"Marvel Rivals" has been the talk of the town since it released late last year, and it has made significant waves in the industry, making it one of the most successful free-to-play arena-based shooters of the generation.
Because of its significant fame and success in the market, it is now the preferred action shooters in the industry, causing many "Overwatch 2" players to make the switch to the new title.
Since its release in 2022, Blizzard Entertainment's sequel to its famed arena-based shooter has run into various problems and received massive criticism from the gaming industry.
'Overwatch 2' Exodus: More Players Head to 'Marvel Rivals'
The recent report by NewZoo details the massive loss in "Overwatch 2's" player base, and it has been revealed that most of the players who ditched Blizzard's arena shooter have moved on to NetEase's top trending game.
According to the report, nearly half of the "Overwatch 2" players who quit the game last December 2024 turned their attention towards the newly launched title featuring Marvel Comics characters.
The "Marvel Rivals" phenomenon is real, and this only confirms that the public has been eyeing a free-to-play arena shooter game that would deliver the experience that was enjoyed before. Previously, there have been speculations that "Overwatch 2" players have made the switch to "Marvel Rivals," and the latest information further confirms the theory.
Moreover, the latest report also expounds on up to what extent is the damage caused by "Marvel Rivals" to "Overwatch 2," with NewZoo claiming that 45% of the players from Blizzard's game have opted for the new experience.
It is known that when "Marvel Rivals" was nearing its release, it drew comparisons to "Overwatch 2" as both featured a team-based action shooter with arena settings.
With this decline in "Overwatch 2's" performance in the market, it is a different deal for "Marvel Rivals," which saw critical acclaim and positive reviews in the industry that continue until the present.
On Steam, "Marvel Rivals" was ranked as the third top-played game of 2024 following "Helldivers" and "Palworld" despite releasing later in 2024.
Is Blizzard Entertainment's Arena Shooter Dead?
The rise of "Marvel Rivals" has seemingly led to the decline of "Overwatch 2," with NetEase being successful in drawing from the massive Marvel universe from the comics and its other depictions, which helped contribute to their fame. As NetEase's game rose, "Overwatch 2" saw an eight% decline in its free-to-play contribution in the entire year of 2024.
According to Insider Gaming's report, the NewZoo data also revealed that players only turned to the "Overwatch Classic" event in "Overwatch 2" for a short time because of its play on nostalgia but was not able to sustain interest.
There had been rumors about Blizzard Entertainment planning a massive revamp of "Overwatch 2" where the game will revert its name to the original "Overwatch" title and remove its sequel status amidst its declining performance.
However, it remains unknown if this will apply in the future and if this will have an effect on Blizzard's arena-based shooter title, especially as "Marvel Rivals" continues its dominance.
