Since the debut of the third-person PvP game "Marvel Rivals," the title has frequently drawn comparisons to Blizzard Entertainment's "Overwatch 2." Many players are finding the multiplayer title, co-developed by NetEase and Marvel Games, more engaging than the recently embattled "Overwatch 2."
Perhaps as a direct result, "Marvel Rivals" has seen its Steam player count steadily climb since its launch. Conversely, Blizzard Entertainment's multiplayer shooter "Overwatch 2" has experienced a significant drop in its average player base, with numbers plummeting by nearly 40% since the Marvel title's release.
According to data, from September to November 2024, "Overwatch 2" maintained an average player count between 32,000 and 35,000. However, since the December 5, 2024, launch of "Marvel Rivals," "Overwatch 2" has seen a substantial decline, with its average player count dropping to 25,248 in December, representing a 21.7% decrease.
While a natural decline in player count over time is common for any game, for "Overwatch 2," a consecutive two-month drop exceeding 20% is unprecedented. Notably, the game had experienced steady growth in its player base during the summer of 2024, with monthly increases of 4.4%, 17.6%, and 2.3% from July to September, respectively.
While it's impossible to definitively state that Marvel Games' "Marvel Rivals" is the sole cause of "Overwatch 2"'s sharp decline in player numbers, it's undeniable that since the launch of "Marvel Rivals," a noticeable gap has emerged in the player bases of the two titles.
via： TheGamer