I’m Tired of Every Hero Shooter Repeating the Same Mistake

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As a shooter fan, I’ve seen genres come and go, and right now it’s all about hero shooters. They’re cool because they mix competitive gameplay with characters that have a lot of personality, all wrapped up in awesome-looking worlds. Whenever a new one gets announced – like Highguard recently – I really want to get hyped. I want to jump into a fresh universe, get to know the characters, and see where the game goes. But honestly, more often than not, that excitement fades pretty quickly. So many of these games look amazing and play decently, but they just don’t quite reach their full potential and become something truly special.

It’s frustrating that new hero shooter games keep making the same error: amazing multiplayer, but almost no effort put into a compelling single-player story. These games often have rich worlds and interesting characters, but we rarely get a chance to truly experience them outside of combat. I enjoy hero shooters, but I can only play the multiplayer modes for so long. It’s hard to really connect with the heroes when all we do is fight as them, rather than with them, through a dedicated story campaign.

Multiplayer Is Fine, but Where Is the Single Player Content?

Look, I love playing team-based shooters, and when everything clicks – the shooting feels good, the powers are fun, and the maps are well-designed – it’s a blast, especially with friends! Overwatch 2 still feels amazing to play, and honestly, Blizzard has always been great at making games that just feel good – the controls are tight, everything looks clear, and each hero feels unique. Marvel Rivals has that same kind of satisfying gameplay too. But these days, just having fun gameplay isn’t enough to make a game truly successful, and that’s the problem.

A lot of the disappointment with Overwatch 2 stems from unfulfilled promises. Blizzard originally announced significant single-player and cooperative (PvE) content, including story missions and character development, that would enrich the game’s world and lore. However, they ultimately cancelled those plans. What players received was largely an updated multiplayer mode, leaving many feeling like a key part of the game had been removed, especially in light of the new in-game store.

Marvel Rivals seemed to have a clear opportunity. Given the incredibly rich Marvel universe, filled with famous characters and stories, it could have easily offered engaging single-player missions or a campaign. However, the game focused solely on competitive multiplayer. While the matches were fun and visually impressive, relying only on quick action isn’t enough to keep players invested long-term. These types of games demand commitment, but don’t give players a compelling reason to care about anything beyond winning or losing. It’s particularly disappointing because Marvel Rivals could have been a huge success if it had launched with a campaign, especially considering the issues with Overwatch 2’s recent attempt.

The Worlds Are Too Cool Not to Be Used

Hero shooters often fall short when it comes to storytelling. While they frequently build interesting worlds – like the conflict-ridden, technologically advanced world of Overwatch with its complex groups – they rarely let players experience the full story. Overwatch teased a rich history through shorts, comics, and events, but players mostly heard about important events and character backgrounds instead of actively participating in them or exploring them deeply.

It’s draining to feel so disconnected. When I start a game, I don’t just see a battleground or a character – I see a whole world with its own stories, people, and ongoing conflicts. But as soon as the match begins, none of that depth matters. Everything resets when the game ends, and that world becomes just a meaningless background again.

This isn’t a problem just with Overwatch 2. Marvel Rivals has a huge amount of existing story from comics, movies, and cartoons. It would make perfect sense for the game to let players experience co-op missions based on well-known Marvel stories. However, instead, the game offers small details and character conversations that hint at bigger things, but those bigger things never actually happen.

Now, Highguard joins the scene, and it’s following a familiar pattern. It’s another hero shooter with a beautiful look, unique characters, and a backstory hidden in menus and outside the game itself. While the game hasn’t been well-received, it could have been a hit if Wildlight Entertainment had focused on something hero shooters consistently lack: a world that truly connects to the characters and gameplay. A more immersive world could have addressed many player concerns.

Only One Hero Shooter Needs to Break the Trend

It’s incredibly frustrating because fixing this problem seems simple. We don’t need to ditch competitive gameplay or completely overhaul hero shooters with RPG elements. All it takes is one studio truly utilizing its game world. If a hero shooter launched with a significant single-player or co-op mode alongside its multiplayer, it could redefine what players expect from the genre.

Imagine a hero shooter that regularly adds story-driven missions alongside new characters – it would really shake things up! These missions could delve into the heroes’ pasts, wrap up loose ends in the game’s story, and offer a more relaxed way to play. They wouldn’t take the place of competitive multiplayer, but instead add to it, making the game more enjoyable overall. Competitive players could still focus on ranked matches, while others would have something else to do when they need a break.

This method also makes it easier for new players to get started. They can practice heroes, abilities, and the game’s systems in a relaxed, single-player or cooperative environment, without the pressure of competition. This helps them connect with the characters, increasing their enjoyment and making them more likely to continue playing and even purchase cosmetic items.

Hero shooters are good at what they do, but they need to offer more than just multiplayer. The interesting worlds, characters, and stories deserve to be explored beyond constant matches. If one game can show that hero shooters can be more than just competitive, it could change everything. Otherwise, we’ll keep having the same discussion with every new release.

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2026-01-29 18:12