Boomer Shooters are now an official genre on Steam, because, why not?

These games bring a sense of nostalgia, reviving the feel and gameplay of late 1990s FPS classics. Notably, the boomer shooter genre isn't just about the action; they often hark back to a simpler time in gaming, when gameplay was straightforward, yet challenging, and graphics were less sophisticated but charming in their own right.

Interestingly, the term "boomer shooter" doesn't necessarily relate to the Baby Boomer generation. Instead, it highlights a trend in the FPS genre that looks back fondly to the late 1990s. This resurgence appeals to nostalgia and offers, in a way, a counterpoint to the trend towards realism seen in modern FPS games spearheaded by Call of Duty, and, before its downfall, Battlefield.

Indie developers are leading this charge, ensuring that the essence of these classic games doesn't fade into obscurity. Although the most recent pair of DOOM games as well as several Wolfenstein titles are anything but indie.

Nevertheless, the rise of boomer shooters indicates a broadening appeal among audiences for a faster-paced and more fantastical FPS experience. Even the mainstream shooters like Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, and The Finals, which aren't strictly boomer shooters due to their higher production values, have gained popularity, suggesting that there's still a significant appetite for this style of game among modern audiences.

As the newly-minted genre grows, we might see larger studios taking inspiration from this trend, just as Hades, Dead Cells, and Returnal, among others, did with rougelikes.

With Microsoft and Bethesda re-releasing classics like Doom and Quake, it's clear that there's recognition of the interest in these types of games at the highest levels of the industry.

While roguelikes and battle royales continue to dominate the discussions in gaming circles, the distinctly memorable named boomer shooters are poised to become the next big thing.