Image Courtesy of Sean Do via Unsplash

First person shooters (FPS) and battle royale are the main genres in the Horror game competition.

For the past couple of years, the battle royale genre has dominated the video game industry. While still prominent today, there is a contender to dethrone them. Horror games have continued to gain more influence throughout this year.

Since 2020, popularity has risen among battle royales like Fortnite, Apex Legends, Fall Guys, Player Unknown Battleground (PUBG), and Call of Duty: Warzone. The popularity was persistent based on the vast multiplayer aspects and the available replayability. It became more influential due to the rise of content creators like YouTubers and other streamers. Steam, a game platform, reported that triple-A horror games were the most successful in 2022, with shooter games following behind. But to battle royale players, it doesn’t matter the recency of the video game.

“I prefer [battle royale games because] they are cool and interesting. I think they are still popular today,” commented Esports student Thomas Nguyen (9).  “I would think that horror is going to be better than battle royale for now.”

Although horror games don’t have player retention compared to battle royales, they compensate for high acclaim. Some of these games include Resident Evil 4, Killer Frequency, The Outlast Trials, Dead Space, Amnesia: The Bunker, Sons of the Forest, and Dead Island 2. There have also been indie games that have gained notoriety; My Friendly Neighborhood, Fears to Fathom, Don’t Scream, and Lethal Company. The quality of these games is important, but it is evident that the experience is also something that horror games succeed in.

“I think that ultimately [battle royales] are a fun experience for everyone because if there are mics involved, you can meet new people,” horror enthusiast and Esports student Nevaeh Phillips (12) stated. “I like anything horror or paranormal related. So I like the scary aspect, if there are jumpscares in it, and it reminds me of horror movies with that trembling feeling you have when you’re watching them.”

Additionally, many older horror games have still maintained a fanbase. These include franchises like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, My Little Nightmares, or lesser-known video games. With the vast number of games in the horror genre, many games cater to most gamers.

“I feel like horror games have more interest and spice [in them] than any other games. With horror games, you can fight, you can explore and you can just get scared, and it’s exciting,” responded Esports student Jasmine Martinez (12). “And it depends on what type of horror game it is because you can overall keep playing and not lose interest in them.”

Everyone has different preferences, but there is a shift towards horror games from battle royales. It doesn’t prove the superiority of another, but rather just the popularity trend. While some of the more prevalent games have been listed here, there are plenty of battle royale and horror games to discover. This shift during winter break is a perfect opportunity to experience new games and genres.