Since its unveiling, Marvel Rivals has been frequently likened to Overwatch due to its striking similarities. Both games fall into the category of competitive multiplayer hero shooters, featuring a roster of Marvel heroes and villains in Marvel Rivals, much like the diverse cast in Overwatch. Both titles are free-to-play, operate as live services, and rely on the introduction of new characters to keep the gameplay engaging and fresh.

Since its launch in December, Marvel Rivals has seen a surge in popularity, reportedly drawing players away from Overwatch 2. Speculation suggests that Blizzard's game is experiencing a decline in interest as NetEase's Marvel Rivals gains traction.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Aaron Keller, the director of Overwatch 2, addressed the competitive landscape shaped by the emergence of Marvel Rivals. "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," Keller remarked. Surprisingly, he described the situation as "exciting" and praised Marvel Rivals for taking ideas established by Overwatch in a "different direction."

Keller acknowledged that Marvel Rivals' success has prompted a shift in Blizzard's approach to Overwatch 2, stating, "this is no longer about playing it safe." In response, Blizzard has announced significant changes for Overwatch 2 in 2025, including new content and a major overhaul of the core gameplay. Key changes include the introduction of hero perks and the return of loot boxes.

The gaming community is keenly watching to see if these updates will reignite interest in Overwatch 2. Now, nearly nine years since the original Overwatch debuted in 2016 and two-and-a-half years since the launch of Overwatch 2, the game's concurrent player numbers on Steam have hit an all-time low since its release on the platform in 2023, with a peak of just 37,046 players over the last 24 hours. In contrast, Marvel Rivals remains among the top 10 most-played games on Steam, boasting a peak of 310,287 players in the same timeframe.

Overwatch 2 currently holds a 'mostly negative' user review rating on Steam. In August 2023, it became the worst user-reviewed game on Steam, primarily due to backlash over its monetization model. Blizzard faced criticism for updating the premium original Overwatch into a free-to-play sequel, effectively making the original game unplayable in 2022. Overwatch 2 also faced controversies, notably the cancellation of its highly-anticipated PvE Hero mode, which many players believed justified the sequel's existence.

For more insights on Marvel Rivals, including developer statements on datamining and potential plans for a Nintendo Switch 2 version, you can visit IGN.

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