18 Dec 2024 8:55 PM +00:00 UTC

Is Marvel Rivals the Overwatch Killer?

Blizzard’s Overwatch might have met its match with the release of a game that could signal its decline. Marvel and NetEase’s Marvel Rivals heralds a new era of hero-shooters with all the ingredients to dethrone Blizzard’s iconic title.

Marvel Rivals amassed over 480,000 players on Steam in its first week. And that’s just one platform. Imagine how many others are battling it out as their favorite Marvel characters on console.

Earning the title of ‘Overwatch Killer’ is no small feat. Many games that attempted to challenge Blizzard’s multi-award-winning hero-shooter have fallen short. Titles like Hi-Rez’s Paladins and Firewalk Studios’ now-defunct Concord tried, but they couldn’t overcome Overwatch’s dedicated fanbase.

Don’t get me wrong, I love both Overwatch and Marvel Rivals. I’ve spent over a thousand hours on the OG Overwatch, and my playtime only increased with its ‘sequel,’ Overwatch 2. Yet, when I booted up Marvel Rivals, I felt the same excitement I experienced during Overwatch’s 2016 launch. It was chaotic, exhilarating, and most importantly, it was fun.

So, is Marvel Rivals truly the fabled ‘Overwatch Killer’ everyone’s talking about? Let’s break down what both games get right and wrong.

Overwatch is Optimized

Love it or hate it, Blizzard’s Overwatch is a technical masterpiece. It’s a well-optimized hero-shooter that runs smoothly, even on lower-end PCs.

Despite its visually cluttered battles, Overwatch's seamless performance is impressive. On high-end systems, it’s buttery smooth. Even on a low-spec public PC, which I tried once, the game ran remarkably well, a testament to Blizzard’s engineering prowess.

Marvel Rivals isn’t Optimized

In contrast, Marvel Rivals suffers from serious optimization issues. Built on Unreal Engine 5, it’s plagued with performance hiccups, where players report frame drops, memory leaks, and even hard crashes. Reddit forums are rife with complaints, prompting NetEase to promise future patches.

If your FPS drops to 12, Doctor Strange might summon his portal nearby.

That said, credit where it’s due: the game’s servers were stable at launch, which is no small feat for a new online multiplayer title.

Overwatch has Role Queue

One of the biggest issues plaguing the original Overwatch was inconsistent hero balancing, particularly during the notorious GOATS meta (three tanks and three healers). This frustrated players and pros alike, making matches monotonous and boring.

Enter Role Queue, Blizzard’s answer to all the chaos. This system restricted teams to two tanks, two damage dealers, and two healers, restoring balance to the game. While Role Queue improved gameplay, it did have a downside: matchmaking times, especially for damage players, became noticeably longer.

Even with Overwatch 2, Role Queue remains the preferred setup for most players and is essential for its competitive esports scene.

Marvel Rivals has no Role Queue

Marvel Rivals takes a more freeform approach, allowing players to assemble teams with any combination of roles. It’s just vanilla Overwatch. Do you want three healers or three tanks? Go for it. The focus is on fun and experimentation rather than rigid structure.

While this freedom is enjoyable in casual play, it’s a double-edged sword for competitive players. Nobody wants to pick Healer or Tank, so everyone picks Damage. Some streamers and pros have called for a Role Queue, but the developers remain firm in their decision, emphasizing player creativity over conformity.

Balancing this system could be a challenge in the future, but it also sets Marvel Rivals apart from Overwatch. Only time will tell which approach proves more sustainable.

Overwatch Heroes have Identity

When Overwatch launched, it revolutionized the hero-shooter genre with its diverse cast of characters. From a robotic monk to a peanut butter-loving gorilla, Blizzard created an eclectic and memorable roster with which players could connect. These distinctive personalities became a major draw for the game and some others.

Marvel Rivals’ Heroes don’t have Identity

While Marvel Rivals boasts the star power of Marvel characters, its heroes often feel derivative in gameplay. Many abilities borrow heavily from Overwatch.

For example, Hawkeye resembles Hanzo but with a wakizashi for pushing enemies away. Scarlet Witch mimics Moira with her aim-free primary ability. Doctor Strange has Reinhardt’s shield (and UI), while Spider-Man and Iron Fist share similarities with Genji. Also, why can't Magneto fly!?

However, there are exceptions. Cloak & Dagger’s dual-character mechanic is innovative, and Jeff the Land Shark’s terrifying ultimate is a standout ability.

But despite its lack of originality from its character abilities, it doesn’t detract from the game’s overall fun factor.

Overwatch Gave Up on its Lore

It still pains me that Blizzard abandoned its highly anticipated PvE structure. However, the decision was necessary for the multiplayer shooter to survive in the long run (along with the release of yet another Kiriko skin).

At one point, Overwatch’s lore was a major topic of discussion among players back in the day. Each new hero brought something fresh to Blizzard’s sci-fi setting, especially with its cinematic trailers. Unfortunately, Blizzard chose to forgo a consistent storyline instead of focusing exclusively on online PvP. There was so much potential to explore these characters' stories, but now it seems only fanfiction can breathe new life into them.

Marvel Rivals has Promising Lore

Marvel Rivals begins with a significant lore dump, and its seasonal content includes in-game comics detailing key events.

The story begins with Doctor Doom up to his usual villainous antics. After encountering his 2099 counterpart, Doom causes a timestream entanglement that creates new worlds. This opens the door to multiversal chaos, explaining the presence of alternate versions of iconic Marvel characters.

Each season focuses on a major storyline; players can read about it in the Gallery tab. The narrative is shaping up to be engaging, even for those who aren’t die-hard Marvel comics fans.

Both Overwatch and Marvel Rivals bring unique strengths to the table. While it’s too early to determine if Marvel Rivals can dethrone Overwatch, the game shows promise as a potential frontrunner for next year’s best hero-shooter.

Whether NetEase can maintain this momentum depends on how it handles future balancing and optimization issues. One thing is sure: the competition is heating up, and fans of both games are in for an exciting ride.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Marvel Rivals page.