A Bunch of Ex-Overwatch Players Reportedly Jumped Ship to…

Summary

Nearly half of Overwatch 2 players who quit in December 2024 switched to Marvel Rivals, according to a report.
Overwatch 2 has experienced a decline in player retention, with Marvel Rivals playing a role.
Marvel Rivals is about to begin Season 2, and NetEase hopes to continue to bring in new players.

A new report has revealed that nearly half of Overwatch 2 players who quit the game in December 2024 jumped ship to Marvel Rivals. Many gamers have suspected that Marvel Rivals drew players away from Blizzard’s team-based hero shooter, but this report has given a better idea to what extent.

Few games generated the same hype as Marvel Rivals did leading up to its December 2024 release. As a team-based hero shooter, the comparisons with Overwatch 2 were evident. However, developer NetEase looked to distinguish its game by leveraging the popularity of the Marvel franchise, providing interpretations of comic book characters that many fans enjoyed. This resulted in Marvel Rivals smashing expectations, gaining hundreds of thousands of players on platforms like Steam.

Marvel Rivals reveals Season 2 Twitch Drops.

Marvel Rivals Announces Season 2 Twitch Drops

Marvel Rivals announces that fans will soon be able to claim a new round of Twitch Drops associated with Season 2 of NetEase Games' hero shooter.

Posts

By Matthew O’Dwyer

As spotted by Insider Gaming, a new gaming industry report from NewZoo has provided more details about the game’s successful launch and how it impacted Overwatch 2. Specifically, the report found that 45% of Overwatch 2 players who quit in December 2024 decided to play Marvel Rivals instead. These ex-Overwatch players contributed to the impressive numbers the NetEase game had surrounding its launch. As noted in the report, Marvel Rivals was one of the most popular games of the year. According to the data, it was the eighth most-played title on Steam for 2024. In addition, Marvel Rivals was the third most-played 2024 game on the platform, only falling behind Helldivers 2 and Palworld. However, it is worth noting that both those games came out much earlier in the year, allowing them to accrue more total playtime.

Overwatch 2 Has Seen a Decline in Players Partly Due to Marvel Rivals

While this industry report from NewZoo evidenced the success of Marvel Rivals, it also revealed the decline of Overwatch 2. Based on the data, Overwatch 2 had an 8% decline in its free-to-play playtime contribution in 2024. In addition, the report showed that the nostalgia from the Overwatch Classic event for the game could only sustain player interest for a short time, with the daily active user index revealing a 26% decline in engagement. This decline coincided with Marvel Rivals launch, which happened four days after the Overwatch Classic event had wrapped up.

It will be interesting to see what the rest of 2025 brings for Marvel Rivals. As the NewZoo report showed, the game played a significant factor in the growth of free-to-play gaming in 2024 despite its end-of-the-year release. Nevertheless, the game must find ways to continue its momentum if it wants to sustain player engagement. Fortunately, NetEase has Season 2 of Marvel Rivals on the way and has recently revealed that it will release new heroes more frequently. Time will tell if that can keep it near the top of player count lists throughout the rest of the year.

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Third-Person Shooter

Action

Multiplayer

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 84%

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Released: December 6, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen // Violence
Developer(s): NetEase Games
Publisher(s): NetEase Games

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Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!

A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.

Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!

Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!

Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!