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: A Competitive Landscape Shift for Overwatch 2

Since its release, Marvel Rivals has drawn significant comparisons to Overwatch, its gameplay mechanics and hero-based competitive structure bearing striking resemblance. Both are free-to-play, live-service titles that rely on new character additions to maintain player engagement. Marvel Rivals' explosive popularity since its December launch has, according to some, impacted Overwatch 2's player base.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller acknowledged the intensified competition. He described the situation as "exciting," highlighting Marvel Rivals' innovative take on established Overwatch concepts. However, he also admitted that Marvel Rivals' success has prompted a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, moving away from a "playing it safe" strategy.

Overwatch 2's Response: Radical Changes

This new strategy involves significant changes to Overwatch 2 in 2025, including a substantial overhaul of core gameplay mechanics. Key additions include hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

The impact of these changes remains to be seen. Nearly nine years after the original Overwatch's release and two and a half years after Overwatch 2's launch, Overwatch 2's concurrent player numbers on Steam are at their lowest point since its release in 2023, peaking at 37,046 in the last 24 hours. In contrast, Marvel Rivals maintains a top 10 position on Steam, with a concurrent player peak of 310,287 over the same period.

Overwatch 2's Steam reviews remain "mostly negative," a consequence of past controversies, including the highly criticized transition to a free-to-play model and the cancellation of the anticipated PvE Hero mode.

Further information on Marvel Rivals, including developer statements on datamining and potential Nintendo Switch 2 release, can be found on IGN.