For better or worse, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 are in the exact same boat right now

By December 2025, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 fans quickly noticed a big similarity between the hero shooters: they both released a new hero and said that hero would be the 45th option in both games. Since then, Rogue and Vendetta have dropped in Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 respectively, with the general view of the two characters being similar. Overall, both heroes are skilled and fun in the right hands, but ended up getting insta-locked pretty quickly because they require so much skill to do well. The similarities between the two competitors don't end there though, with both the good and the bad shared.

The Good: Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 ring in the holidays in style

On the positive end of the spectrum are the holiday events for both games. As shown below, Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 have a lot to write home about this year:

Overwatch 2	Marvel Rivals
Several recurring winter brawls, such as Mei's Snowball Offensive and a new map for the Prop Hunt variant Mischief and Magic.	The Jeff-themed Winter Splash mode returns, this time featuring three variations of The Land Shark that have unique abilities, such as a beyblade-like water splash and a snowball that can trap opponents.
Two earnable recolors for Junkrat and Cassidy.	Two earnable recolors for Jeff the Land Shark.
Three reward paths for completing cookie challenges, where Tracer, Torbjorn and Junkrat offer battle passes, cosmetic items and loot boxes in exchange for cookies.	A special Jeff themed map handcrafted for the Winter LTM.
Several paid skins for heroes like Ashe, Wuyang, Mauga and Juno.	Pay skins for Daredevil, Star-Lord and Peni Parker themed around the weekends. A Premium Pass also has Christmas-themed skins for Squirrel Girl and Winter Soldier.

Taken together, these events tick every box they should. Sure, there are nitpicks players might have if the skins earned for both titles are recolored, but realistically, the events do far more right than they do wrong. A festive version of Mischief and Magic and a deeper version of Winter Splash are the perfect kind of casual fun for the season, while some of the paid skins are truly incredible, be it Ash's long-awaited look from the Christmas menu art or Penis's snowman-themed mechanics. Regardless of which hero shooters players join this year (or if they split their time between both), they're sure to be able to get into the holiday spirit.

The Bad: Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals' latest balance pass missed the mark

But it's not all sunshine, rainbows and sweets at the moment, as there is room for criticism too. Both hero shooters dropped disappointing balance passes. For example, when it comes to Overwatch 2D.Va goes unchecked despite being excessively strong for quite some time. Meanwhile, characters like Reinhardt and the Junker Queen have received some questionable nerfs, likely as a result of Stadium, with players wishing Zarya had been hit instead. Freya is still weaker than she should be, while Mercy mains continues to wait for a rework that may never come.

One of the few positive changes in this patch is that Juno can sustain critical damage, which should make her more effective. Still, there are a lot more disappointments, like Reinhardt's Earthshatter charging slower or D.Va being left as is.

While Marvel Rivals could have made a big profit with a good balancing session of their own, realistically it's not much better for Overwatch 2s main competition in December. The triple support meta that so many players dislike has become hugely profitable again thanks to Ultron's buff giving him a second drone, meaning many fights go on and on for ages. Invisible Woman remains too strong after receiving several buffs that many felt were unnecessary, while Gambit feels like a must-choose character because he can do so much. And then there's Daredevil, whose long-requested nerf saw the extra 25 health from his team-up removed – effectively leaving him unchanged.

While it's important to recognize that both games are yet another balance point away from being fun again, it's a bit disappointing that their fantastic winter events have been hampered by some weak mechanical changes (or lack of). In the case of Marvel Rivals developer NetEase, being less reactionary and not changing heroes as the loudest voices in the community complained would be a blessing. On the other hand, Blizzard could benefit more from listening to their fanbase, since a geek for a hero like Zarya isn't exactly a new request. While the good will outweigh the bad if players feel festive and spend most of their time in LTMs, the core experiences of both of these hero shooters are in need of some significant tweaking.