Rank 3: PUBG: Battlegrounds
Genre: Battle Royale | Developer: Krafton | Steam Release: December 21, 2017 |
Steam Player Count: 173,524 | Model: Free-to-play | Perspective: First-Person & Third-Person
What kind of game is this? PUBG is probably THE game that gave the “Battle Royale” genre the prominence it has today – at least on Steam.
PUBG is characterized by a short time-to-kill and a comparatively realistic weapon behavior. While there can be rather quiet and uneventful phases on the large maps, anyone wanting action can grab a vehicle and crash into the chaos.
And of course, skins cannot be missed.
How popular is it? The numbers speak for themselves; PUBG confidently holds the 3rd place on our list and is also one of the most popular games across genres on Steam. Even years after its release, player numbers consistently remain above 100,000.
Rank 2: Apex Legends
Genre: Battle Royale | Developer: Respawn Entertainment | Steam Release: November 5, 2022 |
Steam Player Count: 183,694 | Model: Free-to-play | Perspective: First-Person
What kind of game is this? Apex Legends is a free “Battle Royale” shooter from Respawn Entertainment, released in 2020, which is especially distinguished by its fast movement mechanics.
In addition, there are various playable characters in Apex Legends, the titular Legends. Each character brings different abilities and a unique play style, influencing how the fight against another 3-player team unfolds.
How popular is it? Apex Legends has secured second place among the most popular shooters and won the duel against “Battle Royale” competitor PUBG. Since February 2022, Apex Legends has consistently maintained over 150,000 players on average monthly and has grown into one of the key names in the shooter genre.
Rank 1: Counter-Strike Global Offensive
Genre: Tactical shooter | Developer: Valve | Steam Release: August 21, 2012 |
Steam Player Count: 892,650 | Model: Free-to-play |Perspective: First-Person
What kind of game is this? Not much needs to be said about Counter-Strike: Global Offensive; it is (still) the current installment of Valve’s well-known tactical shooter.
The teams are divided into terrorists and an anti-terror unit (English: Counter Terrorists). Played is a 5v5, where the terrorists attempt to plant a bomb. The anti-terror unit must prevent this.
What weapons you use in a round depends on what you purchase in the buying phase. The choice of weapon and allocation of your available money are also strategic nuances that teams must consider in CS:GO.
How popular is it? CS:GO is the undisputed champion of player numbers. Even years after its release, CS:GO averaged over 891,000 players in the past 30 days and reigns supreme in first place.
Moreover, Counter-Strike is one of the biggest eSports titles in the world. Thousands flock to halls during major tournaments and fill the stands. Viewer numbers also regularly increase on streaming platforms like Twitch when an important event is approaching.
In summer 2023, the release of Counter-Strike 2 is also imminent, which may cause a new hype and even higher player numbers.
No Rose for GTA, Rust, and Naraka: Bladepoint
Which games did not make it to the list? Ubisoft’s tactical shooter Rainbow Six: Siege narrowly missed the top 5. With 50,398.9 players in the last 30 days, it fell just short of CoD.
The situation is different for three titles, which we have assigned to another genre despite having sufficient player numbers.
Theoretically, both the battle royale Naraka Bladepoint and GTA V as well as Rust had enough players for a spot in the top 5. However, even though the three games include shooter elements or the use of ranged and firearms, they do not count as classic shooters for us.
- Naraka Bladepoint describes itself as an “action-packed fighting game” that is “focused on melee combat”.
- Gunplay is only one feature in GTA V – swimming, car racing, golfing, and flying planes are additional core elements of the game principle.
- Rust is primarily a survival game, whose focus is on survival. Building a base and crafting items is more important than the shooter gameplay, despite the PvP focus of Rust.
If you still want to see how Rust earns a well-deserved top 5 spot on a list of the most popular games, take a look at our list of the 5 most popular survival games on Steam
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