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 Competition?
Since Marvel Rivals' December 5th release, Overwatch 2 has experienced its lowest ever concurrent player count on Steam. On December 6th, the player count dipped to 17,591, further declining to 16,919 by December 9th. This starkly contrasts with Marvel Rivals' impressive numbers: 184,633 on December 6th and 202,077 on December 9th. The peak player counts tell a similar story, with Marvel Rivals boasting a staggering 480,990 players compared to Overwatch 2's 75,608. Both games share a similar free-to-play, team-based PVP shooter formula, leading to inevitable comparisons. However, Overwatch 2's Steam reviews are currently "Mixed," influenced by negative feedback from both Marvel Rivals fans and dissatisfied Overwatch 2 players, while Marvel Rivals holds a "Mostly Positive" rating, despite some balance concerns.
Steam: A Small Piece of the Puzzle
It's crucial to remember that Steam represents only a fraction of Overwatch 2's total player base. The game is also available on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Blizzard's Battle.net. Reddit discussions suggest a significant portion of the player base resides on Battle.net, especially considering the Steam version's 2023 release, a year after its Battle.net launch. Furthermore, cross-platform play across all platforms requires a Battle.net account.
Despite the Steam numbers, Overwatch 2 recently launched Season 14, featuring a new hero (Hazard), a new limited-time mode, and the 2024 Winter Wonderland event.
Both Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals are free-to-play on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Overwatch 2 additionally supports PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
