First-person shooter (FPS) games have come to represent one of the most popular genres in existence. These platforms immerse players within a decidedly realistic experience, they test our wits, and they keep us guessing what might be lurking around the corner.
However, did you know that FPS games have existed for more than 40 years? Let’s take a look at the history of this industry to better understand what the future has in store.
Going Back to the Digital Roots
Believe it or not, the first true first-person shooter was actually developed at the NASA Ames Research Center in 1973. Known as Maze War, this iteration enabled players to navigate a series of virtual tunnels while shooting fictional opponents who appeared as floating eyes. While rudimentary compared to the standards of today, Maze War clearly demonstrated the feasibility of the genre. The only drawback was associated with limited computer power; especially when referring to home-based PCs. The public would have to wait another two decades before the FPS industry gained mainstream attention.
The “Golden Age” of 1990s Gaming
Most experts will argue that the first-person shooter genre truly came into its own during the first half of the 1990s. This was largely due to groundbreaking franchises such as Wolfenstein and DOOM. These games offered straightforward mechanics, three-dimensional environments, and detailed (although somewhat brutal) narratives. Both became immediate hits, and developers realised that they had only begun to scratch the surface. Other titles associated with the 1990s included Quake, Half-Life, and Duke Nukem.
The Advent of Online Gameplay
As processing power continued to increase during the 2000s, it makes perfect sense that the games themselves also took on a life of their own. When we also remember that this era saw the introduction of broadband Internet connectivity, the notion of online gameplay became a reality. This is also when we saw the birth of franchises that are still smash hits today. Counter-Strike (and CS2), TitanFall, Far Cry, and Call of Duty are some well-known examples.
The success of these bundles also led to even more unique advancements. For instance, there are now many cryptocurrency-friendly CS2 gambling sites that allow users to play mini-games, to trade weapons skins, and to earn real money. This has sometimes been referred to as the “gamification” of the FPS industry, and it continues to take the digital community by storm.
A Bright Virtual Future
Perhaps the next major paradigm shift we can expect to see involves the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets in tandem with traditional FPS software. The intention here is to create as immersive of an experience as possible for the player; a concept that has already generated a massive amount of interest. When combined with other concepts including play-to-earn models, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), it is clear that first-person shooters continue to redefine the iGaming sector. In other words, developers have certainly hit the bullseye.
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