Blizzard Welcomes Competition, Marvel Influence in Overwatch 2

Marvel Rivals' meteoric rise has forced Overwatch 2 to rethink its strategy. Since its December launch, Rivals, a Marvel-themed hero shooter strikingly similar to Overwatch 2, has garnered massive popularity, reportedly impacting Overwatch 2's player base.

This competitive landscape, unprecedented for Overwatch, prompted Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller to acknowledge the situation in a GamesRadar interview. While initially viewing Rivals' success as "exciting" and a validation of Overwatch's established concepts, Keller admitted it necessitated a shift away from "playing it safe."

Overwatch 2's Response: A Seismic Shift

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For 2025, Blizzard plans significant changes to Overwatch 2. Beyond the expected new content, core gameplay will undergo a major overhaul, introducing hero perks and the return of loot boxes. These bold moves aim to reignite player interest in a game nearing its ninth anniversary.

Steam concurrent player numbers paint a stark picture. Overwatch 2's peak concurrent players are at an all-time low since its 2023 Steam launch, reaching only 37,046 in the past 24 hours. In contrast, Marvel Rivals remains a Steam top 10 title, boasting a 310,287 peak concurrent player count within the same period.

Overwatch 2's "mostly negative" Steam user reviews highlight ongoing issues. The controversial shift to a free-to-play model in 2022, rendering the original game unplayable, and the subsequent cancellation of the highly anticipated PvE Hero mode fueled much of the negative feedback.

Further details on Marvel Rivals, including developer comments on datamining and potential Nintendo Switch 2 release, are available on IGN.