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With literally thousands of games launching on Steam every year, sometimes it can be difficult to find the exact game you're looking for--especially when that game falls into a larger genre like first-person-shooters. Valve has made it easier for retro-minded shooter fans to find their next game, as the label "boomer shooter" has been added to Steam's database.

The term "boomer shooter" refers to any FPS which bears a resemblance to the original Doom's format--whether the game in question is an original early '90s classic like Doom or a modern indie title like Turbo Overkill or Dusk. As of this writing, a total of 64 games fall into the category, a list which includes Star Wars: Dark Forces, Ion Fury, Warhammer 40K: Boltgun, and more.

The term "boomer shooter" became a running joke within the team behind the aforementioned Dusk, which launched in 2018. Andrew Hulshult, who composed music for Dusk and other similar titles like Amid Evil and Prodeus, said on X that the team saw it being used to describe the original Doom, so they "ran with it because it was funny."

The Boomer Shooter label is now active on Steam, along with its own separate page for easy access to each game. Along with the titles mentioned above, the page also lists a handful of upcoming titles, which include Agent 64: Spies Never Die--a tribute to retro FPS Goldeneye 64--and Mouse, which pulls from the now-public Steamboat Willie era of Mickey Mouse.

Valve Makes "Boomer Shooter" An Official Genre On Steam

OK, Boomer (shooter).

www.gamespot.com

 

[GHG]

 

[Big Baller]

 

[ozz ex machina]

I've always liked the term. It can also be known as "A shooter that actually has good mechanics".

 

[DGrayson]

Retro Shooter is the best term.

 

[Zathalus]

Technically it should be GenX Shooter, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue.

 

[deeptech]

It seems a bit humorous to me, so I like that. Companies mostly behave like lifeless robots, or are way too politically correct.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

 

[Whitecrow]

Makes you feel old shooter

 

[Damigos]

Thats just stupid
It can literally create categories like easy, or retro, or whatever. Boomer shooter it too much

 

[HL3.exe]

Sub genre names that keep getting used have always been dumb.

'Metroidvania' 'Soulsborne' and 'Immersive Sim' said hello.

 

[Wildebeest]

What a weird, awkward little term for a game genre that tells you nothing about it. Never heard of it before.

 

[GHG]

Sub genre names that keep getting used have always been dumb.

'Metroidvania' 'Soulsborne' and 'Immersive Sim' said hello.

Souls-like is the term most commonly used.

I think they are useful for determining what type of game it is beyond the face of it.

 

[Holammer]

It's a clever name that packs a lot of descriptive power.
Eventually someone is going to develop a binomial nomenclature style system to categorize games more effectively. Couple of 100 years from now there will be millions of games requiring exact classification.

 

[chlorate]

It’s descriptive but in 5-10 years the 30+ year old boomer zoomers grew up playing stuff like CS:GO and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 that is very different

 

[ManaByte]

Boomers did not play 90s FPS games. They tapped out at the Atari era.

Gen X erasure is real.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Boom

It's a modern day sarcastic take on OG Doom.

 

[Redneckerz]

I am glad that atleast it groups these kinds of games together as it became more difficult to find all the obscure ones. - Actually this is my fave genre.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Retro Shooter is the best term.

This is correct. However I hope the tag makes some obscure games easier to find.

 

[Ar¢tos]

So many hours spent playing Wolfenstein 3D when I was young.
It looks so crappy now.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Regardless of grievances people may have with the term, its good to have a tag that packs these games all together.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Regardless of grievances people may have with the term, its good to have a tag that packs these games all together.

Yes, because it really doesn't matter if the term used is accurate, truthful, fitting or whatever. The only thing that really counts when tagging products for people to be able to find them is *drumroll*: if people are actually USING the term. "boomer shooter" has long been established as the de facto categorization, whether you like it or not. That's why storefronts use it. If enough users like to reference a subgenre by "UIEFNJKANAO" in the future, that'll be a tag on Steam eventually.

 

[Guilty_AI]

"UIEFNJKANAO"

I will make my life's mission to turn this into an actual genre.

 

[The Cockatrice]

As always gaf loves to complain about everything. Just shut the fuck up and enjoy quality shooters.

 

[SmokedMeat]

As an old fart I’ve grown to accept the term, even if it doesn’t make sense.

I’m happy there’s a distinction though. At least with Boomer Shooters I know I’m looking at the best shooters on the market that won’t have microtransactions, Battle Passes, and other Gen Z trash.

 

[SportsFan581]

LOL. Boomers were a little older than the people playing these games in the 90s weren't they? Everybody knows what they are referring to though so it works.

 

[The Cockatrice]

I know I’m looking at the best shooters on the market that won’t have microtransactions, Battle Passes, and other Gen Z trash.

Dont jinx it.

 

[ReBurn]

It seems a bit humorous to me, so I like that. Companies mostly behave like lifeless robots, or are way too politically correct.

It's not politically incorrect to insult older people with life experiences who actually know what they're talking about, so Boomer Shooter isn't a reach.

 

[DryvBy]

Technically it should be GenX Shooter, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue.

Wait until Steam introduces Zoomer Shooters, where every game has tons of DLC, dance packs, skins for $40, no recoil on guns, and no gore.

 

[StereoVsn]

Boomers did not play 90s FPS games. They tapped out at the Atari era.

Gen X erasure is real.

Yep, us GenX generation got the short end of the stick.

 

[The Cockatrice]

LOL. Boomers were a little older than the people playing these games in the 90s weren't they? Everybody knows what they are referring to though so it works.

Boomers did not play 90s FPS games.

Boomers did play and make these games hence the naming. A boomer would be what, around 30 when these games were made and came out in the 90s? You're saying when you're 30 you dont play games? Gaf really likes to act like they know shit. They're not called "boomer shooters" because only boomers play them ffs.

 

[LazyParrot]

Boomers did play and make these games hence the naming. A boomer would be what, around 30 when these games were made and came out? You're saying when you're 30 you dont play games? Gaf really likes to act like they know shit.

John Carmack, John Romero and their contemporaries were mostly Gen X.

The term boomer shooter actually stems from the "30 year-old boomer" memes that originated on 4chan, some of which notably featured the titular 30 year-old boomer playing Quake and other 90s shooters.

 

[The Cockatrice]

John Carmack, John Romero and their contemporaries were mostly Gen X.

The term boomer shooter actually stems from the "30 year-old boomer" memes that originated on 4chan, some of which notably featured the titular 30 year-old boomer playing Quake and other 90s shooters.

Isnt boomer under 80's? Carmack was born in the 70 and Romero is even older. They're 100% boomers. But it doesnt even matter. Retro shooter sounds lame af. in a few years call of duty will be a retro shooter, hell the first one most likely is.

 

[LazyParrot]

Isnt boomer under 80's? Carmack was born in the 70 and Romero is even older. They're 100% boomers.

Generation X - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MiguelItUp]

I guess it's just a meme tag, sure it's effective because the majority knows what it's referring to. But retro shooter would probably have more and better footing. At least it's nice to see they still have some humor though.

 

[Woggleman]

As usual Gen X is treated like the neglected middle child. Boomers weren't even playing video games when they were young.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Generation X - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Huh, I stand corrected. I could've sworn boomers were up until late 70's but my edited point still stands.

But it doesnt even matter. Retro shooter sounds lame af. in a few years call of duty will be a retro shooter, hell the first one most likely is.

 

[Gudji]

 

[Chuck Berry]

It’s the most embarrassing and cringe inducing term in gaming I’ve ever heard. I can’t even say it without getting douchechills.

And it also makes no sense.

 

[Tams]

'Generations' are a losely defined load of mostly nonsense.

But in no description of them at all are any of those who were really into early shooters 'boomers'.

Sounds like some early 20-something at Valve had a brainfart.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I'm fine with it. It's an affectionate term.

 

[SmokedMeat]

Boomers did play and make these games hence the naming. A boomer would be what, around 30 when these games were made and came out in the 90s? You're saying when you're 30 you dont play games? Gaf really likes to act like they know shit. They're not called "boomer shooters" because only boomers play them ffs.

Mid thirties to mid forties in the ‘90s.

Most of the people making those classic shooters were in their twenties.

John Romero is Gen X, and developed Wolfenstein 3D at 25.

 

[DirtyBast8rd]

This is correct. However I hope the tag makes some obscure games easier to find.

A recently released shooter isn't a retro shooter. It's merely the style of the retro shooter. Doesn't cover it I think.

 

[poodaddy]

Good Lord chill out guys, it's just a funny little title. If we're gonna make fun of Era type folks for being easily offended little snowflakes, then we shouldn't be over here getting offended by this harmless genre title. It's catchy, and it's in the zeitgeist, might as well just accept it.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

 

[Portugeezer]

Sub genre names that keep getting used have always been dumb.

'Metroidvania' 'Soulsborne' and 'Immersive Sim' said hello.

They're not dumb but they're not always used well. For example, Metroidvania would be a great descriptor for when I want to know a game is not just a 2D action platformer and has an emphasis on exploration through new abilities... a lot of times it's just used for random 2D sidescrollers.

 

[Holammer]

It’s the most embarrassing and cringe inducing term in gaming I’ve ever heard. I can’t even say it without getting douchechills.

And it also makes no sense.

It's a pun with layers. Because most of the games feature a certain staple of the genre.
*BOOM-ER SHOOTER* Do you get it now?

 

[ManaByte]

It's a pun with layers. Because most of the games feature a certain staple of the genre.
*BOOM-ER SHOOTER* Do you get it now?

It's a term coined by a millennial who was 5 when Doom was released.

 

[Hudo]

I also want to suggest the tag "Kusoge" for stuff like Starfield and Call of Duty.

 

[Northeastmonk]

At least we don’t have Zoomer Shooters aka Battle Royal.