The “looter-shooter” genre has been popular in recent years and has dominated discussions in the gaming market at times. Games like Destiny or The Division established the genre in 2014 and 2016. Many fans of the games are looking for new content in 2024, as The Division 2 has effectively run its course and Destiny 2 is no longer releasing expansions: MeinMMO takes a look around at gamescom: Are there games in this direction?
What’s going on with new looter-shooters like Destiny or The Division?
- Looter-shooters like Destiny or The Division have fallen out of favor with publishers in recent years and are hardly being developed anymore. Apparently, development is too expensive and complex because players are constantly asking for new weapons, missions, and raids. The last attempts were games like Outriders or Borderlands 3. It’s better to keep silent about Anthem or the games in the “Ghost Recon” series.
- Meanwhile, the genre is extremely successful: “The First Descendant” is considered a major surprise hit in 2024 on Steam.
- To be clear: No new game like The Division or Destiny was shown at gamescom. There are only a few alternatives to replicate parts of the game concept. But instead of “looter-shooters,” Extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov or Hero shooters like Valorant and Overwatch are primarily being developed today. Bungie’s new game, Marathon, sounds like a mix of both.
The best alternatives to The Division play after the fall of mankind
Which new games come close to The Division? The closest current game is probably “Arc Raiders”. This is a cooperative third-person shooter with PvE and PvP elements. The Extraction shooter is set to be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2025.
Players scour the land in a sort of post-apocalypse for supplies and must defend their loot against machines and opponents. They can build trust with merchants.
The game has elements from the Dark Zone of The Division: Do you help players who are being chased, or do you let them go and take the loot?
A bit further from The Division is the Survival-MMO Dune Awakening. This also takes place in a hostile environment, and you have to fight for loot. It’s expected to release in 2025.
No new alternatives to Destiny
Which new games come closest to Destiny? Here it looks even gloomier. We know from the past that many Destiny players have enjoyed Monster Hunter World – which offered a completely different gameplay but also put the focus on hunting monsters and loot.
With Monster Hunter Wilds, the sequel is on the way. It is expected to be released in 2025.
Otherwise, Destiny fans are left with Borderlands 4, which is still early in development.
Currently, “The First Descendant” is likely still the best option. The offerings for players of Destiny and The Division have become weaker over the years rather than better. We also haven’t heard much from The Division 3 for some time: Ubisoft has announced “The Division 3”, finally what everyone wanted to hear.
