The year 2024 has proven to be an exciting time for enthusiasts of shooter games. While it may not have featured all the major franchises like Halo or Battlefield, it still delivered a plethora of thrilling experiences through various triple-A titles that often outshone their predecessors from 2023. Notably, all the games on our curated list—aside from STALKER 2—incorporate online functionalities, highlighting the integral relationship between shooter games and multiplayer engagement. Interestingly, most of these titles inhabit sci-fi or post-apocalyptic realms, with the exception of the iconic Call of Duty series. Without further delay, let’s delve into our top five shooter releases of 2024, listed chronologically by their launch dates. Stay tuned for highlights from other genres as well!
Helldivers II (6/10)
Kicking off the year with impressive flair, Arrowhead’s Helldivers II quickly established itself as a market sensation, surpassing 12 million copies sold across PC and PlayStation 5 by May. This feat has made it the fastest-selling game ever published by Sony, possibly influencing their future strategy to launch live service games on PC simultaneously.
The player base fluctuated throughout 2024, experiencing surges with every patch; a notable increase in users occurred following a significant update in September. Helldivers II also snagged the prestigious Game of the Year award at the TIGA Awards, cementing its status in the gaming community.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 (7/10)
The second spotlight shines on Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, which garnered immense player support following its release. Within just 24 hours, the game recorded two million sales, achieving remarkable success particularly in Europe, where it was recognized as the second-best-selling new launch of the year prior to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. By late November, sales surpassed the five million mark.
With recent updates and more content on the horizon, including highly anticipated DLCs, this sequel is set to keep fans engaged beyond 2024.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (8.8/10)
Following disappointing previous installments, the Call of Duty franchise saw a triumphant resurgence with Black Ops 6. Under the adept development of Treyarch, this installment revitalized the franchise by competently delivering gameplay that excels in Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Despite some criticisms regarding the narrative leading up to launch, the overall online gaming experience significantly enriches the package.
Activision and Microsoft have proudly touted Black Ops 6 as the most successful entry in the series, boasting records in player counts, hours logged, and matches, largely attributed to its availability via Game Pass.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl (8/10)
As the sole single-player title on our list, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl bore the weight of expectations due to its turbulent development. Nonetheless, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World ultimately delivered a distinctive gaming experience that, despite some glitches and challenges, succeeded in capturing its original essence.
The title exemplifies a refreshing blend of frustration and intrigue, making for a unique, if sometimes exasperating, gaming journey. Players are encouraged to persevere through the bug issues, as developer commitment to fixes, mod tools, multiplayer enhancements, and further DLC content remain strong.
Marvel Rivals
The hero shooter genre has faced some challenges recently, particularly with the lackluster reception of titles like Concord, which was shuttered merely two weeks post-launch despite a staggering $400 million investment. Even Overwatch 2 has not recaptured its former glory completely.
Amidst these hurdles, Marvel Rivals, developed by NetEase Games, emerged as a surprising contender, despite initial comparisons to Overwatch. Its ties to the Marvel franchise, which previously struggled with games like Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, raised doubt about its potential for success. However, the game defied expectations, accumulating over 20 million players and announcing exciting plans for future updates and new character introductions just last week.
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Honorable Mentions
If our top five titles don’t catch your interest, consider these additional shooter games released in 2024:
- The First Descendant
- Starship Troopers: Extermination
- MechWarrior 5: Clans
- Zero Hour
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