In the era of the PlayStation 2, few shooters occupied players’ time more than SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs. Developer Zipper Interactive brilliantly capitalized on the at the time popular tactical shooter genre popularized by Tom Clancy games like Rainbox Six and Ghost Recon and delivered a grounded third-person shooter that wowed fans and critics alike. SOCOM also benefitted from the nascent development of the console’s online multiplayer and utilized the PlayStation 2’s Network Adapter, quickly making it one of the most popular shooters on the console. However, despite several sequels, the series eventually fizzled out with 2011’s SOCOM 4 and hasn’t been heard from since.
Sony has received massive praise for its continued focus on fantastic first-party game entries in the past two console generations. However, the fact remains that the PlayStation 5 doesn’t currently have an exclusive multiplayer shooter as it has in past console generations, with the Killzone and Resistance series currently on hiatus. With the continued rise in popularity of tactical shooters and the continued disappointment by fans at the state of established heavyweights of the genre, the time is right for a SOCOM revival.
One of the main reasons that SOCOM needs to make a comeback is that it is a series that delivers a unique perspective on the genre, quite literally. The series has always delivered a tight, cooperative-focused third-person shooter experience, and this kind of gameplay is nowhere to be found in the current big-budget shooter landscape. SOCOM games in the past featured action based on real weapons and tactics and grounded its experience in real-world locales focusing on immersion and teamwork. While Ghost Recon still delivers a third-person shooter experience, it as a series has come under intense scrutiny from fans for its continued focus on more spectacle than grounded realism and has subsequently suffered as a brand.
This frustration felt by fans of the genre was most evident in the recent debacle where license holder Ubisoft celebrated Ghost Recon‘s 20th anniversary by announcing Ghost Recon Frontline, an Escape from Tarkov-style multiplayer first-person shooter, to much derision from fans. Even Rainbow Six, the series that arguably started the tactical shooter genre, has become almost unrecognizable in its current Rainbow Six: Siege incarnation. Ubisoft’s continued direction away from what many fans want from a tactical shooter gives Sony a valuable avenue to pursue a new iteration of the SOCOM series. A new game could provide a viable option for those fans who feel forgotten about and simultaneously give Sony a multiplayer shooter that stands out from the competition by delivering a realistic experience.
SOCOM delivered fans not only a tense and challenging campaign but a unique tactical multiplayer experience as well. The original game came at a perfect time and provided many console players with a brand-new online multiplayer experience. For many fans, the multiplayer was always the draw of the series, and its hard-hitting, realistic weapon damage made quick work of those unwilling to work as a team and take a methodical pace. A new game that could deliver both a grounded campaign and a fleshed-out multiplayer suite could easily bring the series back in a big way.
Despite the missteps of tactical shooter juggernauts like the Tom Clancy games, the genre is once again on the rise, with many players looking for an alternative to the measured chaos that is Call of Duty and Battlefield. The success of games like Insurgency: Sandstorm and the recently released Hell Let Loose have proven that the market for a more slow and realistic shooter is there. Both of these games provide a more realistic approach to combat and mechanics and have been heaped with praise for their focus on tactics, teamwork and high-stakes firefights. However, these indie-developed games never have had the name recognition that SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs benefits from.
With the right focus and adherence to what made the original series so popular, a new SOCOM entry could prove not only to be the exclusive shooter the PlayStation 5 needs but the first massive hit for the genre in a long time. One thing is certain: players have not forgotten about this once-beloved series, and hopefully, Sony will prove in the future that it hasn’t either by resurrecting it once again.
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