The extraction shooter genre, popularized by games like Escape From Tarkov and ARC Raiders, might need a new name, according to Chris Sides, a former Bungie product manager. Sides, who worked at Bungie from June 2020 to July 2024, shared his thoughts on the genre in an interview with the Shooter Monthly podcast, as reported by The Game Post.
According to Sides, the term “extraction shooter” is too broad and doesn’t clearly define a game. He explains that it’s applied to many different titles, like Helldivers 2 and Escape From Tarkov, because it describes how a game is played, rather than fitting neatly into a traditional genre.
According to designer Jens Sides, calling Helldivers 2 an ‘extraction shooter’ doesn’t quite fit, and he strongly dislikes the term itself. He recalls frustration during his time working on Marathon, where he tried to find a better label for the genre, arguing that ‘extraction shooter’ is a clumsy name because it literally describes a core gameplay element – taking things out of a level – rather than a style of play.
He also discussed how the extraction shooter genre is still evolving, using Helldivers 2 as an example. He wondered if calling it an extraction shooter is accurate, since players only extract at the end of missions. He pointed to other key games in the genre, like Escape From Tarkov, Arena Breakout, and the new release, ARC Raiders, to illustrate his point.
He explained that calling Helldivers 2 an “extraction shooter” just because it involves extracting isn’t accurate, and it’s definitely not similar to Tarkov. He pointed out that the term “extraction shooter” is already confusing, making it difficult to compare games. He feels Arena Breakout and Tarkov are comparable because they both clearly fit the extraction shooter mold. Comparing ARC Raiders to Tarkov doesn’t make sense, but comparing it to a game like Rust might be more appropriate. This then raises the question of whether Rust itself is an extraction game, given its survival focus.
The main issue is the genre itself feels undefined. It’s hard to even describe what it is, and that makes it difficult for players to know what to expect. I really dislike the current label for it, and I think a better name would help, but ultimately the genre needs to figure out its own identity.
Extraction shooters are defined by a few key features. Players usually prepare their gear before starting missions to collect items and materials. The core idea is that you can take these collected items back to base – but if you die during a mission, you lose everything you were carrying, including your starting gear. This risk of loss is what really makes the genre unique.
Games like ARC Raiders, Escape From Tarkov, and Marathon clearly fit the genre, but titles like Helldivers 2 and Deep Rock Galactic don’t quite fit. That’s because dying in those games doesn’t mean losing any of the gear or items you brought with you on missions.
Marathon is an upcoming extraction shooter game developed by Bungie, planned for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. A specific release date hasn’t been announced yet.
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2025-11-12 16:19