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

Before December 2025 Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 fans were quick to notice a big similarity between the hero shooters: both were releasing a new hero and said the hero would be the 45th option in both games. Since then, Rogue and Vendetta have released v Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 respectively, with the general view of the two figures being similar. Overall, both heroes are highly skilled and fun in the right hands, but they stopped being insta-locked fairly quickly because they require so much skill to work well with. However, the similarities between the two competitors do not end there, the good and the bad are shared.

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

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

Overwatch 2	Marvel Rivals
Multiple returning winter brawls like Mei's Snowball Offensive and a new map for Prop Hunt variant Mischief and Magic.	The Jeff-themed Winter Splash mode returns, this time with three variants of The Land Shark boasting unique abilities such as a water splash like a beyblade and a snowball that can trap enemy players.
Two well-deserved recolors for Junkrat and Cassidy.	Two well-deserved recolors for Jeff the Land Shark.
Three reward paths for completing cookie challenges, with Tracer, Torbjorn, and Junkrat offering battle pass level skips, cosmetic items, and loot boxes in exchange for cookies.	A special Jeff themed map hand crafted for Winter LTM.
Several paid skins for heroes like Ashe, Wuyang, Mauga and Juno.	Paid holiday themed skins for Daredevil, Star-Lord and Peni Parker. The Premium Pass also has Christmas-themed skins for Squirrel Girl and Winter Soldier.

Overall, these events tick all the boxes they have. Sure, there are quibbles that players may have about earnable skins for both titles being recolored, but realistically, the events are doing far more right than wrong. The festive version of Mischief and Magic and the deeper version of Winter Splash are the perfect kind of casual fun for this season, while some of the paid skins are truly incredible, whether it's Ashe's long-awaited holiday menu appearance or Peni's snowman-themed mech. Regardless of which hero shooters players choose this year (or if they split their time between the two), they're sure to get into the holiday spirit.

The Bad: Overwatch 2 and recent Marvel Rivals passes missed the mark

It's not all sunshine, rainbows and candy at this point though, as there's also room for criticism. Both hero shooters released disappointing balance passes. For example, in the case of Overwatch 2D.Va is out of control despite being too strong for quite some time. Meanwhile, characters like Reinhardt and Junker Queen received some questionable nerfs, likely as a result of Stadium, with players wishing Zarya was hit instead. Freja remains weaker than she should be, while Mercy mains continue to wait for a rework that may never come.

One of the few positive changes in this patch is that Juno can deal 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 get a big win with a good balance of his own, realistically it's not much better Overwatch 2main competition this December. The triple support meta that so many players hate has become hugely viable 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 even after getting a few buffs that many felt were unnecessary, while Gambit feels like a character you have to pick because she can do so much. And then there's Daredevil, whose long-requested nerf saw him take an extra 25 health from his team – leaving him virtually unchanged.

While it's important to note that both games are another balancing act away from being fun again, it's a bit of a bummer that their stellar winter events have been hampered by some weak mechanical changes (or lack thereof). In case Marvel Rivals NetEase developer, being less reactionary and not changing heroes because the loudest voices in the community complained would be beneficial. On the other hand, Blizzard could benefit more from listening to their fanbase, since a nerf to a hero like Zarya isn't exactly a new request. While the good outweighs the bad, if players feel festive and spend most of their time in LTM, the core experiences of both of these hero shooters need some major tweaks.