2023 was a great year for first-person shooter games, from new releases to longstanding live service titles. Below, you'll find all the best FPS games you should be playing in 2023.
Top FPS Games 2023
10. BattleBit Remastered
- Platform: PC
- Release: June 2023
BattleBit Remastered went from being a blocky, lighthearted game to one of the highest-rated and most-played first-person shooters to drop in 2023. While the blocky textures may not be for everyone, this unique aesthetic is what makes the game unique. Don't be fooled, though; this battlefield is no less competitive than any of its counterparts in the genre.
9. Destiny 2
- Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5
- Release: September 2017
While Destiny 2 has had a tough year in 2023, the game remains incredibly popular among its player base for its in-depth lore and storytelling. With many more (supposed) updates to come, no other first-person shooter game matches the level of Destiny 2's content. This includes hundreds of weapons, armor, and other items you can farm. So, if you're looking for a shooter game with many hours to spend trying to learn the story and grind for content, Destiny 2 is the one for you.
8. Rust
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, macOS, and Xbox One
- Release: December 2013
One could argue that Rust is a survival game, not just a first-person shooter, but hear me out. Though Rust was initially released as a survival game, over the years, it has received numerous updates to its crafting system, allowing you to create some serious firepower. Shooting other players is a fact of life in Rust; the more resources you gather, the more other players will try to take them. Though survival remains central to Rust's gameplay, it manages to handle combat extremely well at the same time, and continues to have a very strong player base in 2023.
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7. Overwatch 2
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
- Release: October 2022
Overwatch 2 was released in late 2022 as a sequel to the original Overwatch. The game gained extreme popularity with the introduction of heroes, a bunch of characters, each possessing unique abilities. Overwatch's heroes have become a significant part of memes and pop culture, further boosting the game's player base and maintaining its popularity to this day.
6. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
- Release: December 2015
Better known as Rainbow Six Siege, the game lives up to its name as a realistic first-person shooter game. If using special abilities in a first-person shooter is not your preference, then Rainbow Six Siege is the perfect game for you. It has gained immense popularity in 2023, despite being released in 2015. The game offers vanilla team versus team gameplay with an emphasis on strategy and planning.
5. Apex Legends
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
- Release: February 2019
Battle royales have become an extremely popular feature of shooter games, and Apex Legends is no exception. Since the game was released in 2019, there have been countless new seasons of Apex Legends, each introducing a ton of characters for players to use. Each character has their own distinct abilities to help you learn newer ones that fit your play style the best.
4. PUBG: Battlegrounds
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, and Android
- Release: December 2017
In my opinion, this is where the battle royale genre got its start. Originally known as PlayerUnknown's battlegrounds, PUBG offers players a pure PvP experience with a shooting system that is superior to most other titles in the genre. While PUBG also offers third-person gameplay, it excels in first-person shooting, which is favored by many players to this day.
3. Valorant
- Platform: PC
- Release: June 2020
Riot Games already had a huge fan following with League of Legends under its belt, so it was easy to attract a sizable audience to Valorant. The game's positive reception among players has only increased throughout 2023, aided by new characters and content updates. Beloved by eSports and regular players like us, Valorant includes a variety of character abilities as well as a sophisticated shooting system that lives up to FPS standards even today.
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2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
- Release: November 2023
No other game in this list has had a history as turbulent as the Call of Duty franchise. In 2023, however, this is changing; Call of Duty came back with Modern Warfare III, the sequel to the fan-favorite Modern Warfare II. With this release, Call of Duty also adds the Call of Duty HQ, giving you access to play all of MW3, MW2, and Call of Duty Warzone.
1. Counter-Strike 2
- Platform: PC
- Release: September 2023
I'm not sure if I would have ranked Counter-Strike this high on the list if it weren't for Valve releasing Counter-Strike 2 this year, a much-needed sequel to Global Offensive. Counter-Strike is practically synonymous with the first-person shooter genre. The franchise has become iconic for its simple yet intense first-person shooter gameplay since its inception in the late 2000s. CS2 contains all of that in a modern package, fitting for a 2023 title. It offers the same classic experience with updated textures and a plethora of new features, ensuring that players stay entertained for years to come.
For more on FPS games, be sure to check out Everything you need to know about Tick Rate in FPS games here on Pro Game Guides.
Published: Nov 23, 2023 11:00 am