Over the past 12 months, Marvel Rivals has dominated the hero shooter genre. NetEase has released numerous iconic Marvel comic characters, attracting millions of players in a short period of time. The game has had its ups and downs, but it’s currently averaging the most players since May 2025. However, that may change soon.
Blizzard recently announced a massive overhaul for Overwatch 2. The overhaul is so big that even the game itself will change its name, dropping the 2 from it. On top of this, the hero shooter will get 10 new heroes this year, six two-month seasons, new maps, and lots of other content that will help it compete with Marvel Rivals.
Overwatch might dethrone Marvel Rivals very soon
One thing that makes Marvel Rivals special is its impressive hero lineup. After all, swinging around the map with Spider-Man’s webs or kicking enemies with Emma Frost is one of the most entertaining things gaming has to offer. NetEase added Deadpool, a fan-favorite hero, in early January, skyrocketing the player count and reaching peaks that haven’t been reached since mid-2025.
Now, the Marvel Rivals developer is prepared for the release of Season 6.5, which will have tough competition.
Starting on February 10, Blizzard’s hero shooter will be known as Overwatch. The classic name is making a return, and the game creator is adding five new heroes, something that has never done before. The new heroes that have gotten the most attention are Domina and Jetpack Cat, who are somewhat similar to Emma Frost and Jeff the Land Shark.
Not only will Blizzard release a massive update in February, but it will be followed by additional content later on. Season 2, which is set to launch in Spring 2026, brings another hero, the Overwatch 10-year Anniversary event, new Mythics, and more. Later on, Blizzard will release a couple of more Overwatch heroes, and a new map, Japan Night, should be available in the summer.
The competition between these two great hero shooters will be fun to watch. Both Reinhardt and Doctor Strange are equally great, while Black Widow and Widowmaker are both flawed and controversial picks. In the end, both Overwatch and Marvel Rivals can be successful, and the biggest factor for success will likely be the game development.
Marvel Rivals has big plans for 2026, and its executive producer even posted a poll, letting players vote on who they want in the game. Will this be enough to stay on top and compete with Overwatch? Only time will tell. If Blizzard’s plan backfires, they can always release Overwatch 2!
