The second thatMarvel Rivalswas announced, the comparisons toOverwatchwere always going to be inevitable. And once the game finally came out and audiences saw just howsimilarMarvel RivalsandOverwatch 2were, it became clear that NetEase was not going to be shying away from the similarities the two games shared. Characters like Black Widow, Hawkeye, Black Panther, and Loki all bear striking resemblances toOverwatchcounterparts Widowmaker, Hanzo, Genji and Echo, just to name a few.
In spite of the fact that both games are apparently competitors, there’s still a lot to love in both titles.OverwatchandMarvel Rivals, for all their similarities, still offer unique gameplay experiences with characters of varying skill ceilings that reward the hours players pour into them. Nevertheless, there’s one area whereRivals' developers seem to have Blizzard squarely beaten, despite the latter’s years of experience managing and creating their own shooter: hero balancing.
Marvel Rivals New Heroes are Perfectly Balanced, as All Things Should Be
Marvel Rivals Has Been Releasing Nearly Perfectly Balanced Heroes From the Get-Go
Rivalshas only been out a few short months, but the developers at NetEase have already delivered on not one, not two, not three, but five additional heroes, with a sixth coming in May whenUltron arrives in the gameas a playable strategist. This is an almost unprecedented release cadence for characters in hero shooters, especially in comparison toOverwatch, which has been releasing one hero every three months. But even more impressive than NetEase’s release schedule is the state these heroes are releasing in.
Emma Frost, The Thing, the Human Torch, the Invisible Woman, and Mister Fantastic were all released in relatively balanced states. So far, none of the new heroes have been massively overpowered, meta-shaking events. They released, filled their own unique gameplay niches, and ultimately improved team comp diversity. This is a direct contrast to most ofOverwatch’s hero additions over the years. The likes of Sojourn, Ana, Echo, and especially Brigitte dominated the game upon their respective releases. In many instances, these characters still topOverwatchhero tier lists. Brigitte, and the meta that formed around her, were so powerful that many fans still point to her release as the moment where the game’s health took a turn for the worse.
NetEase Enjoys the Benefit of Hindsight To Avoid Overwatch’s Missteps
It makes sense that NetEase is a little more prudent with hero balance inMarvel Rivals. The developers have the benefit of hindsight. They were able to watch thejourneyOverwatchhas been on for the last nine years: the highs, the lows, the triumphs, and most importantly, the mistakes. It seems that NetEase has been able to avoid making the mistakes Blizzard made while it was paving the way withOverwatch.
WhenOverwatchcame out, Blizzard was no stranger to the tightrope walk that is game balance.Starcraft, World of Warcraft, and evenHearthstoneall had dedicated teams making sure their balance was in check for years before the world even knew who Tracer was. But the hero shooter genre was totally new ground for the company, which explains why the growing pains were so prevalent when it came tokeepingOverwatchheroes in check and balanced. WhileMarvel Rivalsis still a new game itself, NetEase has the benefit of the hindsight of Overwatch’s lifecycle.
NetEase Can Keep Up Its Hot Streak by Releasing Balanced Heroes
It’ll be a challenge for NetEase to keep the standard of quality it has met to this point. The team has promised a release cadence of roughly one hero a month for the foreseeable future. Keeping all of these characters not just balanced, but balanced on their respective launches, is going to be a monumental task. Ultron’s release next month will be another test of NetEase’s mettle. Players have yet to see any in-game footage of the metal menace, butUltron’s leaked abilitiescould indicate a massively powerful DPS/Support hybrid character, a truly dangerous combination if not properly balanced.
But this hot streak is still one of the best tools inMarvel Rival’s utility belt to date. Whenever new heroes come out, the game has a resurgence of hype; players come back to experience the new hero. If the heroes are balanced, it encourages returning players to stick around and enjoy the game. Getting blown away every match by a characteras strong as launch day Brigittewould be a massive turn-off for new/returning players in addition to slowly chipping away at the patience of the dedicated fanbase. Keeping those new heroes balanced on launch is a huge win forMarvel Rivals; here’s hoping it stays that way.
