Marvel Rivals Surges Amid Overwatch 2's Declining Steam Numbers

Overwatch 2 experiences a significant dip in its player count on Steam following the explosive launch of Marvel Rivals. Dive into the details to understand how these similar games have impacted each other's popularity.

Overwatch 2 Numbers Plummet Below 20K After Marvel Rivals’ Launch

OW2 Meets Its Match

Overwatch 2 reached its lowest player count on Steam since the debut of Marvel Rivals on December 5th. The morning after, on December 6th, Overwatch 2's player numbers fell to 17,591, and by December 9th, it further declined to 16,919. In contrast, Marvel Rivals attracted a substantial audience, reaching 184,633 players on December 6th and peaking at 202,077 on December 9th. Marvel Rivals also boasts an all-time peak of 480,990 players, dwarfing Overwatch 2's peak of 75,608 concurrent players.

Both titles are free-to-play, team-based PVP shooters with captivating gameplay mechanics, leading to inevitable comparisons since Marvel Rivals' launch. Overwatch 2 has faced criticism on Steam, garnering a 'Mixed' review rating from both Marvel Rivals enthusiasts and its own player base, unhappy with the game's current state. Conversely, Marvel Rivals enjoys a 'Mostly Positive' rating, despite some critiques on game balance.

Steam Represents Only a Slice of Overwatch 2’s Player Base

It's important to remember that Steam is just one of several platforms for Overwatch 2, meaning these numbers reflect only a portion of the total player base. The game is also available on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Blizzard’s own PC platform, Battle.net. Reddit users have noted that many players prefer Battle.net, especially since the Steam version was only introduced in 2023, a year after its Early Access launch on Battle.net. Additionally, playing Overwatch 2 on any platform other than Steam requires a Battle.net account for cross-platform play.

Overwatch 2 recently kicked off Season 14, bringing a wealth of new content including a new Scottish tank hero named Hazard, a new limited-time game mode, and the 2024 Winter Wonderland event, aligning perfectly with the festive season.

Both Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals are free to play on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Overwatch 2 extends its availability to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.