Marvel Rivals gave me a newfound appreciation for Overwatch 2, here's why

Marvel Rivals released as a direct competitor for Overwatch 2 and secured a massive player base. However, certain quirks in NetEase Games’ hero shooter might make some players appreciate Overwatch 2. This is primarily because Blizzard's game has been out for longer and has pushed out several seasonal updates to properly balance existing characters and abilities.

Marvel Rivals was released quite recently, and like all online multiplayer titles, it's bound to have issues. The game’s release was surrounded by a lot of hype and resulted in a massive success during the launch week. However, Overwatch 2 seems to have an advantage over Rivals, and that's the game's balancing state.

This article will highlight some key differences between Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.

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Is Overwatch 2 more balanced than Marvel Rivals?

Yes, Overwatch 2 has better balance than Rivals. Almost all live-service games require attention from the developers and constant changes to avoid tipping the scales in favor of some characters. This is what creates seasonal metas and results in character changes and/or ability reworks. Overwatch 2 has been out for more than a year and has had a longer time to gauge the game's mechanics, making it more balanced than a fresh release like Marvel Rivals.

Overwatch 2 has a more balanced roster of characters and abilities (Image via Blizzard Entertainment)

One of the biggest differences between both hero shooters is that Blizzard offers a Role Queue for ranked matchmaking. This is primarily useful for non-squad players as they can find a balanced lobby where everyone is locked to their roles and cannot swap out for a different class. However, Rivals provides freedom in this scenario and can lead to a sour experience at times.

Role Queue can minimize many unnecessary squabbles over the characters that a player needs to pick. Marvel Rivals can prove to be a lot more toxic when it comes to choosing a hero. A large percentage of players are inclined toward picking Duelists, resulting in lobbies that sometimes lack Strategists, Vanguards, or all of them.

There are several abilities in both games but NetEase's hero shooter features quite a lot of crowd-control abilities that may need some updates. These abilities interact differently with every other character's ability and can be quite oppressive when used wisely. Overwatch 2 has a layer of mechanics plastered to avoid such situations, making the battlefield a step more balanced.

Fans can expect Marvel Rivals Season 1 to bring character balance changes (Image via NetEase Games)

Although both games are from the same genre, they take two seemingly different routes when it comes to character balancing. However, most gameplay issues plaguing Rivals will likely be permanently patched with the upcoming Season 1 update.

NetEase’s game being a completely fresh release makes it difficult to compare it to a title from an industry giant. Competition is necessary for multiplayer shooters to evolve and can have a positive impact on both games. There is a lot of room for growth for Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals as the developers can build on past experiences and player feedback.

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