Is there an FPS that every FPS fan has played?

[Rastrelly]

No, it's not déjà vu. The past question I made was for videogames in general. Then I realized the scope of the question was too big. So I decided to reduce it to a genre. Again, same rules: It isn't about an FPS that everybody likes. But an FPS that every single person who has made of FPS one of their favorite genres has tried. Does any game come even close to that? How close is the most played FPS of all time?

No, there is not. There are enough FPS fans who are already fans but not yet tried even 3 or 4 games, so probability of existence of an FPS game every fan has played is extremely close to 0.

Even moreso, chances are for each individual game, that not every fan of it actually played it.

 

[McElroy]

Well, we are narrowing it to FPS fans only which clearly means that one has played Doom or they wouldn't even be an FPS fan. The question answers itself. inb4 fallacy

 

[Hawki]

Well, we are narrowing it to FPS fans only which clearly means that one has played Doom or they wouldn't even be an FPS fan. The question answers itself. inb4 fallacy

Eh, not really. To use a parallel, I like RTS games. Doesn't mean I feel I owe it to try out Dune (DUNE, not DOOM).

So, for those who might like MMS shooters (CoD, Battlefield), or tactical shooters (R6, Ghost Recon), or open world shooters (Far Cry), then yeah, I could see them not liking Doom.

 

[McElroy]

Well, we are narrowing it to FPS fans only which clearly means that one has played Doom or they wouldn't even be an FPS fan. The question answers itself. inb4 fallacy

Eh, not really. To use a parallel, I like RTS games. Doesn't mean I feel I owe it to try out Dune (DUNE, not DOOM).

So, for those who might like MMS shooters (CoD, Battlefield), or tactical shooters (R6, Ghost Recon), or open world shooters (Far Cry), then yeah, I could see them not liking Doom.

Becoming an RTS fan nowadays is almost impossible anyway. All you've got is StarCraft II and after that one would have to start digging. Anyway, of course you'll get people who haven't played Doom if you include "FPS fans" who wouldn't touch a game made before last-gen because it's old and ugly etc.

 

[Hawki]

Well, we are narrowing it to FPS fans only which clearly means that one has played Doom or they wouldn't even be an FPS fan. The question answers itself. inb4 fallacy

Eh, not really. To use a parallel, I like RTS games. Doesn't mean I feel I owe it to try out Dune (DUNE, not DOOM).

So, for those who might like MMS shooters (CoD, Battlefield), or tactical shooters (R6, Ghost Recon), or open world shooters (Far Cry), then yeah, I could see them not liking Doom.

Becoming an RTS fan nowadays is almost impossible anyway. All you've got is StarCraft II and after that one would have to start digging. Anyway, of course you'll get people who haven't played Doom if you include "FPS fans" who wouldn't touch a game made before last-gen because it's old and ugly etc.

Or maybe they simply don't like Doom for other reasons? Limited interface, lack of any narrative depth, other personal reasons (presence of gore), etc.? I like Doom myself, but I'm hardly going to get on someone's case for NOT liking the game.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

Back in the day this would have been an easy question. But there are too many games out nowadays. Even in just FPS, there are so many people who only stick to one game, let alone one genre. There are people who only play counter-strike, or battlefield, or CoD, for example. So you could narrow it to a bunch of games, but to just one game? Nearly impossible. Not to mention with all the free to play games that are out now as well...

 

[Bad Jim]

I'd say Team Fortress 2 due to it being free to play. There's no reason not to try it.

 

[MHR]

There are 3 baseline games that make you an FPS fan.

Either you've played Doom, a Half-Life game, or Halo: CE if you're a console peasant.

So no, there probably isn't one FPS game all fans have played. Those are 3 different games.

 

[Evonisia]

I love all the complaining about the title when it's blatant hyperbole. Of course there's no FPS game that "everyone" has played, hence the question at the end of the OP.

Halo: CE if you're a console peasant.

"Halo: Combat Evolved" is on PC though I do agree with your point.

 

[RJ 17]

The problem you're going to run into is age difference. Think about it...people that will be 16 this year were BORN in the year 2000. That's, for example, 6 years after Doom 2 came out. Hell, CoD 4: Modern Warfare didn't come out until 2007.

You'd have better luck asking the question "Is there a franchise that every single gamer has played?" Then it wouldn't matter if, for instance, someone played CoD 4 vs someone playing BlOps 2...both have played a CoD game.

 

[Dizchu]

I would have said Doom but I've come across people who were hyped for Doom 4 who have never played Doom which blows my mind. There's this idea that Doom is antiquated and that Doom 4 will provide a fresh new experience for new generations and I'm thinking... if anything Doom 4 will feel more antiquated for combining the more timeless elements of the original with flavour-of-the-week shit that's been present in triple-A games for the last decade.

Doom is not Wolfenstein 3D, it does not suffer the same limitations. In fact in many ways shooters have been regressing. I'd go as far as to say that the original Half-Life hasn't aged as well as Doom has.

The problem you're going to run into is age difference. Think about it...people that will be 16 this year were BORN in the year 2000. That's, for example, 6 years after Doom 2 came out. Hell, CoD 4: Modern Warfare didn't come out until 2007.

I find that quite sad actually, it's something unique to video games. Kids born in 2000 would likely be aware of or enjoy The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, The Beatles, Star Wars, Alien, Iron Maiden, Looney Tunes and so on. And I mean their original iterations. But when it comes to old video games people have an unnecessary hesitation. I can understand with very limited games such as those on the NES or Atari, but Doom has all the elements of a modern shooter just... more of it.

 

[Hawki]

There are 3 baseline games that make you an FPS fan.

Either you've played Doom, a Half-Life game, or Halo: CE if you're a console peasant.

So no, there probably isn't one FPS game all fans have played. Those are 3 different games.

All of those games are on both PC and console, so there doesn't have to be a dichotomy.

I find that quite sad actually, it's something unique to video games. Kids born in 2000 would likely be aware of or enjoy The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, The Beatles, Star Wars, Alien, Iron Maiden, Looney Tunes and so on. And I mean their original iterations. But when it comes to old video games people have an unnecessary hesitation. I can understand with very limited games such as those on the NES or Atari, but Doom has all the elements of a modern shooter just... more of it.

It's hardly unique to videogames. Using films, yes, those films you listed are still accessible. Try going further back to black and white/silent films, and then see how many people will settle down to watch them without a second thought. I wouldn't call it "unnecessary hesitation" either. Black and white films include Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and It's a Wonderful Life. They also include Plan 9 from Outer Space. Literature is no different, given how language changes over time, as well as cultural context. I enjoy Shakespeare for the most part, but I'd hardly call the works "accessible."

Plus, there's also the question of accessibility - Doom isn't something you can just pick up in stores these days, so barring digital distribution, it lacks serendipity when it comes to item selection. And whether Doom holds up or not...well, personally, I'd say it does for the most part, in that it's easy to learn, easy to play, and enjoyable, for the most part. That doesn't mean it's not antiquated in areas - lack of vertical aiming, lack of reloading, lack of jumping, etc. I'm avoiding more subjective comparisons (e.g. the lack of narrative), but while I enjoy Doom, it does feel antiquated in many areas in my eyes. Frankly, I'd sooner have a remake of Marathon than Doom, even though I consider Doom the superior game at the end of the day (though place Marathon above Doom II).

 

[SirSullymore]

I'd probably put my money on Halo being the most likely candidate, or Goldeneye around 10 years ago.

 

[McElroy]

Or maybe they simply don't like Doom for other reasons? Limited interface, lack of any narrative depth, other personal reasons (presence of gore), etc.? I like Doom myself, but I'm hardly going to get on someone's case for NOT liking the game.

Liking is another thing completely. That's a weird case anyway. If you (the general 'you') were an FPS player in the early nineties you have certainly played Doom and probably liked it (sure as hell didn't dislike it for the reasons you wrote out). Back to this day, there's no way someone wouldn't notice Doom is old as hell, and they'd have to be a grade-A hipster to claim they'd prefer an even older FPS to Doom (like Wolfenstein 3D). My point is that I heavily contest that anybody who doesn't like Doom (but plays modern FPSs) is also NOT put off by the game's age and look (graphical limitations). Or at least the fringe cases are extremely rare.

Dizchu's post resembles my thoughts on the matter quite a bit. Though the aging thing is more subjective.

 

[Dizchu]

It's hardly unique to videogames. Using films, yes, those films you listed are still accessible. Try going further back to black and white/silent films, and then see how many people will settle down to watch them without a second thought.

Sure and I'd compare early games such as those for the Atari systems and maybe the NES to silent and black and white films, not something from the 90s that's easily playable on modern systems.

Plus, there's also the question of accessibility - Doom isn't something you can just pick up in stores these days, so barring digital distribution, it lacks serendipity when it comes to item selection.

Who buys physical copies of games anymore? Any kid growing up with PC gaming or console gaming in this decade will likely not experience the luxury of playing a game right out of the box. I'd say games like Doom are more accessible than ever, and cheap too.

And whether Doom holds up or not...well, personally, I'd say it does for the most part, in that it's easy to learn, easy to play, and enjoyable, for the most part. That doesn't mean it's not antiquated in areas - lack of vertical aiming, lack of reloading, lack of jumping, etc. I'm avoiding more subjective comparisons (e.g. the lack of narrative), but while I enjoy Doom, it does feel antiquated in many areas in my eyes. Frankly, I'd sooner have a remake of Marathon than Doom, even though I consider Doom the superior game at the end of the day (though place Marathon above Doom II).

Some good points and while I would consider Vanilla Doom to be a bit dated (especially in terms of controls), source ports like GZDoom allow modern control schemes while retaining the feel of the original.

 

[sXeth]

I find that quite sad actually, it's something unique to video games. Kids born in 2000 would likely be aware of or enjoy The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, The Beatles, Star Wars, Alien, Iron Maiden, Looney Tunes and so on. And I mean their original iterations. But when it comes to old video games people have an unnecessary hesitation. I can understand with very limited games such as those on the NES or Atari, but Doom has all the elements of a modern shooter just... more of it.

The comparative time scales are different, I'd say.

Playing a game from 1990 would be like watching a movie from the 1910s, in terms of the mediums evolution. Those especially interested in the medium probably do, but its a very niche amount that actively engage in it, and fewer that really appreciate much of it.

 

[Weaver]

Halo is nothing but console.

Halo: CE and Halo 2 were on PC. And I imagine many schools had the same 'problem' mine did - Some little bastard installed the multiplayer onto all the computer lab PCs.

Oh yeah....I forgot that that happened like....fifty years after Halo was released on the Xbox

Eh...I suppose you're technically correct but I can't imagine it was that big a factor on the PC. Maybe I'm wrong but I would think that the PC players would have looked down on a game like Halo.

Halo: Combat Evolved actually released on Windows and OSX in 2003. The port was terrible however.


OT: Obviously there is no one game every FPS player has played. Maybe it's just me being a educated in a mathematics and logic field and literally interpreting the statement, but there is no one game everyone has played.

The best selling FPS game - to my knowledge - was Call of Duty: Black Ops at 30.17 million copies. However I do wonder how many people have played some version of Doom or Wolfenstein (legit or otherwise).

 

[Shoggoth2588]

If it isn't Doom than it's Wolfenstein. Of course that might not apply to younger gamesters who would have either played Call of Duty 2 (which I recall being really highly regarded), Call of Duty 4 or, Halo: Combat Evolved. Goldeneye is another strong candidate too I'd think. It's a shame more people haven't played Zero Tolerance...

 

[FrozenLaughs]

Doom because of the proliferation of the demo and shareware. The original Castle Wolfenstein was also pretty common I remember.

 

[loa]

I imagine everyone played doom at some point.
That game got ported pretty much everywhere, even wormed its way on the game boy advance so it's really hard to miss.