In the world of hero shooters, Overwatch 2 is facing its toughest challenge yet. NetEase’s Marvel Rivals, the so-called “Overwatch killer,” is living up to its ominous nickname, drawing players in droves while Blizzard’s beleaguered sequel struggles to keep its footing.

Nine months after its initial reveal, Marvel Rivals burst onto the scene with a bang. Boasting an impressive 10 million players in just 72 hours, the free-to-play title has captured the hero shooter spotlight. Despite Blizzard’s former president dismissing it as a mere “copy” of Overwatch, players seem to think otherwise.

With a peak of 480,990 concurrent players on Steam and over 170,000 viewers on Twitch, Marvel Rivals is commanding attention. These numbers overshadow Overwatch 2’s all-time Steam peak of 75,608 concurrent players and its current Twitch viewership of just 6,400—a stark contrast.

Even if we don’t have the number of players over on Battle.net, we can generously assume that it’s around double the Steam player base. And after doing the math, Marvel Rivals still doubles Overwatch 2’s current player base.

Overwatch 2’s Struggles

Meanwhile, Overwatch 2 is in a slump. On Steam, its concurrent player count recently hit a record low of 16,919, according to SteamDB. While other platforms like Battle.net and consoles undoubtedly contribute to its player base, the comparison is telling.

As Overwatch 2 dips, Marvel Rivals surges ahead, proving that it’s not just launch hype driving its success. Players are resonating with its fresh take on the genre, positioning it as a serious contender for the top spot.

Blizzard isn’t out of the fight yet. With Season 14 of Overwatch 2 set to launch on 10 December, a significant update could bring players back into the fold. Live service games are no stranger to ups and downs, and Blizzard will be hoping its next wave of content sparks a resurgence.

Whether Marvel Rivals can sustain its momentum or if Overwatch 2 can stage a comeback remains to be seen. But for now, the balance of power in the hero shooter genre has undeniably shifted.