Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch 2: 5 major differences between them

Marvel Rivals was released recently as a free-to-play hero shooter for all current-gen platforms. With the game being the most recent hero shooter on the market, it will naturally be compared to the existing competition: Overwatch 2. While both titles belong to the same genre, it is easy to see that they are different from each other in more than one way.

Overwatch 2 is the sequel to one of the most decorated shooters on the market from 2016, and a new game like Marvel Rivals has a lot to live up to.

This article will cover five differences between Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2.

Note: This article solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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5 differences between Marvel Rivals vs Overwatch 2

1) Characters and maps

Venom is a playable character in the game (Image via NetEase Games)

Marvel Rivals draws inspiration from comics and films by including familiar locations like Asgard and Wakanda in the game. It also features some of the most iconic superheroes as playable characters, such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, and Venom. Since these are already popular characters that the players are familiar with, the game doesn't need to establish their personalities.

Overwatch 2, on the other hand, features characters and locations created originally for the game. The roster is mostly a reskin of the characters from its predecessor with slight appearance changes, while the map designs are new and fresh. This allows players to learn about the roster and understand how each character works and learn about the maps without having any prior knowledge.

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2) Camera perspective

Both games have different camera perspectives (Image via NetEase Games)

Overwatch 2 is a hero shooter that features a first-person camera similar to its predecessor. This camera perspective allows players to feel immersed in the battles at the cost of being unable to see the equipped cosmetics.

Marvel Rivals, however, opts for the third-person camera that is placed right behind the character. This gives the player a good look at their character at all times during the match, allowing them to also look at the cosmetics equipped.

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3) Monetization

Overwatch 2 features an aggressive monetization model (Image via Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.)

Marvel Rivals lets players unlock cosmetics and new skins through natural progression in the game. Players can rank up and earn new items from the battle pass, rewarding them for their time spent in-game.

Overwatch 2 is known for its aggressive monetization system, where players have to grind for hours to unlock a tier on the battle pass. This hinders the joy of playing the game and forces the player to pay for the in-game items instead of grinding.

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4) Gameplay focus

The Overwatch 2 community is massive (Image via Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.)

Marvel Rivals features characters with abilities that they derive from their comic-book counterpart. This makes the combat interesting as you combine your abilities with your teammates for strategic team fights at a slower pace.

Overwatch 2 on the other hand has the characters use different equipment to fight the battles. This elevates the combat and makes it unpredictable, requiring players to make quick decisions.

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5) Competitive scene

Overwatch 2 features various tournaments (Image via Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.)

Since Marvel Rivals is a new entry in the market under the hero shooter genre, the community is not big enough for the game to foster a competitive scene. While it has the backing of Marvel and fans of the characters, it is not in the state of entering a competitive scene, as of writing.

Overwatch 2 on the other hand is highly competitive, as players often participate in tournaments to win huge prizes. Teams from different countries compete to become champions. While Overwatch 2 has the advantage of being associated with its widely popular predecessor, Marvel's hero shooter needs a bit more time to increase its community size.