Overwatch Has Officially Beaten Marvel Rivals

Overwatch has officially reclaimed its throne, surpassing Marvel Rivals as the most played hero shooter on Steam. Originally launched in 2016 by Blizzard, Overwatch received a sequel in 2022 which replaced the original title, adding new heroes and updated mechanics. The follow-up’s changes to the game’s beloved formula received a mixed reception.

In December 2024, NetEase Games released Overwatch‘s stiffest competition to date, launching Marvel Rivals to tremendous fanfare. Marvel Rivals was an instant success story, replicating Overwatch‘s unique hero shooter formula with a cast of Marvel superheroes making up its roster. As of February 2026, the game has seen over 45 characters added to its lineup, with NetEase announcing Elsa Bloodstone as its next Marvel Rivals hero, scheduled to release on February 13.

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Overwatch Officially Surpasses Marvel Rivals

Blizzard’s surprise Overwatch relaunch has seen the game overtake Marvel Rivals in player count, with both its current players and 24-hour peak overcoming Marvel’s competitive hero shooter. At the time of writing, Marvel Rivals has a current player count of over 70,000, while Overwatch has over 108,000 players. Overwatch’s 24-hour player count peak is also noticeably higher, reaching an all-time high surpassing 165,000 players, while Marvel Rivals currently has a 24-hour peak player count that’s just over 112,000.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

The massive surge in Overwatch’s player count comes on the heels of the game’s biggest relaunch to date, with the title dropping the “2” in its name and rebranding as simply Overwatch. The sweeping changes include an overhauled user interface, presenting players with more information at a glance, along with new sub roles that give each class of character unique passive abilities, like seeing players through walls or increasing the effectiveness of health packs. The game also launched five brand-new playable characters, including Emre, who first appeared in Overwatch‘s comic tie-ins, and Jetpack Cat, a character originally conceived early in Overwatch‘s development who many fans have requested.

The relaunch of Overwatch also resets its seasonal progress, with a new season 1 for the game’s newest narrative, a storyline titled “Reign of Talon.” Season 1, subtitled “Conquest,” sees Overwatch overtaken by Talon’s forces, seemingly led by Vendetta, the villainous character who recently made her debut during the game’s 20th season. Players who participate in the game’s new season are asked to take sides in this battle, with each faction earning them in-game rewards at the conclusion of each week. The game’s new storyline is set to play out throughout the rest of the year across six seasons, with one new hero set to debut with each season.

Overwatch‘s competition with Marvel Rivals seems to be heating up, with the two games introducing characters and mechanics that propel them into the spotlight. Exciting recent additions to the game’s roster, as well as teases for rumored upcoming heroes like Cyclops and Ghost Rider (as hinted at via in-game dialogue from the fourth-wall breaking Deadpool himself) have kept the game’s fan base eager for more, but Overwatch’s surprise resurgence has allowed the game’s popularity to reach heights that it hasn’t seen since the sequel’s initial release.

Overwatch officially surpasses Marvel Rivals

The massive suite of changes, which include Overwatch‘s director confirming a redesign for one of its newest characters based on player feedback, indicate that the game’s developers have been listening closely to the requests of its fans. With the enormous spike in the game’s player count, it’s safe to say that Overwatch‘s fan base has overwhelmingly approved of these changes.