The Overwatch 2 roster is full of interesting heroes for players to choose from, and given how many characters there are, it is not much of a surprise that Blizzard has touched on a lot of classic comic abilities. The Overwatch 2 cast resembles Marvel characters in many ways, from Doomfist’s Thanos-like gauntlet and Black Panther-esque lineage to Tracer’s speed being comparable to Quicksilver. With Winston being just like Beast, Hanzo wielding a bow like Hawkeye, and so on, it is easy to think of Marvel comics when playing Blizzard’s hit game.
With this in mind, it is a bit surprising that Marvel has not partnered with a developer to bring a hero shooter based on its characters to life. This would understandably be a tough task, as successful hero shooters are very rare, as are developers that are familiar enough with the genre to deliver on the concept. Still, regardless of who makes the game, the sheer potential of an Overwatch 2-like Marvel game is impossible to deny, as it could have an amazing roster, iconic maps, and plenty of cosmetics to chase.
Marvel Content Perfectly Fits Overwatch 2’s Mold
While an Overwatch 2 and Marvel crossover event is discussed by gamers often, the comic book brand has enough great content to support its own hero shooter. For starters, the roster could have a mixture of heroes and villains, similar to how Overwatch 2 features characters from Talon, third party groups like Vishkar, and the eponymous organization. The hardest part would be choosing who makes the cut, though a live service game would allow the roster to keep growing over time.
When looking at the Overwatch 2 roster, it is easy to imagine Marvel characters that can function similarly to existing heroes. Magneto could play just like Sigma, with even the floating being comparable. Hawkeye in place of Hanzo is an obvious choice, with the Marvel hero’s trick arrows allowing him to stand out. Nightcrawler could teleport like Moira, Spider-Man could grapple like Widowmaker, and Captain Marvel could fly like Echo. Hulk would be a perfect Tank, moving around in Doomfist’s Nemesis form at all times. Other heroes like Wolverine and Captain America would be a bit more unique, with the former being all melee and Captain America able to throw his shield or use it to protect himself like Brigitte.
From Thor swinging Mjolnir to Black Panther pouncing off walls, a Marvel hero shooter would have so many beloved characters to use. However, alongside the heroes, iconic locations tied to them could serve as multiplayer maps. Using these two characters' homes as an example, gamers could see the golden city of Asgard or experience the rich culture of Wakanda. To the delight of Guardians of the Galaxy fans everywhere, Knowhere could serve as another map. Interior locations like Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum would be on the table, as would the Quantum Realm, Latveria, or the Savage Land. Objectives could range from escorting an Infinity Gauntlet through the TVA to defending the Symbiote at Oscorp.
Given how many costumes every Marvel character has had over the years, there would be a massive cosmetic grind and plenty of opportunities for monetization. Players could work to unlock Symbiote Spider-Man, purchase X-Force Deadpool from the shop, and so on. Even Overwatch 2’s other cosmetics, like hero-specific emotes and highlight intros, could perfectly translate into this hypothetical Marvel game. The pre-match character interactions would be a blast too, with references to the MCU and comic books able to be snuck in.
To really make this Marvel hero shooter unique, special hero interactions could be worked in. Ant-Man and Hawkeye could combo their Ultimates to recreate the sequence where the former rides the latter’s arrow, Iron Man could bounce his repulsors off Captain America’s shield for a huge area of effect move, and Wolverine and Colossus could recreate the fastball special. This concept could extend to the game’s balancing too, with even more obvious counter picks than Overwatch; for example, Magneto doing extra damage to Wolverine. Given how much Overwatch 2 gets right with its maps, cosmetic systems, and core gameplay, all this hero shooter would have to do is replicate that while incorporating a ton of Marvel charm.
Overwatch 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series.