Summary
The recent Xbox Games Showcase unveiled another entry in the 5v5 hero shooter genre withFragpunk, a title that’s already been thrown on the heap of other 2024 competitors. FromMarvel RivalstoConcord, the hero shooter genre was already getting bloated — andFragpunkmay have just sealed the deal.
Fragpunk’s Xbox Games Showcase slotwasn’t without some appealing attributes, even if the title ultimately falls into the trap of repetition. Bold colors, a futuristic setting, and a unique deck-building mechanic gaveFragpunka strong showing. Unfortunately, its wonderfully rendered trailer, with the flair of 2D effects to boot, only placed the game a rung or two aboveConcordin terms of public perception; the trailer’s YouTube comments section demonstrates this with a brutal response.
Concord,Fragpunk,Marvel Rivals,and moreare all indicative of a hero shooter gold rush, itself a fragment of a larger rush for live services, which is a trend that’s been taking the industry by storm sinceFortnite’s breakout success. That trend hit a wall earlier this year with the fallout of games likeSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice LeagueandSkull and Bones, both of which failed to unseat incumbent success stories likeValorantandOverwatch 2. It’s those two games specifically that will also create a barrier for the deluge of hero shooters primed for 2024.
Hero Shooters Are The New Battle Royale
All the new hero shooters scheduled for 2024 or 2025, even those withpromising mechanics likeFragpunk, are following a similar pattern to games likeBattlebornandLawbreakersback whenOverwatchfirst dropped. Between then and now, however, the big scuffle in gaming was over the battle royale market. It started withFortniteandPlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, only forApex Legendsto boot the latter off the totem pole. Many games were killed in the wake of this particular gold rush, with everything fromSpellbreaktoKnockout Citybeing left to gather dust.
The problem with these constant attempts to carve out a new niche in a dominated market is the ‘rush’ itself. In an attempt to try and mimic another game,titles likeConcordtrade a sense of identityfor unbridled mass appeal — something that ends up appealing to very few. Moreover, not only is artistic value being crushed by this pursuit, but the games also suffer on a mechanical and presentation level. Many titles mentioned here haven’t been released yet, but live service hopefuls likeMarvel AvengersandFallout 76have shown how problematic such a release strategy can be in the past; both were thrown onto the market without the proper polish, leading to bug-laden, half-baked launches.
Live Services Are Causing A Lot Of Industry Strife
Layoffs have been a major talking point in the industry, both with the tragic mass losses last year and the continuation of said losses in 2024. Ahead of the Xbox Games Showcase,Microsoft just recently axed 1900 jobsin a truly devastating blow to the industry and the medium at large.
The constant financial disappointment produced by new live service games is among the prime culprits. Game after game being brought out solely to fight a losing battle has led to a death march, one that many believegames likeFragpunkare set for. Of course, it’s still possible for something to break through the cracks (likeHelldivers 2) if it has a strong direction, one that commits to a live-service model for its own sake as opposed to the chase of short-term gain. Despite that possibility, it’s evident to many that, for the health of the industry, its workers, and players, a drastic change needs to take place in how projects are managed.
FragPunk
WHERE TO PLAY
FragPunk is a fast-paced 5v5 hero shooter with powerup cards that change the rules of each round! Choose your hero, your weapons, and pick from a selection of cards that dramatically change the rules of engagement!Bend the rules with Shard Cards!No two rounds of FragPunk are ever the same. Discover over 70 Shard Cards with an activatable selection that changes every round creating new and unique combinations that create infinite possibilities! Cards can amplify your jump height, reverse the roles of attackers and defenders, engulf your bullets in flame or turn them into chain lightning, and even may resurrect you and your team!Frantic 5v5 Hero Shooter!Each round lasts about 2.5 minutes, so get a move on! The short TTK means you have to aim well and react fast to win the fight. Pick between 10 heroes with diverse abilities, customize your weapon combination, choose your cards and get ready for a fight!Variety that fuels replayabilityPick your favorite hero from a selection of 10, each with their own unique abilities. Find your favorite guns among the 15 available, some which have special abilities, like shooting faster over time, bursts and more! Discover new hero, weapon and card combinations and develop your personal combat style!
