By Sagar V. Mankar 
Marvel Games and NetEase have achieved a significant milestone with their newly launched multiplayer shooter, Marvel Rivals. In just three days since its December 6, 2024 release on PC and Consoles, the game has attracted over 10 million players worldwide across all platforms.
The game’s free-to-play model, combined with its engaging mix of Overwatch-style gameplay and the rich lore of Marvel’s comic book universe, has been a key factor in its success. Over its opening weekend, Marvel Rivals reached a peak of 480,990 concurrent users (CCU) on Steam, as per SteamDB. This placed it among the top five most-played games on the platform during that period, trailing only industry giants like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Path of Exile 2, the latter of which also launched on the same day.
Among 2024 game releases, Marvel Rivals has claimed the fourth spot for peak concurrent players, as shown in the list below:
- Black Myth: Wukong — 2.4 million CCU
- Palworld — 2.1 million CCU
- Path of Exile 2 — 578,569 CCU
- Marvel Rivals (free-to-play) — 480,900 CCU
- Helldivers 2 — 458,700 CCU
- Throne and Liberty (free-to-play) — 336,300 CCU
- The First Descendant (free-to-play) — 264,800 CCU
- Last Epoch — 264,700 CCU
- Once Human (free-to-play) — 231,600 CCU
- Dragon’s Dogma 2 — 228,500 CCU
Marvel Rivals also ranks as the 20th highest peak concurrent player count ever recorded on Steam, ahead of major titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 and Destiny 2. While its free-to-play nature lowers the barrier to entry, the achievement underscores the enduring popularity of the Marvel brand.
On Steam, the game has earned a “Mostly Positive” user review rating, with 77.5% of the 40,000 reviews praising its fast-paced gameplay, iconic characters, and polished presentation. However, some players have noted concerns about balancing and long-term content variety, common challenges for live service games.
To sustain this momentum, Marvel Rivals launched alongside its inaugural season, Season 0: “Doom’s Rise.” This month-long event introduces 33 playable heroes, all available for free, along with eight Quick Match and Competitive maps, a Conquest map, and a Practice Range. The storyline revolves around Doctor Doom’s time experiments and their chaotic consequences. Players can unlock exclusive rewards through Twitch Drops, complete seasonal tasks in the “Entangled Moments” event, and redeem a global launch gift: a free Iron Man costume.
Developed by NetEase Games, Marvel Rivals is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. As the game continues to attract players, its early success lays a promising foundation for growth in the highly competitive live service gaming market where game like Concord faced demise in just single week.