Overwatch players warn Marvel Rivals fans over “damaging” hero ult nerfs

Marvel Rivals fans want nerfs. Overwatch players say, “Trust us, you don’t.” They’ve been down that road, and it didn’t end well.

Both games are hero shooters. Overwatch has been around since 2016. It built, broke, and rebuilt its community. Marvel Rivals is fresh, flashy, and gaining players fast. Right now, Marvel Rivals’ player count dwarfs Overwatch 2’s. But Overwatch players know what happens when balance changes go too far.

Overwatch saw the damage firsthand. Hero ultimates lost their punch over years of nerfs. Players called for tweaks, Blizzard overcorrected, and now once-deadly abilities feel like soft slaps.

Overwatch 2’s declining numbers show the consequences. Marvel Rivals fans should take notes.

NetEase Games

History repeats itself: Overwatch’s mistakes could doom Marvel Rivals

Overwatch veterans sounded the alarm. One user spelled it out: “Every time I see this sub talking about Ults all I can think is ‘Oh man, these are the exact same conversations that led to Overwatch ults becoming lackluster.'”

They warned that nerfing healer ults makes DPS ults too strong. Nerf those, and tank ults take over. Nerf those, and suddenly, ultimate abilities are just longer cooldowns. It happened in Overwatch. It can happen again.

Take Genji’s Dragonblade. Once terrifying, now countered by a single ability. As the owner of the post put it, “you never see Genji pop off with his Blade anymore because it basically blows ass and is a wiffle bat.”

Some Marvel Rivals ultimates, like Cloak and Dagger’s, get the most nerf requests. Moon Knight’s also catches heat, but mainly because of a damage-doubling bug.

Even then, Overwatch veterans stress that ultimates are meant to be overpowered. They define hero shooters. They create hype moments. Without them, matches feel bland.

Marvel Rivals’ developer, NetEase, listens closely to player feedback. They reversed an unpopular rank change the same day they announced it. They also buffed Storm so hard that she shot to the top of the meta. Ninja, the popular Fortnite streamer, thinks this signals trouble.

Marvel Rivals has momentum. But Overwatch’s history proves that too much balance can kill a game’s soul. To them, ultimates are powerful for a reason.