Summary
Many developers have tried to capture the hero shooter magic ofOverwatch 2, like Gearbox Software withBattlebornand BossKey Productions withLawbreakers. Such attempts have been fruitless, asOW2continues 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 titleMarvel Rivalsplans to challengeOverwatch 2’s right to the throne. However, just like any good battle plan,Marvel Rivalsshould try to think like their rival and even copy some strategies, likeOW2’s Twitch Drop Reward system.
Overwatchstarted to stream exclusively on YouTube in 2020 when Activision-Blizzard inked a three-year media rights deal with the platform. Since the release ofOverwatch 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,OverwatchChampion Series (OWCS)began streaming on Twitch, offering various rewards called “drops” for viewers who watched it for a certain period.
Why Marvel Rivals Should Copy Overwatch 2’s Twitch Drop Rewards
Overwatch 2has been quite generous with its Twitch Drops recently. One of its best drops was in early February when it gave awayZenyatta’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:
The franchise also went back to partnering withOW2creators on Twitch with the return of its Support-A-Streamer program and streamer drops in November 2023. So far, qualifiedTwitch streamers have given away Echo’s Epic Bird of Paradiseand Reaper’s Epic Calavera skins to their loyal viewers. This reward format is an excellent way to build hype around a multiplayer game likeOverwatch 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 likeMarvel Rivalsshould 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 overOverwatch 2simply because more people know them.Marvel’s superhero teamshave been a constant part of pop culture for decades. As such,Marvel Rivalsmay 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.
TheMarvel Rivalscould also replicateOverwatch 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 forOverwatch 2because it has a relatively popular esports league and a vast network of dedicated content creators. This is something thatMarvel Rivalsshould also build first if it wants to find success on Twitch and other streaming platforms.
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.
