For years, one hero shooter dominated the space and that was none other than the famous Overwatch. However, once corporate greed took over and created the shenanigan-filled launch of Overwatch 2, that once hardcore playerbase dispersed. Many opted for other free hero shooters that combined new elements like the battle royale Apex Legends or the more hardcore Valorant reminiscent of tactical shooter Counter Strike. Still, there’s really been no direct competition in terms of the raw gameplay of Overwatch itself. Until now that is the baby. Marvel is hoping to compete, by the looks of it, not necessarily with raw innovation but with the power of world-recognized heroes on the roster.

Marvel Rivals’ entry into the shooter industry is slated to be a 6 vs. 6 team shooter featuring a star-studded roster of heroes from a variety of blockbuster comics and movies. I mean really, I think some people might have heard of this Spider-Man guy before. The heroes have different roles like healer and DPS (sound familiar?). There are some key differences to Overwatch though. For one thing, the game is slated to be third person. I’m kinda surprised to hear that and I wonder if a first person option will be available upon its true release. Additionally there seems to be a focus on being able to destroy and alter the environment during battles and using unique team combination attacks to gain an advantage. The first closed beta will be happening in May and sign ups are already open. Anyone interested can click here to be taken to the signup page. I know I slapped my ass in there as my curiosity is too great. 

Despite some key differences, I think this is about the closest we’ve come to a serious, direct competitor to Overwatch in several years. The comments of the trailer certainly seem to suggest Blizzard may be in big trouble. Of course time will tell if this project is another soulless cash grab or a truly passionate project devoted to some hype hero conflicts. Have you heard about Marvel Rivals? Do you believe it will compete with Overwatch or is it too early to say? Will you sign up for the testing period? Shoot some spider webs, shock foes with your lightning hammer, and have Jarvis blast detected enemies with lasers in the comments below!