Marvel Rivals: The Formula Western Games Can’t Understand
Marvel Rivals is the Heroic Game Changer we Needed
Marvel Rivals has smashed onto the gaming scene like Hulk through a wall, leaving a trail of broken records and starstruck players. Yet, despite its undeniable success, there’s a weird undercurrent of criticism coming from legacy gaming media and the “modern” crowd of gamers that….no one’s really surprised at anymore.
They’re trying to compare it to other hero shooters like Overwatch or nitpick every design choice as if it’s the end of gaming civilization, when in the end – it’s just a good game made for people that actually enjoy gaming.
Bananas and blasphemy.
Let’s cut through the noise.
Marvel Rivals isn’t just a hero shooter—it’s a masterclass in how to balance great characters, creative design, and gameplay without pandering to tired ideologies or virtue signaling. It’s also a big, juicy middle finger to the outlets that can’t seem to let gamers just enjoy a good thing without trying to get their social justice warrior brownie points.
So let’s talk about why Marvel Rivals is dominating, why comparisons to Overwatch are laughable, and how this “secret sauce” is something Western games seem to have forgotten.
Marvel Rivals vs. Overwatch: Not Even Close
It’s inevitable: Marvel Rivals and Overwatch get lumped together because they’re both “hero shooters.” But that’s like comparing a Lamborghini to a tricycle with streamers.
Sure, they both have wheels, but the similarities stop there.
First, let’s talk character design.
Marvel Rivals embraces exaggerated, vibrant characters who ooze personality—and yes, that includes showing off male and female figures in their over-the-top superhero glory on the backs of a powerhouse I.P.
Meanwhile, Overwatch seems more focused on making characters “relatable” in a way that’s all about checking boxes instead of letting characters just be cool. Blizzard’s commitment to gender politics and identity ideologies feels like a lecture when all we really want to do is blast some bad guys.
And let’s not even talk about their super-not-creepy-at-all Diversity Space Tool, that “translates elements of diversity into character attributes to facilitate more diverse character narratives”.
Image Credit: South Park | Comedy Central | Giphy
Because Blizzard doesn’t pander enough already?
Abilities?
Marvel Rivals takes the “hero” in hero shooter seriously. Every character feels unique, powerful, and just downright fun to play. Overwatch, on the other hand, often feels like it’s trying too hard to balance everything to the point of nerfing the fun right out of its characters.
And while Overwatch’s maps are competent, Marvel Rivals takes you on an epic, comic-book-style journey that’s just as engaging as the characters themselves.
Oh, but that’s right – Marvel Rivals actually stole the concept of Black Widow from Overwatch according to the former Blizzard President…you can’t even make this stuff up!
So when left-leaning gamers or outlets try to claim Overwatch is “better” because it’s more “inclusive” or whatever, the player base’s enthusiasm tells a different story.
Marvel Rivals is what happens when you put the player experience first—not the ideology.
The Black Myth: Wukong Treatment, Take Two
If this all sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen these same tactics before.
Remember Black Myth: Wukong?
That game was a breakout star even before its release, wowing players with stunning visuals, innovative gameplay, and an unapologetic embrace of Chinese mythology. But did that stop legacy outlets from trying to nitpick it into oblivion? Nope.
Kotaku, IGN, and others took turns poking holes in everything from its “overly traditional” narrative to its supposed lack of accessibility and diversity.
Even at The Game Awards, Wukong was treated more like an afterthought than the revolutionary game it was heralded as by gamers. And yet, players loved it—because it was fun, unique, and didn’t feel the need to cater to every niche audience.
Marvel Rivals is getting the same treatment unsurprisingly.
Critics from the same outlets that bashed Black Myth: Wukong are trying to find fault where there isn’t any, calling it an “Overwatch clone” or accusing it of relying on “outdated” character archetypes.
Meanwhile, gamers can’t stop playing and has brought this game to #2 on the Steam Charts already.
This disconnect between media critiques and player sentiment isn’t just a coincidence.
It’s a pattern, and it’s becoming painfully obvious that these outlets are out of touch with what gamers actually want and that these formerly relevant journalists are just activists now in disguise.
The Secret Ingredient to Marvel Rivals' Success
Fun.
Revolutionary concept, I know.
But somewhere along the way, Western developers decided that “fun” was less important than “sending a message.”
That’s why 2024 was littered with the corpses of games that prioritized ideology over gameplay.
Take Dragon Age: The Veilguard for example. Instead of building a captivating fantasy world, it focused on forced diversity, open trans activism, and pandering narratives that alienated more players than it attracted. The result? A game that couldn’t hold a candle to its predecessors in terms of player engagement.
Then there was Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which somehow managed to make the concept of battling DC’s biggest heroes and villains feel like a chore. And who could forget The Dustborne, a game so steeped in its own woke messaging that it forgot to include anything resembling an engaging experience?
Marvel Rivals, by contrast, doesn’t just add the fun factor—it doubles down on it. It’s a game that knows what it is and doesn’t apologize for it. The characters are bold, the gameplay is addictive, and the experience is designed with players in mind—not activists.
Marvel Rivals Is Here to Stay, Season one incoming
Marvel Rivals isn’t just a hit; it’s a wake-up call for the gaming industry. Players don’t want lectures or politics—they want games that are, you know, fun. With its record-breaking success and overwhelmingly positive reception, it’s clear that Marvel Rivals is giving gamers exactly what they’ve been craving.
Image Credit: SteamDB
Of course, no game is invincible.
There’s always the risk that future updates could go too heavy on the balancing—looking at you, Helldivers 2—or that the hype will naturally die down over time.
But as long as Marvel Rivals sticks to its guns and keeps delivering that funderful, high-octane experience, it’s poised to remain a top-tier game for years to come and with Season 1 right on the horizon, there’s definitely a lot to look forward to.
So here’s to Marvel Rivals: a game that doesn’t just break the mold but smashes it to pieces.
For those of us who play games simply for the funsies, it’s a reminder of what gaming should be. And for those still trying to nitpick it?
Well, you can always go back to Overwatch.
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