I've had more fun in the last 2 weeks I've been playing Rivals than the entirety I've played Overwatch 2. The game just wants to seem more focused on being fun rather than competitive.
Are you a Marvel fan in general? As someone who couldn't care less about Marvel heroes, I played Rivals for a bit, and while it was entertaining, I would rather just go play Overwatch.
personally, as someone who was absolutely in love with ow1, ow2 just isn't the same to me. I've never been able to see it as anything other than the regrettable cash grab that it was. I could never really enjoy it. rivals tho? rivals is fun. and I don't have that nagging voice in the back of my head telling me I'm just playing with the taxidermied corpse of a game I once loved.
also rivals is just kind of solid? the characters might be a little bland because corporatism and fitting an already designed mold but the game play is rather fun.
and im v much not a marvel fan, supeheros in general are just kind of meh. tbh the only superhero media I've vibed with at all is doom patrol. moon knight was p good but it doubles down on the "killer alter" stereotype and I'm so not here for that, nor do I like his gameplay in rivals.
I don’t give a shit about Marvel anything and I had a blast playing the new game with my partner and my friend. I refused to play Overwatch 2, but I loved Overwatch 1. Also I like that I can be a furry lawl
I haven't played myself in about a month since it's been the holiday period, but it looks to be in a bit of a lurch. Many streamers jumped ship to Marvel Rivals (at least for the moment). Marvel Rivals is also an inherently more accessible game since it's not a MOBA. I think the initial hype has died down and closed beta testing will now resume in a more normal way. I wouldn't expect another big player surge until open beta begins - possibly even full release.
Ultimately, I don't think Overwatch 2 will disappear from the public eye even if MR comes to utterly dominate the hero shooter market, for one singular, succinct reason: a LOT of people are INCREDIBLY interested in Overwatch Porn, and that's not going to stop anytime soon.
What's to tell me? That bad games that fall out of prominence tend to be remembered for reasons outside their gameplay or world building? That everyone already knows OW2 will be remembered more for its R34 than its actual gameplay? Or that Blizzard dropped the ball so hilariously terribly that people would literally rather play any other game despite the millions of dollars spent on lore, animations, publicity, and skins design?