Back 4 Blood is an upcoming multiplayer first-person shooter from Turtle Rock Studios, a development team notable for its work on Left 4 Dead. Fans of Left 4 Dead have been eagerly awaiting the launch of Turtle Rock Studios' latest project, with many viewing it as the spiritual successor to the Left 4 Dead series. The game, however, faces plenty of competition in its bid to become gaming's premiere co-op shooter, notably in the form of Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Each game is vying to capture a similar audience, but they could provide a framework for success for another upcoming multiplayer shooter.
Redfall was announced at this year's E3, coming in as one of the first Xbox console exclusives to come out of Microsoft's Zenimax acquisition. Like Back 4 Blood and Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Redfall is a co-op online shooter set to release in 2022. This could give Redfall the edge over Fireteam Elite and Back 4 Blood as it will have the opportunity to observe each of the game's releases, providing a clear picture of the co-op shooter landscape, and potentially providing inspiration. For this reason, it's likely that Redfall's developer, Arkane Studios, will be watching Back 4 Blood and Aliens: Fireteam Elite closely.
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Aliens: Fireteam Elite and Back 4 Blood face a tricky launch with both be releasing within a short window of one another. Aliens: Fireteam Elite's release date is August 24, while Back 4 Blood comes out a short while later on October 12. Given that these games have a similar premise, in the fact that they are co-op shooters with a supernatural element, it could be expected that they will struggle to both succeed. However, this assessment may fall short of the mark, as each game fills a niche in the market. Both games could appeal to a similar audience, but ultimately, each game's premise may be what makes them stand apart.
Both Back 4 Blood and Aliens: Fireteam Elite could look to capitalize on nostalgia to ensure their success. For fans of Aliens, Fireteam Elite could prove to be the game that Aliens: Colonial Marines had promised. Ultimately, Colonial Marines fell short of expectations, but gameplay for Aliens: Fireteam Elite has been quite impressive, potentially suggesting a different result.
Back 4 Blood, meanwhile, will look to capitalize on the void that has been left by the absence of a Left 4 Dead 3. While both games will draw in fans of the co-op shooter genre, they have quite different niches, which could prove to be crucial in the success of both games. Both Left 4 Dead and Aliens have large fanbases, which would be eager to experience their favorite titles once more in video game form.
What will be interesting to observe from the release of both Aliens: Fireteam Elite and Back 4 Bloodwill be how receptive the gaming audience is to two new titles in the co-op shooter genre. In recent years, there have been a number of successful releases in this genre, including Vermintide and Killing Floor 2. However, Fireteam Elite, Redfall, and Back 4 Blood are all releasing within close proximity of one another, potentially resulting in lessened interest.
Redfall is in the fortunate position of being able to witness the launch of both of its potential competitors. Should the competition prove to be an issue for either game, Redfall may take this as a hint to change tactic somewhat, and it already has the formula to do so.
The three upcoming co-op shooters have a lot in common in terms of their gameplay loop, but where they differ is in their theme. Aliens: Fireteam Elite should have a locked-in fanbase due to its ties to the Alien franchise, while Back 4 Blood's zombie apocalypse places it within the laps of Left 4 Dead and general zombie fans. Redfall is no different, as it is rather unique in the fact that it is vampire-related. If Back 4 Blood and Aliens: Fireteam Elite prove capable of sharing success, Redfall can feel optimistic about its hopes of finding an audience. However, if they struggle, Redfall may look to hone in on its vampire genre to differentiate itself even more.
Redfall releases in summer 2022 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.