Marvel Rivals Soars as Overwatch 2 Steam Player Count Fall

Overwatch 2's Steam player count plummets following Marvel Rivals' successful launch. The impact of Marvel Rivals on Overwatch 2's Steam performance is analyzed below.

A Direct Competition?

The release of Marvel Rivals on December 5th coincided with a significant drop in Overwatch 2's Steam player count. Overwatch 2 reached its all-time low on Steam, dipping below 17,000 concurrent players, a stark contrast to Marvel Rivals' impressive concurrent player counts exceeding 180,000 shortly after launch. Marvel Rivals' peak player count vastly surpasses Overwatch 2's Steam peak. Both games share a similar free-to-play, team-based shooter structure, fueling direct comparisons and potentially impacting Overwatch 2's player base. Negative Steam reviews for Overwatch 2, from both existing players and new players drawn to Marvel Rivals, contributed to a "Mixed" overall rating, unlike Marvel Rivals' "Mostly Positive" reception.

Steam: A Small Piece of the Pie

It's crucial to remember that Steam represents only a portion of Overwatch 2's total player base. The game is also available on Battle.net, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Reddit discussions suggest a significant player migration to Battle.net, especially considering the Steam version's later release (2023) compared to its Battle.net launch (2022). Cross-platform play also requires a Battle.net account, potentially further influencing Steam player numbers.

Despite the Steam dip, Overwatch 2 recently launched Season 14, featuring a new hero (Hazard), a new limited-time mode, and the Winter Wonderland event.

Both Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals are available for free on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Overwatch 2 also supports PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.