The Best 10 Years of FPS: From DOOM to The Division Resurgence and Beyond

Friday, May 10, 2026 — Ten years ago, Bethesda dropped DOOM (2016) on Xbox, kicking off a renaissance for the FPS genre that still echoes today. Fast-forward to 2026, and first-person shooters aren’t just surviving—they’re evolving, thriving, and breaking out of the traditional mold. Whether you’re into high-octane extraction shooters, nostalgic boomer shooters, or mobile looter-shooters masquerading as a console experience, the last decade has seen shooters reinvent themselves at every turn.

This isn’t just a story about guns and grenades. It’s about how a genre that defined a generation has been pushed, stretched, and sometimes shattered by indie studios, AAA giants, and even mobile platforms. So, dust off your railgun and reload your twelve-gauge—let’s dive into the era that redefined what it means to shoot first, ask questions later.

The 2016 Renaissance: Where It All Began

Ten years ago, DOOM (2016) wasn’t just a reboot—it was a revolution. Gone were the clunky movement systems of old. In their place stood a hyper-kinetic, demon-crushing power fantasy where movement was as satisfying as the ground-up reload animation. Players didn’t just play DOOM; they felt it. Every shotgun blast, every dash, every Glory Kill screamed confidence in the game’s design philosophy.

"DOOM didn’t just revive a franchise—it redefined what a modern shooter could be."

But DOOM wasn’t alone. In 2016, the seeds of change were being sown across the industry:

• Overwatch (2016) introduced hero shooters to the mainstream, blending team-based tactics with Polaroid aesthetics.
• Battlefield 1 (2016) brought WWI trench warfare to life with unprecedented scale and immersion.
• Titanfall 2 (2016) proved that movement mechanics alone could carry an entire genre.

It was a perfect storm—graphics had caught up, controllers were refined, and audiences were hungry for something new. And the timing couldn’t have been better.

The Age of Extraction Shooters: Blood, Loot, and Zero Mercy

Fast-forward to today, and the most buzzed-about trend in FPS isn’t just about movement—it’s about extraction. Gone are the days of respawn-heavy looters. Instead, players are diving into brutal, tactical experiences where every decision matters—and mistakes are punished.

The Titans of Extraction

These games aren’t just about shooting—they’re about survival. You extract with the loot or you don’t extract at all. It’s high-stakes, high-reward gameplay that punishes recklessness and rewards patience. And the community is eating it up.

"Extraction shooters have turned looters into survivalists. Welcome to the new meta."

Even Fortnite is getting in on the action with rumors of a Disney Extraction Shooter launching in November—a pivot so bold it’s either genius or a misfire waiting to happen. Either way, it’s a testament to how far the genre has splintered.

The Mobile FPS Revolution: The Division Resurgence and the Rise of the Pocket-Sized Shooter

One of the most surprising trends of the last decade? Mobile shooters are good. Not just "good for mobile"—but genuinely, critically acclaimed experiences that stand alongside their console and PC counterparts.

Take The Division Resurgence, for example. TechRadar called it a "total conversion" of the hardcore looter-shooter formula into a mobile experience that doesn’t feel like a compromise. It’s got the same tactical depth, the same loot-sniping intensity, and the same sense of progression—just condensed for smaller screens and touch controls.

"I went from being a console snob to a mobile convert. The Division Resurgence made me question everything I thought I knew about shooters on phones."

This isn’t an isolated case. Games like Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG Mobile, and Apex Legends Mobile have proven that mobile gaming can handle the complexity and depth of traditional FPS titles. And with The Division Resurgence leading the charge, the barrier to entry for AAA-grade shooting has never been lower.

The Engine Wars: Europe Fights Back with AI and Compliance

Behind every great shooter is a great engine. And in 2026, the engine landscape is undergoing a seismic shift.

Meet The Immense Engine, a new contender from a team led by a former Epic Games director. This isn’t just another Unreal or Unity clone—it’s a fully European-hosted, regulation-compliant engine designed to leverage AI agents that could "do the work of ten or fifteen people."

"We’re building an engine for the next generation of developers—one that’s fast, compliant, and powered by AI."

In a post-GDPR, post-AI regulation world, The Immense Engine could be a game-changer for European studios looking to avoid the pitfalls of American or Asian tech giants. And if it delivers on its promises, it could level the playing field for indie developers across the continent.

The Boomer Shooter Comeback: When Retro Was the Future

Not everything in FPS is about innovation. Sometimes, it’s about nostalgia.

The boomer shooter revival—games like Ultrakill, Dusk, and Amid Evil—has taken the genre back to its roots. These games embrace the movement and weapon design of the '90s and early 2000s, stripping away modern mechanics like regenerating health and sprinting in favor of purity, challenge, and atmosphere.

And now, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, the beloved VR boomer shooter, is getting an extraction-shooter sequel ten years after its original release. It’s a testament to how retro aesthetics can be repurposed for modern audiences—and proof that the golden era of FPS isn’t over; it’s just evolving.

The Dark Side of FPS: When Real Life Bleeds Into Virtual

But not every story in the FPS world is one of innovation and triumph. In recent weeks, the genre has been forced to confront its darker intersections with real-world violence.

• Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged White House shooter, was found to have released a Steam game before the attack. While the game’s content remains unclear, the revelation has sparked debates about violence in gaming and its potential connections to real-world actions.
• Eight children were killed in a Louisiana mass shooting, a tragedy that has once again forced communities to grapple with the impact of gun violence.

These incidents remind us that the FPS genre, for all its creativity and escapism, exists in a world where its themes—shooting, survival, conflict—are not just virtual. They’re real. And they matter.

The Best FPS Campaigns of the 1990s: A Love Letter to the Classics

Before we dream of the future, it’s worth looking back. The 1990s were the golden age of the FPS campaign—when games like Half-Life, Quake, and System Shock didn’t just tell stories; they immersed players in worlds that felt alive.

DualShockers recently ranked the top 10 FPS campaigns of the decade, and the list is a masterclass in design:

1. Half-Life (1998) – The gold standard for narrative-driven shooters.
2. System Shock 2 (1999) – Horror and shooting in perfect harmony.
3. Quake (1996) – The birth of modern multiplayer shooters.
4. GoldenEye 007 (1997) – The game that proved console shooters could be tactical.
5. Unreal Tournament (1999) – The multiplayer king.
6. Deus Ex (2000) – A masterclass in player choice and emergent storytelling.
7. Blood (1997) – Over-the-top, dark humor.
8. Hexen (1995) – Dungeon crawling with a shotgun.
9. Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995) – The best Star Wars shooter you’ve never played.
10. Duke Nukem 3D (1996) – The epitome of '90s excess.

These games didn’t just define a decade—they laid the groundwork for everything that came after.

What’s Next for FPS? The Crystal Ball

So, where do we go from here? The next ten years of FPS will likely be defined by three key trends:

1. AI-Assisted Development and In-Game NPCs

With engines like The Immense Engine promising AI agents that can "do the work of ten or fifteen people," we’re entering an era where game development itself is being automated. Imagine NPCs that adapt to your playstyle in real-time, or procedural mission generators that create infinite content.

2. Cross-Platform Play Dominance

The wall between mobile, console, and PC is crumbling. Games like The Division Resurgence and Fortnite are already proving that the best experiences work seamlessly across devices. Expect more titles to follow, blurring the lines between platforms.

3. The Blurring of Extraction, Roguelike, and Live-Service

Extraction shooters are just the beginning. The next wave of FPS titles will likely blend roguelike mechanics, live-service updates, and extraction elements into hybrid experiences. Think Hunt: Showdown meets Hades, with procedural maps and persistent progression.

4. VR’s Second Coming

After years of false starts, VR shooters like Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 are finally delivering on the promise of immersion. With advancements in haptic feedback and eye-tracking, the line between virtual and real bullets is thinning.

Final Thoughts: The FPS Genre Is Alive, Well, and Rewriting Its Own Rules

Ten years ago, DOOM (2016) reminded us what made shooters great. Today, the genre is more diverse, more innovative, and more accessible than ever. From extraction shooters to mobile looters, from boomer shooters to AI-powered engines, FPS is no longer a monolith—it’s a kaleidoscope of experiences.

But with great power comes great responsibility. As shooters evolve, so too must our discussions about their impact—both in-game and in the real world. The best stories are those that challenge us, inspire us, and make us think. And the best shooters? They do all of that while keeping our adrenaline pumping.

So grab your favorite gun, find your squad, and get ready. The next decade of FPS is going to be a wild ride.

What’s your favorite FPS from the last decade? Drop your thoughts in the comments or hit us up on Twitter.

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Sources:

• Pure Xbox – Talking Point: 10 Years Ago, Bethesda Released One Of The Best Shooters Ever To Grace Xbox
• TechRadar – The Division Resurgence Review
• Tom’s Hardware – The Immense Engine
• Rock Paper Shotgun – SiN Episodes: Emergence Retrospective
• Comicbook.com – Xbox Series X Game Now 100% Free
• Insider Gaming – Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Sequel