Why FPS Games Remain Popular

Why FPS Games Remain Popular

First-person shooter games remain the best-selling games since inception. While other game genres have become popular on PCs and smartphones, on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 first-person shooter games take precedence.

It explains why more publishers keep on churning out more First-person shooter games. So what makes this genre of games so appealing despite being developed two decades ago? Read on to find out:

History of First Person Shooter Games

This genre of games came to the limelight in 1992 when John Carmack, along with his five colleagues at id Software, developed the game Doom. Doom wasn’t the first-person shooter as others like other games like the MIDI Maze, Faceball 2000, Hovertank 3D were developed between the years 1987 and 1992.

However, it was Carmack’s Doom game that sold the most copies (up to two million) hence named the most popular computer game. First-person shooter games continue to dominate the industry years on. We look at the reasons for this astounding phenomenon.

Why FPS Games Remain Popular

Ability to Dominate

First-person shooter games enable players to achieve a state of dominion, which is not possible with other game genres. This is because the games provide a safe platform for players to engage in ‘violence’ and exercise dominion by making their opponent appear weak.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, an adult-themed game featured on INDIEGAMEMAG, is one such game providing this kind of thrill.

The gameplay involves players shooting human enemies using various weapons. What’s more, enemies can be blown to pieces though no body parts are left on the ground.

Satisfy Psychological Urges

First-person shooter games help players achieve a state of happiness and absolute presence. This kind of feeling creates nostalgic memories that keep players playing the game. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist, calls this condition flow.

He explains that it is possible to achieve this state when playing a game that matches the player’s skills and the challenges at hand, causing the player to develop strong feelings of control. First-person shooter games achieve this feat effortlessly.

It is this self-assuring feeling that makes gamers return to the activity that developed it; in this case, first-person shooter games.

Sense of Autonomy

Competitive games like racing and sports provide a sense of autonomy, but first shooter games seem to scratch this itch best. Given the busy work schedules and routines, it’s easy to have pent-up emotions that need venting.

Suppressing them causes the brain to crave for adrenaline-generating decision making. First shooter games provide such an avenue letting gamers make decisions while remaining in control.

Loss of control causes humans to feel helpless and, in a sense, unable to influence their environment. This is what happens when we continuously follow routines at work. First-person shooter games, on the contrary, restores this feeling of control and showcases the player’s effectiveness.

Easy to Play

The ease of play of first-person shooting games makes them even more famous: you only need to point and shoot. Role-playing games, on the other hand, require a particular level of competence and mastery of the game, a feat that makes the learning curve even steeper.

Conclusion

First-person shooting games remain a favorite genre for many players thanks to its ease of play and ability to keep players in control. Gamers also enjoy a sense of autonomy not possible in other games. These features make this genre an excellent way of relieving stress and fatigue, especially for the modern-day gamer.