In a year that has repeatedly shown us the dark side of the free-to-play ecosystem, I can't think of a better time for BattleBit Remastered to appear on Steam and instantly steal the spotlight. And I can see why. This is an indie FPS that moves like Battlefield, behaves like hardcore milsim Squad, and looks like Roblox. Man, PC gaming is fun.
BattleBit is an interesting case, though, even compared to other Steam success stories. For one, BattleBit is doing battle in the most competitive genre in gaming. Usually when I hear about an indie game blowing up the charts, it's in a genre that isn't constantly overcrowded. It's a lot harder for an FPS to stand out when there's no shortage of fun, well-supported, free shooters. And yet here is BattleBit, charging £12.79 for admission and making more money on Steam than Call of Duty.
It seems silly to give a game special credit for being a good value, but the truth is BattleBit feels like a buffet because we've gotten accustomed to leaner, free-er shooters that start with a modest amount of stuff and build on it over time. It's weird to jump straight into a brand-new shooter that looks like it's already ten 'seasons' deep in 2023.
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