In 2025, the gaming landscape saw a shift as casual FPS games grew in popularity. Games like Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders led this trend, prioritizing fun and accessibility over competitive play.
Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders Lead
Battlefield 6 emphasized large-scale chaos without ranked modes, attracting players tired of competitive environments. This approach proved commercially successful, highlighting the demand for accessible, rewarding shooting games. Arc Raiders took a similar route by making player-versus-player (PvP) optional, focusing instead on cooperative play and accessible mechanics.
Cosmetics and Co-op Trends
The industry faced backlash over overpriced cosmetics, with criticism of games like Call of Duty for using cartoonish, incongruent skins. Publishers responded by committing to more thematically aligned options. Purely co-op shooters, such as Helldivers 2 and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, continued to thrive, buoyed by their replayability and consistent updates.
Shift in Commercial Strategies
A notable development in 2025 was the success of non-free-to-play games. Many successful titles launched as paid products, offering complete experiences free from microtransactions. This trend showed that players are willing to invest in high-quality, content-rich games from the start.
