Shroud thinks modern FPS games need to stop trying to be “so realistic”

Shroud is not one to keep his opinions to himself, and in one of his latest streams, the Twitch star admitted he doesn’t care how realistic FPS games are, as long as the titles get their balance, gameplay, and shooting just right.

The whole gameplay versus realism debate has been a divisive topic ever since graphics improved enough to look more like real-life.

On the one hand, competitive gamers often don’t care about how realistic a game looks and feels. Instead, they want one that is smooth and responsive and won’t hesitate to turn down video settings to increase frame rates.

But on the other hand, some gamers want to immerse themselves in an experience that feels authentic and realistic. If the game runs well-enough, they want to crank the settings up to ultra and lose themselves for a couple of hours.

This division has found its way into video-game development too. Some developers prioritize how the game plays, while others care more about how it looks. It’s not always black or white since most find a balance between the two.

Shroud thinks FPS games don’t need to be “so realistic”

Mike ‘shroud’ Grzesiek chimed in on the issue, and he believes modern first-person-shooters need to chill out on realism. Instead, he thinks they should focus on balance, gameplay, and finding a unique style that works for them.

“Personally, I don’t care how realistic your game is,” he said. “I think when it comes to balancing… you kinda have to throw IRL out the window, right?”

“I think the best games come up with their own… shooting style,” he added. “Rather than just using real-life as their guideline.”

• Read more: Shroud says Twitch stars should “unite” against DMCA rules

Shroud wraps up his opinion by saying that the most important thing about a first-person shooter is the “shooting” itself. After all, it’s the essence of a shooting game, regardless of how realistic it looks.

The related segment begins at 3:48 in the video below.

Interestingly, it seems like Shroud’s opinion on the matter has fluctuated quite a bit.

Earlier this year, he talked about how he’d design his own perfect FPS game and said, “I wouldn’t want [the weapons] to look like Rust. I want [them] to look more like Tarkov, where it’s got that realistic kind of look to it.

• Read more: Shroud explains how Valorant will become number one esport

Less than one month before that, however, he blasted Rainbow Six: Siege for being too realistic and “ruining competitive integrity,” which is consistent with his current view.

At the end of the day, it’s perfectly natural to change opinions. Plus, it seems like he’s come full-circle and doubled-down on his opinion that gameplay is more important than realism.