Oh man, where do I even start with this one? So, Aaron Keller, the guy calling the shots for Overwatch 2, he’s been talking about this other game, Marvel Rivals. Have you heard of it? It’s like, shaking things up a bit, apparently. But Keller’s saying that Overwatch 2 didn’t actually make any new features just because of it. Like, Marvel Rivals got everybody hyped and stuff, sure, but Blizzard was already doing its own thing.
December 6, 2024, that’s when Marvel Rivals came into the scene. Everyone’s eyes were glued on Overwatch 2 waiting to see what would happen next. Those folks at NetEase really took the hero shooter concept and ran with it. Meanwhile, Overwatch 2 was cranking out new seasons with a bunch of cool stuff—Perks, Stadium, Hero Bans, Map Voting—you name it.
Oh, and get this, during a stream with Jay3, some of the developers, including Keller, were talking about it. One of the voice actors, Conor—uh, McLeod—was like, “Did Marvel Rivals push you?” Keller kind of gives this half yes and no. Says competition is, like, super healthy, maybe pushes folks a little, but insists Overwatch’s new tricks weren’t just a reaction to Marvel Rivals. Like, they’d been bubbling up those ideas for more than a year. Mind-boggling, right?
But then, there’s this bit where Keller says Marvel Rivals did kinda speed things up a smidgen—talking about Hero Bans here. Apparently, they bumped up the timeline on those because Marvel Rivals already had them for the big-league matches. It’s like they couldn’t just sit back, you know? Yet, even though Marvel Rivals poked them along, the Bans weren’t born out of the blue.
Okay, so fans? Oh boy, some of them are not buying it. They’re thinking, totally suspect timing, dude. But anyone who knows game development knows it’s a slow grind. Stuff like those Perks and Stadiums couldn’t have just popped up overnight. They must’ve been brewing for ages.
But hey, competition’s good, right? Keller even said it’s not always easy-peasy, but it keeps them on their toes. And Overwatch 2? Looks like they’ve got some big plans cooking for the rest of the year and beyond. Keller was dropping hints—kind of teasing about ramping things up from Season 18 onwards. I dunno, whatever it is, sounds like they’re trying to make sure nobody steals their thunder. Exciting times ahead, I guess!
