Marvel Rivals has hit the online gaming scene, and the title’s massive player count is already drawing attention from fans and developers alike.
Few things can rile gamers up like a good crossover. Fortnite staked its entire identity on featuring every IP under the sun, and it’s a massive reason why the game remains so popular. In the case of Marvel Rivals, developer NetEast Games crammed as many iconic superheroes as it could into the arena shooter. It also put several twists on the hero shooter genre, exploring design space that Overwatch, Paladins, and even the mighty Concord wouldn’t dare to tread. The result is staggering, as the game’s launch overtook several of Steam’s most popular titles on the leaderboards.
Here’s a full review of Marvel Rivals’ player count on its launch date and why it achieved such unprecedented success.
Marvel Rivals recorded a peak player count of 444,286 on the day of its release, beating out several established multiplayer titles.
These numbers come courtesy of SteamDB, which listed Marvel Rivals as the third highest player peak of the day just under juggernauts Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, and Dota 2. Note that this number doesn’t include players on home consoles. Estimations for player counts on PlayStation and Xbox could bring the total close to 1 million at launch.
The game’s timing didn’t do it any favors either. The release coincided with a new season of Fortnite OG, an ongoing Dota 2 event, and the launch of Path of Exile 2. Flush with free-to-play choices, gamers still chose Marvel Rivals over those existing franchises. It’s also got great reviews, hitting 75.14% positive on Steam.
Consumer-friendly practices, unique gameplay mechanics, and popular branding are the main reasons why Marvel Rivals had such a popular launch.
Gamers are more aware than ever of predatory monetization practices. From the exorbitant price of Overwatch battle passes to the constant fear of missing out in Fortnite, players have gotten tired of games using free-to-play as an excuse to shove ads for themselves down their throats. Marvel Rivals, however, took a unique approach to the system. All characters are completely free to play, opting for the Dota 2 approach instead of League of Legends’ playbook. In addition, the premium battle passes are relatively cheap and feature no time limit. Low prices, no FOMO, and no pay-to-win are all signals of a consumer-friendly launch.
However, even with no lootboxes or scratchoffs, a game still has to be good to be popular. Marvel Rivals offers a unique take on the arena shooter genre by pushing the character design space. Cloak and Dagger is a stance character that swaps from a support to a damage-dealer in the middle of the fight. Dr. Strange can summon a Splitgate-style portal to transport the team’s firepower across the map. Jeff is a baby shark. While Valve leans into the MOBA side of the genre with Deadlock, NetEase is just pushing the existing design space to its logical extreme.
Lastly, Marvel Rivals owes much of its popularity to Marvel itself. The cast of characters includes several popular names in the cultural zeitgeist. Wolverine, Loki, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Thor, and the list goes on. It’s got nearly every well-known superhero in the Marvel franchise. However, the sheer size of the roster also includes several lesser-known figures like Squirrel Girl, Mantis, Luna Snow, and Hela. It appeals to both mainstream fans and enthusiasts, a tightrope that very few IP-based games can walk.
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