In a recent statement, Overwatch 2 game director Aaron Keller noted that Marvel Rivals has certainly sparked competition, yet clarified that the new features in Overwatch 2 were not crafted directly as a reaction to it. He explained, “I think competition is healthy. It does force people to innovate more, to always put your best foot forward. But I don’t think what you’re seeing in Overwatch right now is a response to Rivals. So much of what we were doing this year, from Perks to Stadium to Map Voting… that’s been in the works for over a year as a new strategy for the game.”

Keller acknowledged the competitive pressure from Marvel Rivals has motivated their team, leading to a revised release schedule for features such as Hero Bans.

Earlier in the previous year, Marvel Rivals debuted on December 6, 2024, driving interest in Overwatch 2. While the competition ignited focus, major developments had long been planned and were not an immediate response to its marketplace introduction.

Keller’s comments are timely, as various developers and voice actors joined a stream with Jay3 to discuss the game and its evolving dynamics, reinforcing that the innovations of Overwatch 2 were part of a larger strategy rather than competitive mimicry.