Nintendo Switch 2 release, check out IGN.