Since the early 90s, one of the most popular gaming genres has been the first-person shooter, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Video game enthusiasts continue to spend a great deal of time in online multiplayer arenas, battling it out in the latest Call of Duty, Battlefield, and battle royale games, with those titles standing as some of the most-played across the entire industry.
With decades of first-person shooter games available, it's interesting to take a look at its beginnings and see how the genre has evolved over the years.
Here are the most innovative and influential first-person shooter games of all time.
Wolfenstein 3D (1992)
Just like there were technically survival-horror games before Resident Evil, first-person shooters technically existed before Wolfenstein 3D. However, id Software's Wolfenstein 3D laid the foundation for decades of first-person shooter games to follow, with aspect of its game design still present in FPS games to this day. Wolfenstein 3D also helped to establish id Software as a powerhouse in the industry, with the studio in turn releasing some equally influential FPS games in the years to come.
Doom (1993)
Just one year after releasing Wolfenstein 3D, id Software released yet another majorly-influential FPS in the form of the very first Doom. One of the first games to feature 3D environments, Doom expanded on the ideas from Wolfenstein 3D, while also making a significant number of its own innovations. Whereas Wolfenstein 3D was a strictly single-player experience, Doom added a co-op mode as well as multiplayer deathmatch, which has gone on to inspire many other multiplayer shooters in the years since. Thanks to its incredible critical and commercial success, Doom went on to inspire countless Doom clones, which dominated the FPS market for years.
Quake (1996)
id Software wasn't done innovating the FPS genre after Wolfenstein and Doom. In 1996, the studio released Quake, which featured a single-player campaign, co-op, and online multiplayer deathmatches. But the innovation in Quake didn't necessarily come from its game modes. Instead Quake's innovations came from how it revolutionized player movement in an FPS, popularizing the "rocket jumping" mechanic that is still seen in some titles today. Quake was also one of the first esports games ever, so it deserves recognition for that as well.
GoldenEye 007 (1997)
Until GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64, the best FPS experiences were only found on PC. Rare defied expectations with GoldenEye 007, delivering a game that not only revolutionized console FPS games, but also bucked the trend of licensed games being low quality. GoldenEye 007 featured a number of innovations for the first-person shooter genre with its more realistic take combined with its 4-player split-screen multiplayer mode. GoldenEye 007's multiplayer mode by itself is enough for it to be named one of the most innovative FPS games of all time, and what it did for console FPS games can't be understated.
Half-Life (1998)
Since its debut, the first-person shooter genre had been mostly concerned with providing high octane, over-the-top action. However, Half-Life changed things up by putting significant emphasis on narrative. Half-Life's style of storytelling would go on to influence future juggernauts of the genre, including BioShock, and its influence on the gaming industry would be felt for years to come.
Counter-Strike (2000)
In fact, Half-Life's influence was felt almost immediately, as fans of the game used it to create the multiplayer shooter Counter-Strike. Originating as a mod for Half-Life, Counter-Strike's unique tactical gameplay is still being emulated by games to this day, with modern games like Riot Games' Valorant and Hi-Rez Studios' Rogue Company taking obvious inspiration from its core bomb defusal gameplay. Though Counter-Strike originated as a mod for Half-Life, the game has since gone on to spawn its own franchise, with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive remaining one of the top esports games in the world.
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
A launch title for the original Xbox, Halo: Combat Evolved was also the system's killer app. Bungie's hugely influential game had arguably the biggest impact on the first-person shooter genre and the industry as a whole since Doom in 1993. The original Halo featured wildly innovative controls for a console FPS, while also boasting ambitious new multiplayer modes. The game established the franchise that would become synonymous with the Xbox brand moving forward, and Microsoft still pushes Halo as its flagship franchise to this day.
Halo 2 also deserve a shout out for popularizing Xbox Live and online multiplayer for consoles in general.
Team Fortress 2 (2007)
Hero shooters are a dime a dozen nowadays, but Team Fortress 2 was one of the originators of the genre. Laying the groundwork for numerous games to follow, including Blizzard's mega popular Overwatch, Team Fortress 2 earned critical acclaim at release and has remained one of Steam's most popular games.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
The first three Call of Duty games were high-quality World War 2 FPS games that earned widespread praise from critics and fans alike. However, Infinity Ward took things to the next level with 2007's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Call of Duty 4's campaign would go on to inspire an entire generation of FPS story campaigns, with many taking cues from its action-packed set-pieces and shocking plot twists. Its multiplayer was also a massive hit, with many other first-person shooter games trying tirelessly to copy the CoD formula to varying degrees of success. Many online multiplayer shooter games released today still follow the blueprint that was established by Modern Warfare back in 2007.
Overwatch (2016)
Taking its inspiration from Team Fortress 2, Overwatch evolved the hero shooter concept. Whereas Team Fortress 2's characters were largely defined by their classes, Overwatch puts much more emphasis on the actual characters themselves, resulting in rich lore and an expansive universe. Overwatch's use of loot boxes was also hugely inspirational, though it's safe to say fans aren't all that thrilled about that particular innovation.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (2017)
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG, is technically playable in both first- and third-person, but there's no denying the significant impact it has had on the shooter genre as a whole. PUBG popularized the battle royale genre, which has led to the likes of Fortnite, easily one of the most popular games of all time, as well as the hugely successful Call of Duty: Warzone. Most battle royale games feature gameplay mechanics that were established by PUBG, and while the game may not be nearly as popular as it once was, it's still a powerhouse in the genre.