The Battle Royale genre of gaming crashed onto the scene with the PUBG's launch in 2017. Placing numerous players on an ever-shrinking map with survival being the only objective offered gamers an exhilarating experience with each game.
Since then, every major video game studio and several independent groups sought to create their own battle royale. 2020 saw the release of several new additions to this dynamic genre, adding unique twists to the player versus player experience or offering polished gameplay from another franchise. The originators of the genre also had new life breathed into them thanks to their developers' addition of updates. 2020 may have been a challenging year for everyone, but last year also gave gamers some of the best multiplayer experiences to date.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Developed by Mediatonic and released in February of 2020, Fall Guys puts players in the shoes of adorable bean people as they compete in a series of obstacle courses. The cute yet tense gameplay quickly became a mainstay of Twitch streamers thanks to the often hilarious situations in which players found themselves in. Each game's randomized nature means players can never expect which of the platforms their character had to endure, making each experience equally thrilling and memorable. Whether going through windmills or working together to push a ball to an objective, Fall Guys makes each player feel like they are on a game show.
Players Unknown Battlegrounds (PUBG)
The originator of the genre is still going strong in 2020, even with stiff competition from Fortnite, Apex Legends, and new games every year. Thanks to regular updates, PUBG gameplay never becomes stale or locks players into just one map. 2020 saw the addition of several new weapons and the Vikendi map launch, which put players in an Eastern European themed battleground. Quality of life improvements also appeared in the game that helped with navigation and vehicle survivability.
Call Of Duty: Warzone
Launching in March last year, Call of Duty Warzone combined the Call of Duty franchise's fast-paced action with the battle royale genre's frantic energy. Warzone eschewed several of the genre typical conventions like shield potions and powerups. Opting instead to give players the tight gameplayer gamers have come to expect from the franchise. After being killed, escaping from prison does offer a unique addition to a battle royale game, making players quickly shift gears in the middle of the game.
Fortnite Battle Royale
PUBG may have created the battle royale style of play, but Fortnite put the genre on the map. Offering competent gameplay and a cartoonish art style, the game quickly became something both young children and more seasoned gamers could enjoy for hours.
Updates in 2020 saw the addition of several new skins for players to purchase, along with the quality of life improvements and the return of old features like the jet pack. Some of the notable cosmetics include the addition of Marvel-inspired character and weapon skins.
Spellbreak
Proletariat's Spellbreak may not break the mold, but its fantastical setting and features do offer a breath of fresh air for the genre. The spell-based gameplay system does not function any different from the usual gunplay of other battle royales, but the ability to constantly fly and jump does change how fights play out. The spell features also make players feel like they are part of Avatar the Last Airbender while offering gameplay already familiar from games like Fortnite.
Apex Legends
Respawn's addition to the genre combined features from hero shooter like Overwatch to create a unique experience for players with Apex Legends. Heros like Revenant seriously changed gameplay for the game thanks to the character's ability to keep teammates from dying while his ultimate is active.
New weapons like the Sentinel Sniper Rifle and vehicles gave players new ways to play. The developers also released the World's Edge map for players to pit their characters against each other in a multilevel and dynamic setting.
Darwin Project
One of the most common problems in the battle royale genre is the occasionally anti-climatic ending thanks to long-range weapons. 2020's Darwin Project attempted to fix this issue by removing firearms from the game, giving players only melee weapons and simple bows. The result is combat that feels fresh and dynamic compared to games like Fortnite and Apex Legends. While consistent, the leveling and crafting used in the game remove much of the excitement found in its competitors. Darwin Project offers many novelties, but the novelty quickly wears off.
Fallout 76
Having a less than stellar opening in 2018, Bethesda's Fallout 76's multiple updates reinvented with the Nuclear Winter game mode's addition in 2019. Combining the Fallout franchise's beloved features and weapons with the popularity of battle royale gameplay offered players a chance to test their skills against an irradiated backdrop. Like with its competitors, 2020 saw the addition of many quality of life improvements to gameplay. The game did not reach the same popularity as genre staples, but it does offer some fun now that many launch issues have been resolved.
Hyper Scape
Ubisoft's attempt to get into the battle royale genre does offer new additions, but the current beta leaves a lot to be desired. Having the map's districts randomly disintegrate switches up the normal shrinking circle approach of the competition. However, the improper balancing of power-ups and weapons in the beta seriously kept players from attempting combat. The crown feature's addition does change up pacing as soon as it appears, but it only leads to players camping until that time.
Ring Of Elysium
Combining the realism of PUBG with some of Fornite's more over-the-top aspects gives Aurora studio's game many unique features. The gameplay is heavily linked to the story, with each update adding to the story and unlocking three new characters. 2020's addition to the game, Storm the Europa, saw Captian Fokke, Elliot, and Saki to the roaster. A cursed pirate ship that drops high tier loot also appears during the random storms, incentivizing players to brave the weather and other players for equipment.