Following the recent launch of Marvel Rivals, the gaming landscape for Overwatch 2 has undergone significant changes. While Overwatch 2 still boasts a dedicated community of players, the game’s appeal has been noticeably affected, particularly in terms of viewership on platforms like Twitch. Indeed, the departure of prominent streamers has led to a considerable decline, with peak viewership witnessing a staggering reduction.
The introduction of Hazard, Overwatch’s latest hero, coincided with Season 14 in December, yet this launch has been overshadowed by the spectacle surrounding Marvel Rivals. Although Hazard has received a warm reception from the community, the timing of the game’s release has hindered its visibility.
Despite efforts to rejuvenate interest in Overwatch 2—such as the collaboration with Avatar: The Last Airbender and the offering of complimentary skins during the Winter event—the game continues to see a drop in viewership metrics.
Marvel Rivals: A Game-Changer for Twitch Viewership
The decline in Overwatch 2’s viewership correlating with the debut of Marvel Rivals was anticipated. Given the immense anticipation for Marvel Rivals, many content creators instinctively gravitated toward the trending title to maximize their engagement. However, nearly a month post-launch, it appears that many of Overwatch’s leading streamers have not returned.
A look at crucial statistics reveals a stark picture of the dwindling viewership for Overwatch 2. As reported by Streamscharts, the average viewership plummeted from 28,000 to 18,000 between November and December—a significant decline.
The most striking figure is the peak viewership, which fell dramatically from 125,000 to just 64,000 in the same timeframe. Notably, this drop would have been even more pronounced if not for the December Twitch drops that provided additional incentives for viewers.
New Twitch Drops are here just in time for the holidays! 🎁🦌 Reindeer Orisa🎄 Ugly Sweater: 76👩🍳 Gingerbread Ana✨And SO much more! Earn up to TEN holiday rewards by watching your favorite Twitch creators now through Jan 7 ☃️ pic.twitter.com/H5ZQZHtpHl
— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) December 21, 2024
If we omit the viewer surge attributable to the event drops, the next-best peak for Overwatch 2 was a mere 48,000 viewers. In stark contrast, Marvel Rivals achieved a peak viewership of 279,000 in December and has sustained high numbers despite the absence of promotional drops. This disparity underscores why streamers are transitioning to the new title.
Successful streamers like Eskay, Emongg, Flats, and bogur have experienced substantial growth in their channels owing to Marvel Rivals. For instance, Eskay has nearly doubled her viewer count since the game’s release, while bogur has skyrocketed from an all-time peak of 3,400 viewers to an incredible 20,000 as a result of the game’s popularity. He can now enjoy organic growth without needing to rely on tedious gaming strategies that limit his appeal.
This begs the question: why would streamers return to Overwatch 2 if Marvel Rivals continues to thrive as an engaging and profitable alternative?
It’s important to emphasize that our analysis focuses on Twitch viewership alone, not accounting for the surge of interest seen on YouTube or the remarkable rise of creators and players like TeamCaptain. While Overwatch 2 is far from fading into oblivion, the reality is that Marvel Rivals is carving out a strong niche among gamers.
To reclaim its audience, Overwatch 2 must develop strategies to engage back its players swiftly. With Marvel Rivals poised to introduce more heroes than Overwatch 2 by the end of 2025, the pressure is mounting.
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