Highlights
- Marvel Rivals could challenge Overwatch 2 with Twitch Drops like OW2's successful reward system.
- Overwatch 2's popular Twitch Drops build hype and loyalty, a blueprint for Marvel Rivals to follow.
- Marvel Rivals should capitalize on popular Marvel characters and tier rewards for Twitch success.
Many developers have tried to capture the hero shooter magic of Overwatch 2, like Gearbox Software with Battleborn and BossKey Productions with Lawbreakers. Such attempts have been fruitless, as OW2 continues to dominate the genre, and the other games have either had their servers shut down or have far fewer players. NetEase’s upcoming superhero-packed title Marvel Rivals plans to challenge Overwatch 2’s right to the throne. However, just like any good battle plan, Marvel Rivals should try to think like their rival and even copy some strategies, like OW2’s Twitch Drop Reward system.
Overwatch started to stream exclusively on YouTube in 2020 when Activision-Blizzard inked a three-year media rights deal with the platform. Since the release of Overwatch 2, which also coincides with the three-year deal expiry of the YouTube deal, the franchise has started to branch out into multiplatform streaming once more. Its new esports league, Overwatch Champion Series (OWCS) began streaming on Twitch, offering various rewards called “drops” for viewers who watched it for a certain period.
Overwatch 2 Update Giving Big Buff to Tanks
Tank players in Overwatch 2 have a lot of reasons to look forward to the mid-Season 10 patch, which gives them some huge buffs.
Why Marvel Rivals Should Copy Overwatch 2’s Twitch Drop Rewards
Overwatch 2 has been quite generous with its Twitch Drops recently. One of its best drops was in early February when it gave away Zenyatta's Legendary Cybermonk Skin. Here are some of the rewards it offered during the Open Qualifiers of OWCS in late February and the start of Season 10 in mid to late April:
| OWCS Open Qualifiers (February 26 to March 18) | |
| Rewards | Hours Viewed |
| OWCS Icon | 2 |
| OWCS Spray | 4 |
| Lifeweaver Winter Spray | 6 |
| Murphy Cookies Icon | 8 |
| OWCS open Qualifiers (March 18 to 31) | |
| Rewards | Hours Viewed |
| OW Esports Spray | 2 |
| OWE Icon | 4 |
| D.Va Winter Name Card | 6 |
| OWCS Kiriko Skins (Home and Away) | 8 |
| Overwatch 2 Season 10 (April 17 to April 21) | |
| Rewards | Hours Viewed |
| Roadhog Victory Pose | 2 |
| Crushing Blow Highlight Intro | 5 |
| Cyclops Roadhog Skin (Legendary) | 9 |
| Overwatch 2 Season 10 (April 22 to April 29) | |
| Rewards | Hours Viewed |
| Googlymari Icon | 2 |
| Nanoblade Pact Spray | 4 |
| Ironclad Duel Spray | 6 |
| Blooming Friendship Name Card | 8 |
| OWCS Reinhardt Home Skin | 10 |
| OWCS Reinhardt Away Skin | 12 |
The franchise also went back to partnering with OW2 creators on Twitch with the return of its Support-A-Streamer program and streamer drops in November 2023. So far, qualified Twitch streamers have given away Echo’s Epic Bird of Paradise and Reaper’s Epic Calavera skins to their loyal viewers. This reward format is an excellent way to build hype around a multiplayer game like Overwatch 2, Players often tune in to streamers and the esports league for entertainment and to learn how to play the game like the pros do. Plus, they’re inclined to stay for eight to 12 hours because the OWCS skin drops are just too good to pass up. This is the blueprint that budding shooter games like Marvel Rivals should learn from if they want to build a solid audience.
How Marvel Rivals Can Double Down on Overwatch 2’s Twitch Drops
Marvel Rivals’ characters have an edge over Overwatch 2 simply because more people know them. Marvel’s superhero teams have been a constant part of pop culture for decades. As such, Marvel Rivals may capitalize on its characters’ popularity to sell cosmetics, like skins. If it wants to build a following on Twitch, it should also offer such items as drops from its channel or partner streamers.
The Marvel Rivals could also replicate Overwatch 2’s strategy of tiering its rewards according to how many minutes or hours the viewer has stayed on a stream. The longer they stay, the more exclusive and prestigious the reward. This way, everyone gets freebies, but the truly dedicated ones get all of them. It’s a great way to consistently turn regular viewers into loyal audiences. The more eyes are on the game’s channels, the higher it’ll be on Twitch’s charts, further bringing in more casual viewers to convert. Such a system works for Overwatch 2 because it has a relatively popular esports league and a vast network of dedicated content creators. This is something that Marvel Rivals should also build first if it wants to find success on Twitch and other streaming platforms.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 is Blizzard's free-to-play team-based first-person shooter. The title features some new heroes like Junker Queen and Sojourn, as well as returning favorites.
