Some of the most well-known shooters today were once just a modification for other games. In the 2000s, well-known titles like Half-Life also attracted a large modding community. The games in our selection have all been released and are available on Steam.
Why are there so many mods, especially for shooters? In the 1990s and 2000s, games like Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Quake, or Unreal Tournament captivated many players. As good as the games were, the possibilities were quite limited. Updates for games were not as widespread, and after playing the game 2 or 3 times, some talented individuals got creative.
The first successful video games already drew in the first modders, and the trend grew just like the video game market itself. Some shooters are the result of the ingenuity of modders who wanted to do more with their favorite game.
Especially shooters are an easier target because the main elements of the games are usually retained. Things like maps, weapons, and skins are largely easier to modify.
In our list, we have selected 7 titles that went from a mod to a full-fledged game.
Team Fortress 2
Developer: Valve | Release Date: October 10, 2007 | Steam Page: Team Fortress 2 | Original Game: Quake
Team Fortress 2 is the successor of the Team Fortress mod for Quake. After a long development period and several changes, the standalone game was released on October 10, 2007, on PC and has enjoyed great popularity ever since. Today, around 50,000 – 60,000 players still play the shooter daily during peak times.
With 9 classes and many different game modes, Team Fortress 2 focuses on fun rounds and humor. In Team Fortress 2, the first major trading scene on Steam emerged, trading items and keys for skin loot boxes.
You can watch the trailer for Team Fortress 2 here.
Counter-Strike
Developer: Valve | Release Date: August 21, 2012 | Steam Page: Counter-Strike 2 | Original Game: Half-Life
Counter-Strike is probably one of the most played games on Steam, if not the most, based on the hours players spend in-game. Starting as a mod for Half-Life, the first beta version went online on June 19, 1999, just a few weeks after a short development period. The modding team was soon acquired by Valve and began working on a full version.
With Counter-Strike, the e-sports scene in the shooter genre really took off. The ESL IEM also found its beginnings this way. Even today, the latest version of Counter-Strike sees an average of over one million people playing simultaneously during peak times.
You can watch the trailer for Counter-Strike 2 here.
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