The PvPvE shooter Hunt: Showdown currently set a new record for concurrent players on Steam. But what makes the game so good and why are more players playing now than ever before? MeinMMO takes a closer look at this unusual battle royale.
What is Hunt: Showdown? Hunt: Showdown takes place in Louisiana in the year 1895. You embody a bounty hunter who hunts various monsters and sometimes other people. Your task is to take down particularly dangerous bosses and secure their trophies.
Played solo, in duos, or trios, the standard mode is designed for teams of two with a total of twelve players in a round. Even when playing alone, you face at least duos, with the fight against trios being optional. The two available maps are about one square kilometer in size.
Hunt: Showdown is a hardcore first-person shooter with the strong graphics of the CryEngine on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. It offers three different game modes:
- Bounty hunt: The standard mode with a hunt for a monster whose trophy you must safely get out of the area.
- Quick play: A kind of solo battle royale – you gather equipment and must survive as the last player in pure PvP. You can keep everything you find if you survive.
- Trials and training: Complete various tasks to learn the maps and practice killing.
The different hunters you can unlock and play are leveled over time. If you die, the experience is passed down in the hunter’s bloodline. This allows you to unlock new weapons and specializations.
Hunt: Showdown attracts more players than ever before
How many players play Hunt: Showdown? In February 2021, an average of 7,984 players played Hunt: Showdown – this is the largest number of returning players the game has ever had on Steam (via steamcharts).
The peak in February of 15,859 players was only surpassed in November 2020, when up to 16,523 players logged in simultaneously.
In addition to the players on Steam, there are more on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. However, specific numbers are missing for the other two systems.
What is the reason for this? Hunt: Showdown was released in Early Access in February 2018 and celebrated its full release on Steam in August 2019. Since then, it has managed to accumulate even more players.
The current surge is likely due to the three-year anniversary of the game. For the birthday, the developers promised a new update that includes the option for customizable ammunition and a new boss in the game – things that players have been wanting for a while.
The success of Hunt: Showdown lies in the mix of hardcore shooter gameplay and the steady supply of content. Players compete here in challenging matches for victory and regularly receive updates that include new characters, enemies, and events. The developers have summarized some of the highlights of the past three years in their anniversary video:
A battle royale with a special twist
What makes Hunt: Showdown so special: One of the most important points for Hunt: Showdown is the unique gameplay principle. It roughly mixes the experience and toughness of Escape from Tarkov with thrilling boss fights like from Remnant: From the Ashes and adds the flair of a swamp in the USA from the late 19th century.
Basically, Hunt: Showdown can be described as a kind of battle royale or as a PvPvE shooter. Players must search for a boss and find clues that gradually narrow down the target area of the loot.
This way, players are driven further toward a point on a map, without being forced to do so by a zone. Once a boss is defeated, it must be banished, which indicates the location for all players on the map.
As soon as the loot is picked up, this is also visible to everyone. At the latest here, players will fall over each other and fight for one of the trophies from the boss and escape with it. This leads to tactics like “camping” at exits, backstabbing other players, or fighting violently to clear a path.
In the end, it’s all about finding a boss, killing it, and claiming its bounty for yourself.
What are bosses? In every round of the bounty mode, there is at least one boss that you need to find. They are the strongest opponents in the game, seemingly responsible for the plague in the swamp. Your job is to eliminate them. Currently, there are three bosses in Hunt: Showdown:
- a giant spider that attacks you with poison and its high mobility
- the Butcher, who, like his counterpart from Diablo, fights with cleavers and brute force
- the particularly slippery Assassin, who distracts you with insects and throws spears at you
Additionally, a new boss called the Crow is expected to be released by the end of the first quarter of 2021, but there is currently no concrete information about it.
Who is Hunt: Showdown worth it for?
Anyone who enjoys hardcore shooters can definitely give Hunt: Showdown a chance. GameStar already dubbed the game possibly the best shooter of 2019 upon release, and since then Hunt has only gotten better.
Since every weapon can kill with just one headshot, the shooter is particularly rewarding for players who can aim well. However, keep in mind that you are not fighting with ultra-modern weapons, but with old-fashioned revolvers, rusty shotguns, and rifles, some only with iron sights.
With these weapons, Hunt: Showdown also exudes a certain charm that few other games can achieve. In any case, you should bring a high tolerance for frustration, as you can quickly lose your brought items through carelessness in a match.
Those who enjoy shooters like Escape from Tarkov will find in Hunt: Showdown a hardcore alternative with a similar yet distinct approach. Those who prefer fast-paced and action-packed shooters like Call of Duty may be less satisfied.
A direct comparison to other games is, however, extremely difficult, as Hunt: Showdown is more or less its own genre. It can be most closely compared to upcoming games like The Cycle and Scavengers, which are less “hard”.
This kind of thing happens more often. In our list on MeinMMO, we introduce you to 7 unique MMOs and multiplayer games that have no real alternative.
