Overwatch 2 Should Takes Notes From Marvel Rivals’ Jeff the Land Shark

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 22, 2024 2 Views 6 Min Read
Overwatch 2 Should Takes Notes From Marvel Rivals' Jeff the Land Shark

After Overwatch 2‘s latest hero, Hazard, received a mixed reception, Blizzard might want to take note of the likes of Marvel Rivals, especially when it comes to some of its fan favorites like Jeff the Land Shark. Despite anticipation for Overwatch 2‘s next new hero, the reveal of Hazard has been hit-and-miss among players, with responses varying from praise for the character’s backstory to others expressing more interest in the latest “Phreaks” group than Hazard himself. However, with players interested in the Phreaks and the different stories or perspectives they could add to the world of Overwatch, Blizzard may have missed a trick focusing on just Hazard.

Yet while Overwatch 2 continues its trend of realistic heroes with grounded backstories, other games like Marvel Rivals are making the most of the possible characters it could add to its roster. Though Blizzard arguably has a better opportunity to get creative with its heroes, Marvel Rivals has differentiated itself with characters through the likes of the two-person team of Cloak and Dagger, Doctor Strange and his in-game portals, or even the weirdness of Jeff the Land Shark. With players sharing their love of Jeff across social media, it seems that it could be time for Overwatch 2 to think outside the box with its heroes.

Overwatch 2's Hazard official screenshot

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Overwatch 2’s Hazard Marks a Major First for the Game

Overwatch 2’s Hazard is all about standing out, from his backstory to his abilities, with one of his skills setting him apart from other tanks.

Breaking Down What Went Wrong With Overwatch 2’s New Hero

Ultimately, the success of any new hero among players comes down to how they balance alongside Overwatch 2‘s existing gameplay and how their character fits in with the broader universe of the game. For instance, while Overwatch 2‘s newest hero has been positively received in terms of gameplay and story, Hazard’s design caused controversy and appeared to fall short of player expectations. In addition to other recently added heroes to Overwatch 2‘s roster, it seems that players were expecting a less traditional hero and more creative ideas from Blizzard than just another human or omnic with a gun.

Remembering Hammond and Overwatch’s Wrecking Ball

Back in 2018, Overwatch caused a stir among players after it introduced the hero Wrecking Ball, a hamster-controlled robot mecha that lived up to its name. With Winston as the only other animal hero, Wrecking Ball stands out among Overwatch‘s and Overwatch 2‘s other heroes with its innovative momentum-based gameplay and unique characterization. While it may not offer the same in-depth backstory as Overwatch 2‘s Hazard, Hammond the hamster and his Wrecking Ball demonstrate that both Blizzard and the broader Overwatch series have the potential for more intriguing heroes.

Marvel’s Rivals’ Jeff the Land Shark Has Already Won Over Fans

Just as Wrecking Ball’s introduction to Overwatch shook up its player base, Marvel Rivals did much the same when it debuted Jeff the Land Shark earlier this year. While some players have criticized things like Jeff’s ultimate being potentially overpowered, this hasn’t stopped fans from sharing how much they love the Land Shark, highlighting endearing aspects of his character like his rendition of Marvel Rivals‘ theme.

Despite Marvel Rivals other characters remaining grounded and serious for the most part, the fans’ response to Jeff suggests that games like Marvel Rivals and Overwatch 2 have the potential to be fun for players in unconventional ways.

Overwatch 2 Needs its Own Hero Like Jeff the Land Shark

With this in mind, after the response Overwatch 2 received with Hazard, Blizzard should take a step back for its next hero and consider ideas outside the box. As indicated by the responses to Marvel Rivals‘ Jeff and Overwatch 2‘s original Hazard design, players are interested in more unusual and even downright weirder concepts for playable characters at this stage. Yet while Marvel Rivals is limited to Marvel‘s existing range of characters, Overwatch 2 could explore and expand upon ideas like Jeff the Land Shark for its next hero, especially given that Blizzard has the creative freedom to do whatever it likes within the Overwatch universe.

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