Valve Officially Grants Boomer Shooter Genre Status on Steam

The abundance of games launching on Steam each year can make it challenging to find a specific game, especially within larger genres like first-person shooters. To assist retro-minded shooter fans in discovering their next game, Valve has introduced the label "boomer shooter" to Steam's database.

The term "boomer shooter" encompasses any FPS game that resembles the original Doom's format, whether it's a classic from the early '90s or a modern indie title such as Turbo Overkill or Dusk. Currently, there are 64 games in this category, including Star Wars: Dark Forces, Ion Fury, Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, and more.

The term "boomer shooter" started as a joke among the team behind Dusk, which was released in 2018. Andrew Hulshult, the composer for Dusk, Amid Evil, and Prodeus, mentioned on X that the team adopted the term after seeing it used to describe the original Doom, finding it amusing.

The Boomer Shooter label now has its own dedicated page on Steam, making it easy to access each game. In addition to the mentioned titles, the page also showcases several upcoming games, such as Agent 64: Spies Never Die—a homage to the retro FPS Goldeneye 64—and Mouse, which draws inspiration from Mickey Mouse's Steamboat Willie era.

Editor's P/S

As a hard fan of classic first-person shooters, I'm thrilled that Valve has officially recognized the "boomer shooter" genre on Steam. This is a long-overdue acknowledgment of the enduring popularity and influence of these games, which have been a staple of the gaming landscape for decades.

The term "boomer shooter" may have started as a joke, but it perfectly captures the essence of these games: their fast-paced, action-packed gameplay, their retro aesthetics, and their emphasis on skill and precision. These games are a reminder of a simpler time in gaming, when the focus was on fun and challenge rather than flashy graphics and complex storylines.