2026 Has Been a Surprisingly Excellent Year for Shooters
Developers big and small have made 2026 one of the best years for shooting games in recent memory.
The year 2026 has been a surprisingly successful year for shooters, despite initial doubts about the genre's future. Highguard's launch and cancellation at the beginning of the year created uncertainty, but the genre rebounded with numerous standout releases. Major players like Xbox and PlayStation delivered hits such as Gear of War: E-Day, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Saros, and Splatoon Raiders, reinvigorating the genre.
Even Nintendo joined the conversation with Splatoon Raiders, a successful looter-shooter on Switch 2. Indie developers also made waves, with Wardogs, Overwatch, Arc Raiders, and numerous others offering fresh perspectives and inventive gameplay. Live-service shooters showed promising signs of recovery, with Overwatch and Embark Studios' Arc Raiders being notable examples.
Despite some setbacks, like layoffs affecting teams behind Halo: Campaign Evolved and Doom: The Dark Ages' Revelations, the overall success of shooters in 2026 showcases the resilience and creativity of game developers. The industry's failure to support these creators is a concern, but the accomplishments this year remind us that innovation and passion still thrive at all levels of gaming.
Written by urgent.news from Polygon's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
