Overwatch players are tired of toxic criticism from Marvel Rivals’ fans
Blizzard Entertainment, Epic Games, MarvelOverwatch players are tired of hearing toxic criticism from Marvel Rivals’ fans in the midst of this hero shooter feud.
Marvel Rivals is the freshest new hero shooter on the market, directly competing with Overwatch’s fanbase. While the latter game has remained stagnant and garnered some bad will within the gaming community due to some of its decisions as a sequel, Marvel Rivals has become the new darling of the gaming world.
Due to the competitive nature of the two games, however, Overwatch fans have noticed some toxic criticisms coming their way. While criticisms of any game are naturally valid, some players feel as if the criticism directed towards Overwatch is more spiteful than productive.
The Overwatch community needs Marvel Rivals’ players to move on
Overwatch has had a tumultuous life as a game, with many controversial moves that have left much of its playerbase disillusioned. The transition into a sequel for a canned PvE feature and the age of the game has allowed Marvel Rivals to sufficiently swoop in and take some of Overwatch’s players away. But this in itself has created some toxic discourse.
Former Overwatch League caster AVRL criticized the lack of objectivity in the overall discussion between the two games.
“I’ve seen over the past week, far too many people eager to sling crap towards OW in often the most bad faith way possible,” he said in a tweet. “That has now caused a p*ssing contest in the opposite direction from fervent OW defenders eager to do the same in what basically amounts to a race to the bottom to see who can be the most toxic gaming community on the planet.”
AVRL went on to state that Marvel Rivals also deserves criticism of its own that is being swept under the rug due to comparisons with Overwatch.
Some players feel as if the Overwatch community is receiving hate and criticism for simply enjoying the game over or at the same time as Marvel Rivals.
“I think sadly it’s just gotten to a point where a lot of people have forgotten that it is literally just a game at the end of the day,” said Twitch streamer Bunnimoni. “I just don’t think people who enjoy the game should be receiving hate for still having fun.”
Certainly, some of the Overwatch discourse has leaned into toxicity due to the freshness and popularity of Marvel Rivals. Popular streamer Timthetatman on stream, “is this what it’s like to have developers that really want the game to succeed?” before quickly clarifying, “that’s a bit toxic, I’m sure Overwatch and other games want them to succeed.”
Meanwhile, many former Overwatch players who moved onto Marvel Rivals still respect both games at the end of the day.
“People forget how good [Overwatch] was when it came out,” Shroud stated on stream. “It ran good, looked good, the frames were insane, anyone could play it, matchmaking was good, that game took over the world. Don’t disrespect the GOAT.”
At the end of the day, both games have clear strengths and weaknesses, and Marvel Rivals is bound to feel like the more polished experience as a newer game. As the rivalry between the two games intensifies, both communities can hopefully calm down sooner rather than later.