Decades after the infancy of the first-person shooter genre and the popularization of FPS games through games such as Doom and Wolfenstein, the genre remains one of the most dominant in the video game industry. While many other genres have risen and fallen in popularity, FPS games have consistently topped the charts.
As with anything, different franchises have been seated on the throne at different times. While many landmark series have come and gone, a lucky few have maintained dominance over time.
10 Strong: Call of Duty
Call of Duty is perhaps unparalleled in video games for its dominance. Instead of being lumped together with other FPS titles, the series deserves to be put with longstanding powerhouse franchises like Star Wars and Batman.
Since 2009, only two games have unseated the yearly CoD title for the best selling title of the year. These two titles happen to be Rockstar’s juggernaut pillar franchises: Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2. Games like Fortnite and Apex Legends may eat into its popularity, but Call of Duty remains strong.
9 Dead: Prey
Prey was originally a moderately successful shooter from 2006, featuring survival horror elements. Prey 2 was canceled, though a mobile sequel was released. The series returned with a reboot in 2017 and was reviewed well.
Unfortunately, Prey 2017 failed to capture the long term attention of fans. While the gameplay was intriguing, the innovations failed to make a permanent change in many gamers’ collections.
8 Strong: Halo
Halo: Combat Evolved was one of the first FPS games to find success on a console as the killer app for the Xbox, and Halo 2 was the killer app of the Xbox Live service. Halo 3, Reach, and ODST are considered contenders for best game in the franchise by many fans, cementing the series as one of the best shooters of all time and the Xbox as a viable video game platform.
While Halo 4 and 5 may not have received the same acclaim from fans after the departure of Bungie, the series is still loved by gamers as the pillar of the Xbox family. Hopefully, Halo Infinite will restore the series to its former glory.
7 Dead: Quake
After Wolfenstein and Doom popularized the first-person shooter genre, games like Quake cemented their mass appeal. Quake played an important role in bringing 3D to the video game industry and was one of the pioneers of online multiplayer.
Unfortunately for such a storied franchise, Quake Champions, the most recent addition to its collection, has failed to make a meaningful dent in the industry. The free-to-play game never found its audience despite its price tag and name recognition.
6 Strong: Doom
Perhaps one of the most successful video game reboots in history, Doom (2016) was generally considered to be a faithful modern reimagining of the seminal shooter. While the original was well known for its gore and blamed for several violent tragedies, the reboot was one of the most violent AAA blockbusters in recent memory.
With Doom Eternal set for release later this year, the series shows little evidence of slowing down. It may not top the juggernauts such as Call of Duty or Fortnite, but it remains one of the few shooters still dedicated to developing solid campaigns.
5 Dead: James Bond
James Bond was once the star of some of the best video games of all time. GoldenEye 007 received a rare 96 on Metacritic, making it one of the highest-rated games ever. While most of his other games lived in the shadows of this luminary, they were still consistently good games.
In 2012, Activision decided to release 007 Legends to commemorate fifty years of Bond. Unfortunately, their ideas came out as a half baked mess. The game was panned by fans and critics alike. No Bond games have been released on PC or console since the debacle.
4 Strong: Apex Legends
After games such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) popularized the battle royale shooter genre and Fortnite brought the sensation to millions of more gamers, EA saw the fad as a fantastic potential moneymaker. Using their existing Titanfall universe as the setting, Apex Legends became an instant hit.
By relying on microtransactions to generate revenue, Apex Legends relied on its developer and publisher’s strong track record and strong marketing power to immediately compete with other powerhouses. The low barrier to entry promotes a wide net of word of mouth marketing, popularizing the game quickly.
3 Dead: Titanfall
Although Apex Legends is technically within the Titanfall universe, the lack of titans in the title makes the connection loose. While Titanfall was released as a potential Call of Duty competitor during the Xbox One, a lack of content hurt the initial release of the franchise.
Titanfall 2’s wider release onto the PS4 and the addition of a campaign helped sell copies, but the monumental success of Apex has put the potential release of Titanfall 3 on hold. While the main series may eventually return, don’t count on EA hurting their existing multiplayer base any time soon.
2 Strong: Destiny
MMOs have historically struggled on consoles due to their typical financial model. Most MMOs include a monthly subscription fee. These fees conflict with PSN and Xbox Live’s own charges.
Destiny was a trailblazer for a breed of MMO that has managed to find success on console platforms. Along with similar titles such as The Division and Elder Scrolls Online, Destiny has managed to find a permanent and dedicated audience while minimizing the limitations that MMOs traditionally face on consoles.
1 Dead: Bioshock
The Bioshock series was one of the most popular franchises in video games during the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation. The games were renowned for their artistic merit in addition to their pure entertainment value. Widely considered among the best video games of all time, we likely have not seen the last of Bioshock.
To the surprise of many fans, however, the franchise has failed to release any new games since Bioshock Infinite in 2013. While a new entry into the series has been rumored to be in development, nothing substantive has been announced.
NEXT: 10 Great 2019 Games That Flew Under The Radar (And Their Metacritic Scores)
