When Marvel Rivals was first revealed, it was hard not to feel like it was just another Overwatch clone, one that would struggle to find an audience, even despite it being based on one of the most popular IPs at the moment. However, upon launch, Marvel Rivals shattered expectations, and deservedly so. Its blend of well-tuned heroes - minus a few completely broken ones - and fun abilities, coupled with its streamlined gameplay and amazing character designs saw it shoot to the top of the Steam charts.

Marvel Rivals' glowing reviews were deserved, but it seems like the hype hasn't survived as long as some may have hoped. As is often the case with live service games, the players are dropping like flies. However, while it may seem a little dire to some - many are already calling Marvel Rivals' time of death - the situation really isn't as bad as many may believe, as, while certainly accurate, the numbers doing the rounds don't paint a complete picture.

Marvel Rivals' Player Count Numbers On Steam Are Dropping

They're Less Than Half Of What They Were

When Marvel Rivals first launched, it was a resounding success. Within just two days, Marvel Rivals hit 10 million players, making it a ridiculously successful launch for NetEase. On Steam alone, Marvel Rivals hit an all-time peak player count of 644,269, according to SteamDB, an impressive number, especially considering the somewhat lackluster hype around the game prior to launch. This gave it a head start above other competitive live service shooters, including its direct competition like Overwatch.

However, those numbers wouldn't last, as Marvel Rivals' player count has plummeted since launch. This coincided with the entire Marvel Rivals Seattle team being laid off, something that no one was expecting considering the game's humungous success. Now, Marvel Rivals' most recent 24-hour peak player count, on Steam, sits at 242,904, according to SteamDB. That's less than half of what the game was pulling in during its original peak, which isn't great for the live-service shooter.

Rivals Is Far From A Dead Game

There Is Still A Lot Of People Playing

Of course, it isn't bad news for Marvel Rivals either. While a drop of over 400,000 players is significant, Marvel Rivals' current 24-hour peak player count still outmatches that of its competition. Overwatch 2 - which, granted, has been out for a lot longer and therefore has lost a lot of its novelty - has a 24-peak player count of just 28,850, according to SteamDB. FragPunk, a brand-new hero shooter which released on March 5, 2025, has a respectable, yet nevertheless smaller player count of 63,119 on Steam, according to SteamDB.

Suffice it to say, while Marvel Rival's somewhat dwindling numbers are a tad concerning, it is still soldiering on rather healthily, bringing huge amounts of players daily. This is largely thanks to who is coming to Marvel Rivals next, which then drums up even more hype. It's also important to note that these Steam numbers don't paint a full picture of Marvel Rivals' entire success.

Why Steam Numbers For Marvel Rivals Aren't Everything

It Discounts Other Platforms

Marvel Rivals is available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in addition to PC. Data, specifically player count numbers, for consoles are not as readily available as they are for Steam, which makes tracking just how many people are playing on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S almost impossible. As a result, while the Steam numbers certainly indicate how successful a game is doing, as those on PC represent a majority of players, it isn't illustrative of just how many people are still playing a game.

It is also worth noting that Marvel Rivals is available via the Epic Game Store on PC. While its install base is smaller than Steam's, it will nevertheless contribute towards the game's overall player count. However, unlike Steam, Epic Game Store's player count information isn't publicly accessible.

It is always important to this before assuming that a game is dead, especially when it comes to something like Marvel Rivals, which is still doing incredibly well on Steam alone. A dip in players is to be expected with any live service game, as there are those who play it initially due to hype or because friends recommend it but ultimately decide it isn't for them, and then those who enjoy it for a bit, but become consumed by the next live service game and move on.

However, Marvel Rivals has maintained a rather impressive dedicated fanbase, one it will likely sustain if it keeps up its steady stream of updates. While there is every possibility that it could go the way of Overwatch and flounder its success, considering the branding, publisher backing it, and its already impressive numbers despite being around for a few months, Marvel Rivals has every chance of retaining its title of one of the best and biggest live service games of all time.

Source: Marvel Rivals/SteamDB, Overwatch 2/Steam DB, FragPunk/SteamDB