Overwatch 2 Did Better Hero Bans than Marvel Rivals

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Overwatch 2, developed by Blizzard, seems to have navigated some rocky waters but appears to be regaining momentum with an influx of new content. This includes the recent addition of Stadium Mode and Perks, among other updates. One significant shift is the incorporation of Hero Bans, a feature that brings noticeable enhancement compared to what was implemented in Marvel Rivals by NetEase.

Why? Because it effectively removes target bans.

However, let’s take a step back. The bans imposed by Target in a hero shooter game are often a frustrating experience for players. If a player has consistently picked one character, like Spider-Man or Black Panther, since the game launched, the opposing team can often guess their choice and ban that character outright, preventing them from playing in that match altogether.

In the game Marvel Rivals, this issue becomes more pronounced. Prior to a match starting, players can view the opposing team’s usernames and associated banners. If someone predominantly uses Black Panther as their character and they have a specific skin bundle banner, it’s quite evident which hero they intend to play. Streamer modes are available to anonymize players, but many will utilize this feature; however, what Overwatch 2 implemented completely circumvents this entire process.

READ: Is Marvel Rivals the Overwatch Killer?

In Overwatch 2, the approach is unique compared to traditional methods. Rather than displaying all players’ names and emblem choices before the match, the game initiates a ‘blind hero ban phase’. This means that competitors remain unaware of their opponents until after the banning process has been completed.

This change significantly enhances life quality as it nearly eradicates the issue of character bans, except when individuals exploit unauthorized external software for recognizing often-picked characters or detecting high victory percentages. However, it’s important to note that such tools are strictly prohibited.

This significant progress sets it apart from Marvel Rivals, where concerns about target banning have been prevalent for quite some time. Kudos to NetEase for making Hero Bans no longer exclusive to Platinum level and above, by lowering the threshold to Gold. However, it’s important to note that target banning isn’t entirely absent at lower ranks either. A skilled main character will always attract attention, particularly if they aren’t using streamer mode.

Each game maintains the hero shooter genre’s structure, yet offers distinct tastes that cater to diverse gaming preferences. Marvel Rivals is more welcoming for beginners with a lower skill requirement, while Overwatch 2 requires proficiency and expertise, showcasing a higher level of mastery. A player who often chooses Iron Fist in Marvel Rivals might find it challenging to adapt to Genji in Overwatch, but a skilled Genji player from Overwatch might smoothly transition to Iron Fist or Spider-Man (as demonstrated by streamer Necros).

Both games have managed to keep their dedicated fan bases, and Overwatch 2 has been gradually regaining player interest due to a series of substantial updates. This has been particularly noticeable following the criticism that arose from the cancellation of its Player versus Environment (PvE) mode.

Both games have been successful in maintaining their faithful fan bases, and Overwatch 2 has experienced a steady increase in player return after implementing several significant updates, most notably following the controversy surrounding the abandonment of its PvE gameplay.

For more on Overwatch and Marvel Rivals, stay tuned to Gfinity.

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2025-05-06 14:42