Summary
- Overwatch 2 director views Marvel Rivals' competition as exciting and welcomes the challenge.
- Marvel Rivals closely emulates Overwatch's foundation, which has prompted Blizzard to introduce major changes.
- Blizzard plans significant upgrades for Overwatch 2, including a perk system and a Stadium mode.
According to the director of Overwatch 2, the competition provided by the growing popularity of Marvel Rivals is "exciting." Marvel Rivals launched in late 2024, and poses the most significant threat yet to the dominance of Overwatch 2 in the hero shooter space.
For as much as some fans have complained about Overwatch and Overwatch 2, there's no denying the influence Blizzard's game has had. Not only did Overwatch effectively define the hero shooter genre with its debut from the ashes of the canceled Blizzard Titan MMORPG, its focus on easily identifiable characters with distinct kits went on to influence other live service games like Call of Duty and titles in other genres. New upstarts like Marvel Rivals owe a significant creative debt to Overwatch, even as they challenge its reign.
Overwatch 2 Director Says Adding Hero Bans Was 'Obvious' Move
Overwatch 2 has announced the arrival of the hero ban system, and its director talks about how the idea finally came to fruition.
In an interview with Gamesradar, Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller said that the team "welcomes" the competition Marvel Rivals represents. He also expressed confidence in Overwatch 2's ability to take up the challenge, and highlighted what's coming next in Overwatch 2 Season 15 and beyond.
Overwatch 2 Team No Longer 'Playing It Safe' After Marvel Rivals
Keller praised Marvel Rivals for, in essence, taking Overwatch 2 on its own turf. He said that before Marvel Rivals, the team had yet to be confronted with another game "so similar to the one that we've created." Indeed, Marvel Rivals hew closely to the foundations laid by Overwatch and Overwatch 2, so much so that fans of both games can readily suggest Marvel Rivals mains based on Overwatch 2 preferences.
After seeing Marvel Rivals succeed at taking some of Overwatch 2's ideas in "different directions," Keller said that the team at Blizzard won't be "playing it safe" anymore. To that end, he pointed to some of the major changes coming to Overwatch 2 teased by the recent spotlight reveal event. These include an upgradeable perk system for heroes and a brand-new "Stadium" mode that introduces a customization and buying mechanic inspired by the likes of Valorant and Counter-Strike. Blizzard is also introducing much-requested features like 6-versus-6 team play, map voting, hero banning, and even reintroducing long-dormant monetization features like loot boxes.
Keller also said that the team relishes the challenge, treating the "pressure" as an opportunity to further improve Overwatch 2 and ask itself questions like "How do we make the best possible game that we can?" He said that the coming shakeups in 2025 represent the chance to "inject a bit of freshness" into Overwatch 2 and "increase the depth of play ." Should Keller and the team's gambit succeed, it could mean a new era of success for the now-venerable hero shooter, making it better for players, as well as for Blizzard.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
WHERE TO PLAY
OVERWATCH®, A FUTURE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future.
Overwatch® is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Reign of Talon - Season 1: Conquest
The Next Big Story Begins
The world shifts as 2026 begins a year-long narrative arc where Overwatch and Talon face off in the fight for the future, joined by five new Heroes at once. Step into the story and shape what comes next!
After ten years, Season 1 opens the first chapter of Overwatch's next big story, where your choices will put you right into the fight for the future!
For the first time, five new Heroes hit the roster together, bringing new playstyles, new dynamics, and new voices into the fray all at once. Jet Pack Cat, Anran, Domina, Emre, and Mizuki arrive just in time for Reign of Talon: Conquest, launching a year-long narrative where conflict takes center stage and you contribute to how it unfolds.
Choose where you stand as Overwatch and Talon collide in a faction-driven event with outcomes that will leave visible marks on the world and your legacy. Along the way, Competitive gets a refresh and Core gameplay evolves, changing how things feel across the board.
This season sets a fresh tone for how the Overwatch story is told and how you play it.
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Overwatch
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- Genre(s)
- Shooter, FPS, MOBA, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 35 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 85.1 GB
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
