.png)
3 hours ago
10
Marvel Rivals has been making waves since its December launch, but with Season 1 dropping yesterday, NetEase’s superhero slugfest has truly outdone itself. The game has shattered its own concurrent player records on Steam, proving that even in a crowded genre, there’s always room for another contender—especially when that contender comes packed with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
The skins are certainly helping. | Image Credit: NetEase GamesYet despite this impressive showing, Marvel Rivals finds itself in an interesting position. While its numbers would make most developers weak in the knees, it’s still playing catch-up to two of 2024’s biggest success stories. As the saying goes, records are made to be broken—but some records seem determined to stay put.
And speaking of staying put, the game’s remarkable player retention might just be its secret weapon in this David-versus-Goliath scenario. After all, it’s not just about how high you can climb—it’s about how long you can stay there.
Breaking down Marvel Rivals’ meteoric rise
The numbers don’t lie—Marvel Rivals has seen its Steam concurrent player count rocket from ~480K to an eye-watering 644K+ (via steamdb) with the launch of Season 1. This surge coincides with the arrival of half the Fantastic Four, with Reed Richards and Sue Storm stretching and force-fielding their way into players’ hearts.
But impressive as these numbers are, they’re still dwarfed by the astronomical figures set by Palworld and Black Myth: Wukong. These titans of 2024 didn’t just break records—they took those records, tied them into a pretzel, and tossed them into next week. Palworld reached a mind-boggling peak of 2.1 million concurrent players, while Black Myth: Wukong soared even higher with 2.4 million.
What makes these achievements even more remarkable is that both games asked players to open their wallets first. Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals is free-to-play, making its numbers both impressive and slightly humbling. And let’s not forget that Black Myth: Wukong pulled off its feat without a single multiplayer component—no small achievement in an era where “solo experience” often feels like a forgotten art form.
The real kicker? These records were set despite both games facing their own unique challenges. Palworld weathered constant comparisons to Pokémon and legal scrutiny, while with Black Myth: Wukong, Chinese developer Game Science had to prove itself as a newcomer in a market ever-so-skeptical of fresh faces.
The long game: Beyond the numbers
There is a long way to go, for sure. | NetEase GamesWhere Marvel Rivals truly shines is in its ability and limitless potential to maintain momentum. While Palworld‘s current 24-hour peak sits at 147K players (even with its recent Feybreak update) and Black Myth: Wukong hovers around 67K, NetEase’s hero shooter keeps building its audience.
This isn’t just luck or the Marvel brand doing the heavy lifting—NetEase has been playing the long game with the precision of Doctor Strange calculating timeline possibilities. Their strategy of regular content drops, seasonal shake-ups, and events that don’t feel like copy-paste jobs has created something that keeps players coming back for more.
The upcoming mid-season addition of Human Torch and The Thing promises to heat things up even further. And with the current Midnight Features event running until February 7, there’s more than enough reason for players to keep their hero suits pressed and ready for action.
The question now isn’t whether Marvel Rivals can sustain its success, but rather how much higher it can climb. While catching up to Palworld and Black Myth: Wukong‘s peak numbers might be a tall order, the game is clearly carving out its own legacy in the competitive gaming scene.
What do you think about Marvel Rivals’ growing success? Can it eventually challenge the records set by Palworld and Black Myth: Wukong? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Bengali (BD) · 
English (US) ·