With Overwatch 2 Taking a Big Shot, Marvel Rivals Should…

Competition is one way to incentivize game companies to continuously improve their titles in hopes of boosting their player count and profits. Players can see this work in real-time with Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals. While Overwatch has existed for quite some time and is no doubt the inspiration for many of Marvel Rivals’ core gameplay elements, the former has been playing catch-up with the latter in some departments. For example, Overwatch 2 has recently been mulling over a return to 6v6 after Marvel Rivals successfully launched with the same format. Now, OW2 is taking it a step further by introducing a new feature that existed first in Marvel Rivals, and it might be high time for Rivals to return the favor.

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By Ethan Mallory

Overwatch 2's Third-Person View Means Marvel Rivals Should Integrate a First-Person Perspective

Overwatch 2 Game director Aaron Keller packages the ability to toggle between first-person and third-person perspective in the new Stadium game mode. He states that this new perspective lets players see more of the direct impact they have on the battlefield. However, it also feels like OW2 is making a big move to capture the curiosity of Marvel Rivals fans who are used to playing a hero shooter from a third-person perspective. The latter could fire back by introducing a first-person view, which has a few pros and cons.

The Advantages of a First-Person Perspective in Marvel Rivals

Immersion: What’s great about the first-person shooter genre is that it lets the players see the world through the eyes of their hero. This is especially great in Overwatch 2, where each character has a unique weapon and costume. With a closer and more personal view of what the character does, they can end up being immersed and feeling like the Hulk raging in the enemy backline or Luna Snow skating through the battlefield and throwing her healing icicles at her teammates.
Player Preference: Providing more gameplay options for players is generally a good idea. This is supposedly the reason behind Overwatch 2’s introduction of a third-person perspective. Introducing first-person mode to Marvel Rivals could give some players who prefer the view a better experience. Some players may feel like they aim better in first-person, so it could also encourage hardcore FPS enthusiasts to try the game out.

The Disadvantages of a First-Person Perspective in Marvel Rivals

Limited View of the Battlefield: Because the player is literally in the hero’s head in first-person, they see less of the battlefield than they would in third-person. Players would want to see as much of the fight as possible to look out for enemy projectiles and deployable items like Peni Parker's Arachno-Mines to dodge or destroy. As such, the limited perspective of the first-person view could put them at a disadvantage compared to teammates or enemies who opted for a third-person perspective.
Mobility Could Feel Janky: Some heroes like Spider-Man, Star-Lord, and Venom fling their bodies around and do flips when navigating through the battlefield with their abilities. These moves will just hinder a person’s view in the first person. Players prone to motion sickness could also get ill by using these characters in first-person, as excessive mobility could be nauseating in this perspective. However, Marvel Rivals could remedy this by switching to third-person when using mobility abilities, as Overwatch 2 does with Wrecking Ball.

The first-person view could be a good addition to Marvel Rivals. It adds to the immersion and power fantasy of being a super-powered hero. Plus, its disadvantages are easy to fix by letting the player toggle between the views or automatically switching to third-person when using mobility skills.