For Higher and For Worse, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 Are within the Actual Identical Boat Proper Now

Within the lead-up to December 2025, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 followers have been fast to note an enormous similarity between the hero shooters: they have been each releasing a brand new hero, and mentioned hero can be the forty fifth choice in each video games. Since then, Rogue and Vendetta have launched in Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 respectively, with the overall tackle the 2 characters being comparable. Total, each heroes are high-skill and enjoyable in the proper arms, however stopped being insta-locked pretty rapidly as a result of they require a lot ability to do effectively with. Nonetheless, the similarities between the 2 rivals don’t cease there, with each the great and unhealthy being shared.

The Good: Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 Ring within the Holidays With Fashion

On the optimistic finish of the spectrum are the vacation occasions for each video games. As proven under, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 have loads to put in writing dwelling about this yr:

Overwatch 2	Marvel Rivals
A number of returning winter brawls, resembling Mei’s Snowball Offensive and a brand new map for the Prop Hunt variant Mischief and Magic.	The Jeff-themed Winter Splash mode returns, this time with three variants of The Land Shark that boast distinctive skills, resembling a beyblade-like water splash and a snowball that may entice opposing gamers.
Two earnable recolors for Junkrat and Cassidy.	Two earnable recolors for Jeff the Land Shark.
Three reward paths for finishing cookie challenges, with Tracer, Torbjorn, and Junkrat providing battle go tier skips, beauty objects, and loot packing containers in trade for cookies.	A particular Jeff-themed map hand-crafted for the winter LTM.
A number of paid skins for heroes like Ashe, Wuyang, Mauga, and Juno.	Paid skins for Daredevil, Star-Lord, and Peni Parker themed across the holidays. A Premium go additionally has Christmas-themed skins for Squirrel Woman and Winter Soldier.

Total, these occasions examine each field that they’re alleged to. Positive, there are nitpicks that gamers can have concerning the earnable skins for each titles being recolors, however realistically, the occasions do much more proper than they do improper. A festive model of Mischief and Magic and a deeper model of Winter Splash are the right form of informal enjoyable for the season, whereas among the paid skins are really unbelievable, be it Ashe’s long-awaited look from the holiday menu art or Peni’s snowman-themed mech. No matter which hero shooters gamers go along with this yr (or in the event that they cut up their time between each), they’ll certainly be capable of get into the vacation spirit.

The Dangerous: Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals’ Newest Steadiness Passes Missed the Mark

Nonetheless, it’s not all sunshine, rainbows, and sweet canes in the meanwhile, as there’s room for criticism as effectively. Each hero shooters launched disappointing stability passes. For instance, within the case of Overwatch 2, D.Va goes unchecked regardless of being overly sturdy for fairly a while. In the meantime, characters like Reinhardt and Junker Queen have acquired some questionable nerfs, possible on account of Stadium, with gamers wishing that Zarya had been hit as a substitute. Freja stays weaker than she must be, whereas Mercy mains proceed to attend for a rework that will by no means come.

One of many few optimistic modifications on this patch sees Juno being allowed to deal vital harm, which ought to make her simpler. Nonetheless, there are much more disappointments, like Reinhardt’s Earthshatter charging extra slowly or D.Va being left as is.

Whereas Marvel Rivals might have scored an enormous win with stability go of its personal, realistically, issues aren’t a lot better for Overwatch 2’s principal competitors this December. The triple help meta that so many gamers dislike has change into massively viable once more due to Ultron’s buff granting him a second drone, which means that many fights go on and on for ages. Invisible Woman stays too sturdy after getting a number of buffs many deemed pointless, whereas Gambit looks like a must-pick character since he can achieve this a lot. After which there’s Daredevil, whose long-requested nerf noticed the additional 25 well being from his team-up taken away — successfully leaving him unchanged.

Whereas it’s necessary to comprehend that each video games are one other stability patch away from being enjoyable once more, it’s a little bit of a bummer that their stellar winter occasions have been hampered by some weak mechanical modifications (or lackterof). Within the case of Marvel Rivals developer NetEase, being much less reactionary and never altering heroes as a result of the loudest voices locally complained can be a boon. On the flip aspect, Blizzard may benefit extra from listening to out its fan base, as a nerf to a hero like Zarya isn’t precisely a brand new request. Whereas the great will outweigh the unhealthy if gamers are feeling festive, and spending most of their time within the LTMs, the principle experiences of each these hero shooters are in want of some important changes.