Despite only being released a month ago,Marvel Rivalshas solidified itself as a shooter to overtake long-standing giants likeOverwatch. The new team-based shooter shocked the gaming world on release with thirty-three playable characters on its initial roster, multiple game modes, and a wide variety of skins. Players have been blown away even further by the new additions to Season 1 ofMarvel Rivals, with the Lunar New Year Event in particular drawing comparisons to Lunar New Year Events fromOverwatch’s past.
Comparisons betweenMarvelRivalsandOverwatchhave run rampant since the newer shooter’s release. WithOverwatch 2already under heavy fire from its player base due to its management, manyOverwatchplayers are making the switch toMarvel Rivals. This could be a case ofMarvel Rivalsstill being in its honeymoon phase, but other offerings outside its gameplay could lead to the mass exodus fromOverwatchto the new shooter.
Marvel Rivals' Spring Festival Event
Marvel Rivalskicked off its Lunar New Year–or Spring Festival–event slowly on January 3 right at the end of the game’s Season 0, with costumes for the game’s “Immortal Dragon” collection. The first two Lunar New Year costumes, Squirrel Girl’s Cheerful Dragoness and Moon Knight’s Lunar General were part of this release. A week afterMarvel Rivals’ Season 1 launch, two more Lunar New Year skins were added to the game. Doctor Strange’s Sorcerer Immortaland Mantis’ Jade Maiden skinwere added to the game on January 17.
Four total skins for the Lunar New Year event would probably satisfy most gamers considering thatMarvel Rivalsis essentially two months away from its initial launch, but NetEase and Marvel once again shocked players by announcing even more festivities forMarvel Rivals’ Lunar New Year event. In addition to the four Immortal Dragon costumes, three more skins aspart of the new Clashing Lions collectionhave been added.
These Clashing Lions skins are themed to a new game mode in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Clash of the Dancing Lions’ gameplay is reminiscent ofRocket LeagueorOverwatch’s own Lucioball but is themed to the traditional lion dances of Chinese New Year celebrations. Three players can compete in the mode with only three characters available: Iron Fist, Star-Lord, and Black Widow. All three characters have costumes in the Clashing Lions costume collection - Lion’s Mane for Star-Lord, Lion’s Heartbeat for Black Widow, and Lion’s Gaze for Iron Fist. The Clashing Lions update officially kicked off the Lunar New Year festivitiesunder the Spring Festival Event title.
Overwatch’s Events Have Declined in Quality
With the heavy emphasis on skins, new game modes, and character additions toMarvel Rivalsin only its second month and season,Overwatchplayers are comparing the two shootersfirsthand.Overwatchhas notably also had its own Lunar New Year events and skins in the past, with its more recent celebrations showing how far the game has fallen.
However, it’s quite easy to track the decline in the quality ofOverwatch’s Lunar New Year celebrations over the years. 2017 had the most Lunar New Year skins in the game, with thirteen new costumes. From then on, each year added about six to eight new Lunar New Year skins toOverwatch. 2023 was a blow,with only a single Mei skinadded for the festivities. This is representative of a lack of content inOverwatch’s events since the switch toOverwatch 2.
Overwatchis returning in full force this year for its Lunar New Year celebrations with the return of events like Mischief & Magic, Capture the Flag, and Bounty Hunter. This expansion is largely in part because the shooter is finally returning to China on February 19. Fortunately, an announcement on Xiaohongshu (Red Note) confirmed that a whole set ofChinese mythology-themed skins will be added toOverwatchin its next season in addition to the game modes, but the decline of Lunar New Year festivities throughoutOverwatch’s history is yet another reason why people are flocking toMarvel Rivals.
Overwatch 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based action game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 battlefield brawl. Power up your railgun and disrupt the battlefield as Sojourn, or yield your axe and command attention as Junker Queen. Battle to take control of a robot and move it toward the enemy base in the new Push Mode. Bring the fight to new destinations across the globe in iconic locations like New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Rio. Daily challenges and frequent updates mean there is always something new to play.
