Marvel Rivals is undoubtedly the underdog in its competition against Overwatch 2. While Overwatch remains the titan of the hero shooter genre, recent announcements suggest that this rivalry may be finally heating up. If Marvel Rivals truly wants to go toe to toe with its greatest competitor, it only makes sense to tackle its most infamous features.
Overwatch 2 has left a few key features on the table since its release. Although some of these decisions may seem unavoidable in retrospect, they were certainly cause for controversy in their day. Among Overwatch 2‘s legacy, its handling of single-player content was undoubtedly the most contentious. With its release date nearing closer and closer, Marvel Rivals can learn from Overwatch 2, and subsequently capitalize on this crucial window of opportunity.
Marvel Rivals Can Learn from One of Overwatch 2’s Biggest Missteps
Overwatch 2’s PvE Content Fell Short of Expectations
Overwatch was delisted following the release of its sequel, and this decision caused plenty of controversy at the time. However, developers reassured players that Overwatch 2 would have enough additional content that they wouldn’t have to miss it after the transition was complete. Among Overwatch 2‘s flagship features, PvE content was certainly at the forefront.
Overwatch 2 promised an ambitious PvE campaign that was never released. The campaign was replaced by a few story missions, with players and developers alike expressing disappointment in the final product. These one-off missions failed to garner substantial support, which led to Blizzard ultimately canceling all other plans for similar content.
Overwatch 2‘s story missions were a far cry from the content that players were promised. After sticking through the delay and cancelation of several game modes, the decision to abandon the PvE promise altogether resulted in more disappointment about the state of the game. The developers have since focused solely on PvP, which has allowed Overwatch 2 to stay at the forefront of the hero shooter genre.
Story Mode Content Could Be Marvel Rivals’ Secret Weapon
Other hero shooters have fallen by the wayside thanks to Overwatch 2‘s dominance of the genre, but Marvel Rivals may have an advantage that its peers did not. At this point, Overwatch 2 is fairly deep into its lifespan, giving other games the opportunity to learn from its mistakes. While Overwatch 2 left many fans disappointed about the state of its PvE content, Marvel Rivals can pick up right where its competitor left off.
Marvel Rivals has a number of approaches it could take if developers opted to feature PvE content. Marvel Rivals could feature a plot-heavy story mode similar to what Overwatch 2 initially conceived of, or it could even opt for smaller-scale missions. Whatever the case, Marvel Rivals has the significant benefit of not promising anything yet. Overwatch 2 set sky-high expectations and ultimately fell short, while Marvel Rivals is still working with a clean slate.
Marvel Rivals Doesn’t Have to Make Rocket Science Out of PvE Game Modes
Marvel Rivals featuring a full-scale campaign seems relatively unlikely, though it certainly isn’t impossible. The game has already begun to set key plot points in place that could serve as the framework for a dedicated story mode. First and foremost, Doctor Doom has already been established as a major villain in Marvel Rivals, and this alone provides plenty of options for potential PvE content.
If developers choose to go a simpler route, their choice of villains still works like a charm. While Doctor Doom is a formidable foe on his own, his army of Doombots could serve as the perfect fodder for players to enjoy mowing down together. Having waves of enemies that culminate in a boss fight is standard fare for PvE encounters, and the Marvel Universe has plenty of villains that could fit this format. Ultron, Kingpin, and the Sentinels are just a few standout villains that would make a Marvel Rivals PvE experience that much sweeter.
Marvel Rivals already has a major villain in Doctor Doom, and some stunning animated cutscenes to boot. This provides a strong foundation for a potential story mode or other PvE plans. While there has yet to be any sort of announcement to speak of, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Marvel Rivals seized the opportunity that Overwatch 2 left on the table.
