Overwatch 2 Player Exodus Boosts Marvel Rivals' Popularity

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

A Direct Comparison

Overwatch 2 experienced its lowest ever Steam player count following the December 5th release of Marvel Rivals. On December 6th, Overwatch 2's player count dipped to 17,591, further declining to 16,919 by December 9th. This starkly contrasts with Marvel Rivals' impressive concurrent player counts of 184,633 and 202,077 on those same dates, respectively. The disparity is even more pronounced when comparing all-time peak player counts: Marvel Rivals boasts a staggering 480,990, significantly exceeding Overwatch 2's 75,608. Both games, being free-to-play team-based PVP shooters, have drawn numerous comparisons since Marvel Rivals' launch. However, Overwatch 2's Steam reviews are currently "Mixed," impacted by negative feedback from both Marvel Rivals fans and dissatisfied Overwatch 2 players. Conversely, Marvel Rivals enjoys a "Mostly Positive" review rating, despite some noted balancing issues.

Steam Represents a Small Portion of Overwatch 2's Player Base

It's crucial to remember that the Steam player count only represents a fraction of Overwatch 2's total player base. The game is also available on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Blizzard's Battle.net platform. Reddit discussions suggest a significant portion of the player base utilizes Battle.net, especially considering the Steam version's 2023 release, a year after its Battle.net Early Access launch. Furthermore, cross-platform play across all platforms requires a Battle.net account.

Despite the Steam numbers, Overwatch 2 recently launched Season 14, introducing a new hero (Hazard), a new limited-time mode, and the 2024 Winter Wonderland event.

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