The first-person shooter genre is one of the most popular in gaming, both in terms of sales numbers and critical success. The rest of the year has games like Forza Horizon 5, Metroid Dread, NBA 2K22, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and others. However, the first-person shooter genre has a lot lined up for 2021, and one month, in particular, stands out.
October 2021 is a massive month for video games, but the FPS genre will shine. Later in the year, two behemoths will launch with Call of Duty: Vanguard and Halo Infinite, but first the month of October allows for some quantity and quality with true subgenre options including a classic throwback, an open-world sandbox game, a four-player co-op shooter, a massive multiplayer-only title, and a new arena shooter.
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Exophobia – October 5
When thinking about the huge list of FPS games coming out in the remainder of 2021, Exophobia may not be the first title that comes to mind. However, even with the likes of Halo Infinite dropping later this year, Exophobia could become a popular hit among a certain audience. The retro-inspired FPS looks to turn back the clock, and the fast-paced action shooter will be the first of its ilk to launch in the month of October.
Exophobia will draw comparisons to classic DOOM clones in terms of its gameplay and visuals. The game allows players to explore a crashed human spaceship that is infested with deadly aliens. There is a big emphasis on upgrades, exploration, and brutal difficulty in this indie shooter adventure.
Exophobia will launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 5.
Far Cry 6 – October 7
The first AAA first-person shooter of October is the next entry in the Far Cry series. The Far Cry games are enjoyed for being exploratory open-ended sandbox experiences, but also for their emotional and often dark storytelling. Far Cry 6 looks to have a strong story thanks to actor Giancarlo Esposito stepping in as the chilling antagonist, Anton Castillo. Players will find out just how intense the narrative is soon, but it appears to involve Castillo finding the cure to cancer through nefarious means. The games have often had a villain who had has relatable elements, and this time family comes into play again as Castillo looks to be training his child to take over the country.
In terms of gameplay, for many players raiding compounds and taking down enemies with creativity using the classic Far Cry gameplay formula is like comfort food. Far Cry 6 is one of the most highly anticipated games of the year. There will be plenty of traditional Far Cry fun to be had with the added twist of fighting in a guerrilla revolution against the oppressive Anton Castillo.
Far Cry 6 will launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 7.
Back 4 Blood – October 12
Back 4 Blood is likely the biggest new IP of the month, and perhaps even the year. Turtle Rock Studios burst onto the gaming scene with Left 4 Dead back in 2008, creating a co-op zombie game that became a phenomenon with the help of Valve. Since then, Turtle Rock created asymmetric 1v4 shooter Evolve that fell flat, but the developer has come back with Back 4 Blood.
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Back 4 Blood is a return to the Left 4 Dead formula, as four players cooperatively take down hordes of zombies. For all intents and purposes, the game is a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead. There is a lot of excitement behind the game, which is why 5.6 million people took part in the Back 4 Blood beta that ran recently, and the developer took the feedback to improve the experience. Fans have been clamoring for Left 4 Dead 3 for years, and Back 4 Blood could be just that.
On top of the excitement surrounding the game,Back 4 Blood is releasing day one on Xbox Game Pass. This means that over twenty million Xbox Game Pass members will have access to the game with their subscription. Especially because the game is multiplayer-focused, the idea that the Back 4 Blood will be available to more players is an added bonus.
Back 4 Blood will launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 12.
Battlefield 2042 – October 22
In terms of a pure AAA first-person shooter experience, Battlefield 2042 is about as big as it gets. There has been a lull since the last release of a Battlefield game with Battlefield 5, so enthusiasts of the series are excited for 2042. There is seemingly a lot to look forward to with this new entry into Battlefield.
Battlefield 2042 is taking the series into the future, as the name suggests. The multiplayer live-service Battlefield game looks to up the ante with over-the-top action including a new specialist system, fresh gadgets for the ten specialists at launch, and even tornados in the middle of the battlefield. Battleifeld 2042 will also support 128 players.
One of the biggest changes that fans will need to get used to is that Battlefield 2042 will not offer a single-player campaign, which is a disappointment for many. DICE and EA likely has data to show much more time is put into the multiplayer in terms of player engagement, but there are certainly fans that still come for the campaign.
Battlefield 2042 launches for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 22.
Nerf: Legends – TBA
Nerf: Legends may be a surprise, but it currently has a tentative release date for October. The arena shooter will have an online multiplayer, a campaign, and more. The game will also be free-to-play, which means that it will have the opportunity to curate a following. Nerf: Legends was only announced earlier this month, but Publisher GameMill Entertainment and developer FunLabs are revving up to have the game ready to go for the masses soon. It will be interesting to see how the game fairs, considering it looks graphically more impressive than one may think for a Nerf title.
Nerf: Legends launches for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in October.
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