For years, Overwatch has been the definitive hero-shooter game. While there have been various competitions, none has been able to overshadow it, until now. That all changed with the arrival of Marvel Rivals. Not only is it competitive, but it has taken over the genre and the gaming world like wild fire.
The growing competition in the hero-shooter genre is pushing every studio to innovate. Even Overwatch 2‘s game director Aaron Keller, acknowledged that the entry of Rivals has pushed the team to rethink how it approaches future things coming to the game.
Competition is pressuring Overwatch 2 to evolve
There’s no denying the impact Marvel Rivals has made in the gaming world. Every player is enchanted by its gameplay, popular superheroes as playable characters, and even the fluidity of the abilities. With its diverse roster and fast yet engaging gameplay, it has players hooked.
While this is great news for NetEase, other studios are struggling to keep up. However, that’s not true for Overwatch 2. Recently in an interview with GamesRadar+, director Aaron Keller shared some insights about the arrival of his game’s biggest competitor.
Keller acknowledges that Overwatch 2 has never really been in a competitive situation quite like this before. While Overwatch has always stood out in its genre, Marvel Rivals presents a direct challenge, offering a similar hero-based shooter experience with a fresh new take.
We’re obviously in a new competitive landscape that I think, for Overwatch, we’ve never really been in before.
However, rather than seeing this competition as a threat or resenting it, Keller welcomes the challenge. He believes it serves as a welcome pressure for Blizzard’s team. Due to this competition, the team has found a new life and wants to showcase their creativity as well.
There’s actually something kind of exciting about this, for a few reasons. […] And I really think that seasons 15 and 16 are us not playing it safe. But really it’s a forcing function to execute.
This competition has created an environment where risks need to be taken, which Keller believes is exciting for the development team. Significant updates are on the horizon (Season 16 and beyond), with Season 15 having launched on February 18. The team is now focused on adding more depth and strategy to the game.
A turning point for Overwatch 2
With Marvel Rivals gaining attention like seen before, the Overwatch 2 team now understands the importance of keeping players engaged. If they fail to do that (the bare minimum), they risk losing their audience to the competition.
So with Season 15 and 16, the team wanted to show that they also mean business and won’t back down. Blizzard is no longer just maintaining the game for the sake of it, the team is now actively reshaping it to meet modern expectations.
The game will be introducing new modes and a variety of new perks (already did with S15) to signal to players that it is still around and willing to evolve. By embracing this challenge rather than shying away from it, the game is entering a new phase, one where innovation takes priority over comfort.
In the end, whether these changes will be enough to keep Overwatch 2 in the competition remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Blizzard is no longer playing it safe and we are here for it.
How do you feel about the future of OW2? Will it keep up? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
