After Overwatch x Fortnite, It Feels like the Forbidden Door Isn't So Forbidden Anymore

Hell recently froze over after Fortnite added a variety of Overwatch skins to the Item Shop, marking the first time that the two live-service heavy hitters have partnered up. Fortnite is no stranger to major crossovers with some of the biggest IP in pop culture, but Overwatch is a big turning point. Both games have been some of the top dogs in the live-service world, and it’s intriguing to see two competitors come together for a crossover.

Fortnite and Overwatch boast vastly different core game modes, but the two have managed to continue going strong while other live-service games have fallen out of favor with a lot of gamers. Both have faced plenty of ups and downs over the years, but their willingness to come together for a collaboration is further proof that the live-service competition could be winding down. Fortnite‘s Overwatch skins are something that many players have been wanting for a long time, and it has the potential to be the start of something even bigger.

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Fortnite and Overwatch Have Joined Forces, So Marvel Rivals Joining in Only Feels Like a Matter of Time

Even though Fortnite and Overwatch have been competitors for close to a decade now, the latter got a new competitor just a few years ago. Marvel Rivals hit the scene at the end of 2024, and it quickly became Overwatch‘s main opponent in the live-service space. Fortnite being mostly known as a battle royale game sets it apart from Overwatch. Marvel Rivals, on the other hand, takes Overwatch‘s hero shooter formula and gives it a Marvel makeover. There aren’t many hero shooter games that have been able to reach the same heights as Overwatch, but Marvel Rivals has put up a good fight.

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Marvel Rivals and Overwatch Could Eventually Have Their Own Crossover

Since Fortnite and Overwatch are still quite different when it comes to gameplay, a crossover between them ultimately makes more sense. However, the door has been opened, and it’s possible that Overwatch could be eyeing other crossovers with direct competitors. Adding some of the most powerful Overwatch heroes to Marvel Rivals, or vice versa, once seemed like a really wild idea. Fortnite‘s collaboration doesn’t really make it seem so crazy anymore, though.

The Marvel Rivals roster is filled with plenty of household names and deep cuts from Marvel Comics, and it would be really interesting to see them enter the arena with familiar Overwatch faces. Whether this kind of team-up happened within Overwatch or Marvel Rivals, seeing characters like Tracer and D.Va fighting against or alongside Marvel classics like Blade and Daredevil would be a pretty surreal moment.

A Fortnite and Marvel Rivals Team-Up Would Simply Feel Redundant

Marvel Rivals and Overwatch coming together just makes more sense than the former coming to Fortnite. There have already been plenty of big Fortnite Marvel crossovers, so adding another one to the battle royale wouldn’t feel nearly as exciting. It isn’t just simple skins and cosmetics, either. Longtime Fortnite players and even gamers who are simply familiar with the game know that Epic Games has hosted several major Marvel-focused events.

At the most, a Marvel Rivals and Fortnite collab would be more about getting new skin variants. NetEase’s Marvel Rivals character art is really distinct, so seeing some of those costume designs in Fortnite would be kind of cool. It just wouldn’t have the same impact that a Marvel Rivals x Overwatch partnership would have, though. Frankly, Fortnite is possibly even running out of steam when it comes to its Marvel crossovers.

Epic Games uses Marvel content to mostly capitalize on movie releases. Since Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s release date is set for July 31, there are bound to be a few skins and in-game events tied to the movie’s debut. Considering that Fortnite has already featured several big Spider-Man-focused moments, though, it might be hard to bring something really impressive to players. This hopefully isn’t the case, but Marvel branching out to other games for crossovers instead of focusing so much on Fortnite might be the better move. Overwatch would be one of the obvious choices, since it would reach such a big audience.

Are There Plans for Overwatch to Have a Marvel Rivals Crossover Any Time Soon?

Right now, there aren’t any known plans for Overwatch and Marvel Rivals to team up together. For fans who would like to see that happen, it’s more than likely a big pipe dream that will never come to fruition. Overwatch coming to Fortnite definitely shows that the former is willing to expand its reach. Marvel Rivals is the game that is probably going to hold back from such a crossover, though.

Unlike Overwatch‘s openness to featuring occasional crossovers with outside IP, Marvel Rivals has maintained an exclusive vibe by sticking to the Marvel universe. As far as it’s known, NetEase doesn’t really have any desire to add non-Marvel characters to the game. That makes a lot of sense, because it would be a little confusing for a Marvel-branded game to feature characters from other franchises. However, it’s still not impossible for Marvel Rivals to switch sides to Overwatch. There is still a small chance that Marvel Rivals-inspired skins could eventually come to Overwatch. Even still, NetEase could eventually change its mind down the road and open itself up to the occasional crossover for a non-Marvel IP. This is the less likely scenario, but nothing is really impossible.

The Slow Death of Live Service Might Force These Games to Think Outside the Box

The biggest drawback to the live service game model is that it requires developers to constantly keep things as exciting as impossible. This is why Fortnite has a reputation for being a hodgepodge of tons of experiences in one. It’s far more than just a simple battle royale now. Epic Games’ hit title has ballooned into something much bigger, and it’s going to be harder to keep up. Overwatch and Marvel Rivals are bound to hit the same wall. In some ways, they already have. As the live service hype starts to fall away and gets replaced by more extraction shooters and whatever other genre trend is next, Overwatch and Marvel Rivals might be forced to lean on one another.