Multiplayer shooters have been a staple of the video game industry for many years. However, even if the games in the genre are truly brilliant in their own right, maintaining an active player base is crucial to staying relevant and successful in the long run. The struggles to find new players and retain existing ones can be quite vicious, leading to a sharp decline in popularity over time. This decline can be accelerated if the developers fail to provide new content, patches, and updates, leading to players becoming bored and disengaged. Ultimately, a multiplayer shooter needs to create a thriving community of players who are engaged and invested in the game to remain successful.
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Despite starting out as extremely popular games,many multiplayer shooters have lost their player count for a variety of reasons. It is essential for developers to be proactive and continually innovate their games to remain relevant and competitive in the market. Maintaining an active player base and constantly evolving to meet the demands of the market is critical for the longevity of a multiplayer shooter, and it’s a shame that the following titles lost their player base despite being excellent titles in their own right.
2008
30,618
59
To be fair,Left 4 Dead’s player count is low simply because its sequel improved upon the original game in every way. Given the nature of the gaming landscape, most people are simply happy that they can even access the original game in the first place.
Valve’s cooperative first-person shooter involves players taking on the roles of survivors of a zombie apocalypse, working together to fight off hordes of the undead while making their way to safety.Left 4 Deadis known for its fast-paced action, intense atmosphere, and dynamic AI system that adapts to player behavior.
2021
102,732
3,390
Thelatest installment in the popularHaloseriesof first-person shooter games features both a single-player campaign and a multiplayer mode that allows players to compete against each other in various game modes.Halo Infinitehas received praise for its graphics, gameplay, and storytelling, but there’s one area where it fell completely flat.
The game shifted to a free-to-play format for its multiplayer, with progression occurring at a snail’s pace. This issue, coupled with the title’s lack of updates and meaningful content, led toHalo Infinite’s player count dwindling at an alarming rate.
29,702
1,599
Turtle Rock Studios, the same team that created the originalLeft 4 Dead, had generated a ton of hype prior to the release. However, the manner in which this game bombed after being so anticipated showed just how important Valve’s participation was when it came to makingLeft 4 Deadso iconic.
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Like its spiritual predecessor,Back 4 Bloodinvolves players teaming up to fight off hordes of zombies while completing objectives. The lack of polish, uninteresting enemies, and bland gameplay ultimately led to players losing interest in this title over time.
2019
3,590
70
Wolfenstein: Youngbloodisthe first-ever cooperative multiplayer title in the beloved series, which is set in an alternate version of the 1980s in which Nazi Germany won World War II. This experiment could’ve been successful, but several poor decisions ultimately turned the experience into a forgettable one.
The RPG mechanics meant that many enemies turned into ridiculous bullet sponges, and it didn’t help that both of Blazkowicz’s daughters are unlikeable and make the game even more of a slog to get through. These drawbacks led toWolfenstein: Youngbloodlosing its popularity fairly quickly.
2018
30,623
3,870
TheWarhammerfranchise is pretty iconic and features several video games, withWarhammer: Vermintide 2being a great example of the same. Players take on the roles of heroes battling against hordes of Skaven, a race of rat-like creatures.
Vermintide 2features intense melee and ranged combat, a variety of character classes and weapons, anda satisfying loot system to boot. There’s nothing outright wrong with the game butVermintide 2isn’t exactly a revolutionary title, and so was bound to lose its massive player base at some point.
6,576
901
Rogue Companyisa multiplayer third-person shooter that prioritizes strategic gameplay. This already makes it different than most other multiplayer shooters that focus more on spectacle and fast-paced action.
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Fans ofCounter-Strikewill have a great time with this title, and it’s a shame that matchmaking has become quite a task with the title’s low player count. The chances of this game staging a comeback is pretty low, but people can still dream.
2,477
647
GTFOis one of the scariest games of the past decade or so,prioritizing stealth and teamwork over everything else. Players need to communicate properly at all times so that they don’t get caught off-guard by the many nightmarish creatures in the game.
The challenging gameplay and intense atmosphere drew many players toward this title, but the years have not been kind to the game’s active player count. Devoted fans still playGTFOreligiously, although playing a proper round can be quite a challenge.
2017
7,450
649
Black Squadis a military shooter that is about as tactical and realistic as most players would expect. Going in all-guns-blazing is pretty much a death sentence, and players should ideally communicate their actions and strategize breakthroughs to not die at a moment’s notice.
It features a variety of game modes, including team deathmatch, demolition, and more.Black Squadhas received praise for its fast-paced action, realistic gameplay, and emphasis on strategy, so it’s a shame that the game is pretty much dead now despite being such a solid free-to-play title.
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