Marvel Rivals Beta Shatters Expectations

Marvel Rivals has outperformed Sony and Firewalk Studios’ Concord in terms of player count, and it’s not even close.
Marvel Rivals Dwarfs Concord’s Beta Player CountMarvel Rivals’ 50,000 players to Concord’s 2,000

Just two days into its beta launch, NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals has already surpassed Concord’s peak player count by a significant margin of over 50,000. While Concord’s peak reached 2,388 concurrent players, Marvel Rivals’ player count continues to be in the five-digit range and shows no sign of slowing.

As of July 25, Marvel Rivals has achieved a peak of 52,671 concurrent players on Steam.

It is important to remember that Steam player count excludes PS players, a likely substantial portion of the player base. However, the marked difference between the two games’ beta performance has caused increasing worry about Concord’s prospects, particularly with its official release date approaching on August 23.

Marvel Rivals Flourishes, while Concord Faces Challenges

Even after Concord’s closed and open beta phases, the Sony-published game continues to struggle, ranking far below numerous indie titles that have yet to announce release dates on Steam's most-wanted chart. Wishlists serve as indicators of a game's demand, and Concord's placement deep within the rankings reflects the disappointing reception of its beta tests. In contrast, Marvel Rivals sits comfortably at top 14 with the likes of Dune: Awakening and Sid Meier's Civilization VII.

Concord’s situation isn’t helped by the fact that players had to pre-order the game for $40 to participate in its Early Access beta. PS Plus members could try the game for free, but that requires a relatively costly subscription.

The game’s open beta launched a week later. Despite being available to all players, however, it was only able to boost its peak player count by a thousand.

In comparison, Marvel Rivals is free-to-play from the outset. The closed beta requires a sign-up, but access is generally granted to players once they press "Request Access" under "Join Marvel Rivals Playtest" on the game’s Steam page.

The live-service hero shooter genre is crowded, and locking Concord behind a high price can potentially drive players to seek alternatives.

Some gamers are already dubious of Concord due to its failure to distinguish itself in such a crowded market. Unlike games like Marvel Rivals, which utilizes recognizable IP, Concord lacks a distinct identity.

The game’s "Overwatch meets Guardians of the Galaxy" aesthetic was what people first observed when Sony unveiled its Cinematic trailer. Unfortunately, many also noted that it lacks the appeal of the two franchises.

Despite this, the success of live-service shooters like Apex Legends and Valorant demonstrates that a familiar brand isn’t always necessary for building a large player base. Moreover, as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League shows with its peak of 13,459 players, a strong IP alone is no guarantee of success.

While comparing Concord to Marvel Rivals might seem unjust due to the latter being a more established IP, both being hero shooters exemplifies the market Concord is facing.