Introduction
Remember when picking up a new shooter meant something different?
Now it’s loadouts, red dots, sliding mechanics, bullet sponge enemies, battle passes, and “your teammate left the match.”
I’ve got a hot take, and I’m not sorry:
Most modern shooters? They’re the same game in a different outfit.
Different dev teams. Same rinse-and-reload cycle.
If you’ve played one, you’ve kinda played them all.
Let’s talk about it.
1. The UI Already Knows You
Open the game.
You’ve got loadout screens.
You’ve got your gear score.
You’ve got a battle pass.
You’ve got daily objectives.
You’ve got… hold on, is this Call of Duty, Battlefield, Apex, or Fortnite?
Hard to tell when the menus all look like they were designed by the same over-caffeinated intern.
2. The Same Guns, Same Maps, Same Moves
There’s always an overpowered SMG.
There’s always a broken shotgun.
You’ll be bunny-hopped by a teenager named “xX_PainSnax_Xx.”
Desert map. Snow map. Crumbling industrial zone. Rinse, respawn, repeat.
And the movement mechanics? Slide, jump, dolphin dive… does anyone walk anymore?
3. Narrative? What Narrative?
Remember when shooters had stories?
Spec Ops: The Line. Half-Life 2. Even Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2007) made you feel something.
Now it’s:
- “Here’s a villain with a mask.”
- “Now kill 100 players for a limited-time charm.”
- “There’s lore… but it’s in the Season 5 cinematic you skipped.”
4. Skill-Based Matchmaking Feels Like Homework
You wanted fun. You got spreadsheets.
- You die in 3 shots.
- You shoot them in the face 7 times.
- Their ping was 11. Yours was 36.
- They’re 14. You’re 34. You have work tomorrow.
SBMM doesn’t just ruin pacing; it’s the reason many players now feel tired before even clicking “ready.”
5. Everyone’s Chasing the Same Trends
You want to see desperation? Look at how every shooter now has:
- Battle Royale mode (whether or not it makes sense)
- A limited-time event with skins that cost $20+
- Crossovers with random brands no one asked for
- A “gritty reboot” of a game that peaked in 2010
Every game wants to be the game.
But in doing so, they forgot to be different.
So What’s the Fix?
Give us innovation.
Give us shooters with heart. With soul. With quirk.
We want:
- Creativity like Titanfall 2.
- Storytelling like Metro: Last Light.
- Weirdness like Superhot.
- Emotion like The Last of Us.
- Chaos like DOOM Eternal.
We don’t need another seasonal roadmap.
We need a reason to care again.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t about hating the genre.
It’s about mourning its sameness.
We’re not asking for a miracle, we’re asking for a spark.
Because at this point, the only thing getting shot is originality.
