Marvel Rivals Player Count Is Crashing Like Cyberpunk 2077 on Launch Day

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Marvel Rivals Player Count Is Crashing Like Cyberpunk 2077 on Launch Day

Remember when Marvel Rivals burst onto the scene last December like Micah Richards for Man City (the ones who get it, get it), turning heads and making Overwatch players question their loyalty? Those days seem like ancient history now. The hero shooter that once boasted 640K+ concurrent players on Steam has plummeted to a mere shadow of its former self.

The latest numbers tell a grim tale: Marvel Rivals has plummeted to an all-time low peak of just 154,790 players as of May 5, 2025. That’s a staggering 75% drop from its January high—the kind of post-launch collapse that brings back painful memories of Cyberpunk 2077‘s disastrous debut.

From hero to zero: The alarming player exodus

The numbers don’t lie, and they’re painting a picture uglier than a Hulk selfie. According to

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

, Marvel Rivals has been on a consistent downward trajectory since January:

• January 2025: 306,065 average players (peak: 642,333)
• February 2025: 227,999 average players (peak: 437,272)
• March 2025: 144,301 average players (peak: 307,057)
• April 2025: 134,118 average players (peak: 315,153)

What’s particularly concerning is that this isn’t just the natural post-launch stabilization we see with most games. This is a full-blown exodus that shows no signs of slowing down. At this rate, Marvel Rivals might be joining the ranks of forgotten hero shooters like Battleborn before the year is out.

The competitive system is a particular sore spot. Unlike other team-based shooters, Marvel Rivals lacks a role ****** system, leading to frustrating team compositions and matches where nobody wants to play support. Even worse is the “rankflation” problem—players can reach Grandmaster rank simply by grinding games rather than demonstrating actual skill.

This creates a bizarre situation where, at least in the latter half of the season, high-ranked lobbies are filled with players who don’t belong there, making competitive play feel like a bad joke.

The EOMM conspiracy: Is matchmaking rigged?

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Perhaps the most damning accusation against Marvel Rivals is that it employs Engagement Optimized Matchmaking (EOMM) rather than traditional skill-based matchmaking. This controversial system allegedly manipulates win/loss ratios to keep players hooked rather than creating fair competitions.

While NetEase has officially denied using EOMM,

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

that the game uses “a self-designed and developed matchmaking system,” the player experience tells a different story. The frustration is palpable—matches rarely feel balanced, with most games ending in either a stomp or being stomped.

For a game that makes you heavily dependent on teammates, this creates a perfect storm of frustration. Bad DPS players who feed all match but point to their damage stats, supports who never heal, and tanks who charge in alone—it’s a recipe for keyboard-smashing, controller-throwing rage.

The parallels to Cyberpunk 2077 are striking. Both games launched with massive hype and impressive initial numbers, only to collapse under the weight of fundamental problems. The difference is that CD Projekt Red eventually fixed its game. Will NetEase do the same, or is Marvel Rivals doomed to be remembered as another cautionary tale?

What do you think? Is Marvel Rivals salvageable, or should NetEase cut its losses and move on? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Marvel #Rivals #Player #Count #Crashing #Cyberpunk #Launch #Day

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

0

• Quote