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AFK Gaming
Battle royales have dominated the first-person shooter (FPS) space for several years running with games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Apex Legends, Call of Duty Warzone, and Fortnite taking in millions of players each month. The fatigue within the genre is finally settling in for some players and they are looking for a fresh new experience.
Extraction shooters like Escape From Tarkov might be the next big breakthrough in the FPS space and are worth keeping an eye on. On homegrown streaming platform Loco, Escape From Tarkov has amassed over 141,000 views and Call of Duty’s DMZ mode is also gaining a lot of attention from Indian creators. Here’s why they might be the next big thing in the gaming industry.
The Element of Risk and Greater Rewards
In battle royales, things can feel repetitive and there is nothing at stake if you die. Extraction-style games, on the other hand, have an element of risk that adds to the excitement. Everything you earn from looting or from enemies can be lost if you are unable to extract. You re in danger of losing your hard-earned progress and while that might sound frustrating, it lends to a more tense and rewarding experience.
Unlike battle royales where there can be just one winner, games like Escape From Tarkov allow multiple teams to extract. You can cooperate with other players to complete various objectives or choose to fight against everyone else in the lobby, the choice is yours. There is a risk of being backstabbed by someone who allies with you and you can do the same if you are ready to bring out your villainous side.
Escape From Tarkov is just the first of many
It is not just Escape From Tarkov that is breaking into the extraction shooter space, there are other games that are also picking up pace. Call of Duty: Warzone introduced its DMZ mode which has received a lot of positive reception. We also have games like Marauders, Hunt: Showdown, The Cycle: Frontier, Dark and Darker, and other titles that are cashing in on the growing popularity of the genre.
Krafton, the creator of PUBG, also believes that extraction shooters will take over the FPS space. In its Q4 2022 earnings report, Krafton said that it is challenging itself to “popularize the extraction shooter genre.” Project Blackbudget is an upcoming game by Krafton that will attempt to replicate the success of Escape From Tarkov. Historically, India has been a great market for Krafton’s games like PUBG Mobile, Battlegrounds Mobile India, and PUBG New State, and we may see a similar reception for the upcoming game.
Escape From Tarkov Solves the Biggest Problem in Battle Royales
The biggest problem that the battle royale genre has is the lack of progression. Everyone starts at ground zero and if you do win a game, there is nothing to show for it in-game. You lose all of the loot you worked hard for during a battle royale game and even if you win, all of it goes away.
In extraction shooters like Escape From Tarkov, that is not the case. You get to work towards purchasing your favorite weapons and gear, and extracting with tons of high-value gear gives you a sense of accomplishment considering how tough Escape From Tarkov is.
Battle royales are also known for a lack of variance and the games typically have one or two new maps a year at most. Escape From Tarkov manages to solve this by implementing boss challenges, PvE (player-versus-environment) content, missions, and more. It makes the game a lot more interesting and fun to watch which is why platforms like Loco are experiencing sizeable viewership within the extraction shooter genre.
Extraction Shooters Have a Solid Viewership Experience
With the amount of risk involved and the fun moments, watching extraction games can be a lot of fun. Several Loco content creators like ViperXGaming, SpiDeY_GaMeChAnGeR, SiliconStars have tried the game out and have received a positive reception from the audience.
With plenty of PvE and PvP content mixed into Escape From Tarkov, it is a challenging experience that leads to plenty of hype moments when content creators pull off flashy plays and manage to extract from the lobby. With more games looking to break into the space, we can expect the viewership of extraction shooters to get a lot bigger.
Escape From Tarkov and other extraction shooters might be the future of gaming in the FPS space and considering how long battle royales have dominated gaming, it might be time for a refreshing change.
