If you are an avid gamer or have recently delved into the unfamiliar world of esports, you may have participated in a first-person shooter game, or FPS game, at one point or another. This interesting and adrenaline-inducing genre has experienced rapid growth and development within the wider esports world in the past decade and is now a common choice for both experienced and inexperienced esports gamers throughout the world.
If you are curious as to what appears to be the fundamental driving forces behind their recent rise in popularity, however, continue reading to find out everything you need to know.
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A brief history of FPS games
It may come as a surprise to some, but the first first-person shooter game was developed by NASA almost 50 years ago in 1973. In the years that followed, Maze War, Midi Maze, Phantom Slayer, Cyber Cob, and Catacomb 3D revolutionised the genre forevermore and paved the way for future FPS games released in the 1990s to follow. It was in 1992, however, when the first real FPS game exploded into the mainstream in the form of Wolfenstein 3D and unintentionally launched an esports gaming revolution.
This revolution in gaming has stood the test of time and has endured for almost 30 years now. If you were a gamer in the late 1990s and early 2000s, you may also remember the societal impact that Doom had on a generation of gamers unfamiliar with the FPS format as we know it today and the role of the first Halo installment in allowing the genre to switch from PCs to video game consoles.
The role of technology
It may have been over 20 years since the FPS format first made waves in the gaming industry, but it is only recently that it has been able to evolve at an unprecedented pace. This is largely due to a number of emerging technological advancements that have led to greater accessibility and flexibility for players regardless of what their geographical location may be.
In today’s digital landscape, for example, esports gamers can not only play the latest FPS titles but also enjoy the world of esports on esports-betting.com by wagering on their favourite players, teams, and tournaments from the comfort of their own homes.
In response to this growing trend, esports events are now a common occurrence on various social media channels and live-streaming platforms with millions of spectators tuning in on a regular basis to find out who will win, who will lose, and, perhaps most importantly, who is worth keeping a close eye on as the genre continues to grow and develop.
A long-lasting legacy
It may be a relatively recent trend, but FPS games have been inspired by a long line of gaming developments in the history of the gaming industry with high tactical prowess, solid teamwork, and razor-sharp precision all vital components that have led to it becoming one of the most interesting and entertaining esports genres to explode into the mainstream for both gamers and spectators.
The genre’s somewhat humble beginnings can also be traced back to some of the earliest FPS titles with the popularity of Quake and Counter-Strike, in particular, one of the earliest indications of how fast-paced, competitive, and appealing the format can truly be.
The future of FPS games
It is no secret that FPS games are one of the most popular esports genres but what you may not know is that they are also set to continue surging in popularity in the coming years. This is supported by the widespread beliefs that single-player games are predicted to go extinct, esports are due to surpass traditional modes of console-based gaming, and that virtual reality will become commonplace within the wider gaming industry.
If you are considering venturing down the esports route in the not-so-distant future, it may be worth checking out the wide range of FPS games currently available on the market as well as any future releases, such as Call of Duty and Rainbow Six Siege, to allow you to sharpen your skills on an amateur level and possibly even achieve great success on a professional level by participating in national or international tournaments.
If you are a keen esports gamer or just tend to spectate from afar, you may have stumbled upon an FPS game in the past. It has enjoyed a long and colourful history since it exploded into the mainstream many moons ago but by familiarising yourself with a brief history of the genre, the role of technology in its stratospheric rise, its long-lasting legacy, and its bright future, it is clear to see why it continues to be one of the most popular esports formats for both gamers and audiences on a global scale.
