ShooterofIO: Shadows

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ShooterofIO: Shadows
Cover artwork for ShooterofIO: Shadows, depicting a black-ops soldier standing in a rain-soaked city street beneath a distorted surveillance tower.
Developer(s)SOI Studios
Publisher(s)Mob Productions
Director(s)Aaron Vale
Producer(s)Dana Mercer
Designer(s)
  • Colin Reed
  • Maya Kessler
Artist(s)Lucas North
Writer(s)Elena Ward
Composer(s)Jack Rourke
SeriesShooterofIO
EngineSOI Engine
Platform(s)
Release
  • WW: November 8, 2016
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)

ShooterofIO: Shadows is a 2016 first-person shooter video game developed by SOI Studios and published by Mob Productions. It was released worldwide on November 8, 2016, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.[1] It is the next main entry in the ShooterofIO franchise following ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III (2015), and the first mainline installment developed by SOI Studios since ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 3 (2013).[2]

The game was the first main ShooterofIO title to skip PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, ending the franchise's cross-generation support that had continued through Dark Warfare III.[3] Mob Productions stated that the decision allowed SOI Studios to focus on larger mission spaces, improved artificial intelligence, denser Multiplayer maps, more advanced lighting, and stronger technical consistency across all supported platforms.[3]

Shadows features a single-player Campaign, competitive Multiplayer, and Contact, an original cooperative mode centered on alien containment operations.[4] The Campaign follows a deniable operations unit investigating a global surveillance collapse tied to a covert organization known as the Eclipse Network. Multiplayer uses a revised structure built around 5v5 core matches, persistent lobbies, broader public matchmaking bands, reduced mini-map dependence, a new loadout budget system, and Support Assets replacing traditional scorestreaks.[5] Contact follows squads sent into sealed incident zones where non-human lifeforms have emerged from distorted signal events, using Skill Trees, Skill Proficiencies, Skill Mastery, Exo Skills, role progression, recovered samples, and containment ratings as its main progression systems.[6]

ShooterofIO: Shadows received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise for its atmosphere, current-generation-only technical improvements, Campaign tone, and the originality of Contact. Its Multiplayer was more divisive, with reviewers criticizing the 5v5 core structure, reduced mini-map information, Support Assets, and Loadout Grid for changing several familiar ShooterofIO systems at once. The game was supported by six post-launch seasons from December 2016 to September 2017, which expanded Multiplayer and developed Contact into a larger cooperative mode through new sites, enemy variants, Exo Skills, contracts, and endgame containment systems.[7]

Gameplay[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows is a first-person shooter built around Campaign, Multiplayer, and cooperative play. The game uses the SOI Engine and continues the movement, gunplay, progression, and class-based systems of recent ShooterofIO entries while shifting away from last-generation hardware support.

Movement includes sprinting, crouching, going prone, mantling, vaulting, sliding, and faster traversal through low cover and broken interior spaces. SOI Studios described the game's combat spaces as more layered than those in Modern Ops 3, with mission routes and Multiplayer maps designed around rooftops, alleys, service tunnels, offices, abandoned transit areas, and surveillance infrastructure.[8]

Weapons are divided into standard classes, including assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, light machine guns, marksman rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, and launchers. Attachments affect recoil, handling, mobility, magazine capacity, range, optics, suppression, and aiming stability. Equipment includes tactical devices, lethal equipment, field tools, and surveillance-disruption items.

Progression is shared across Multiplayer and Contact where supported. Players earn experience through eliminations, objective actions, assists, support play, weapon challenges, cooperative completions, and seasonal challenges. Profile progression unlocks weapons, attachments, Traits, Protocols, Support Assets, Contact skills, cosmetics, calling cards, emblems, and challenge rewards.

Campaign[edit | edit source]

Campaign is the single-player story mode of Shadows. It follows Shadow Division, a deniable multinational operations unit deployed after several intelligence agencies lose control of field assets, surveillance channels, and black-budget weapons caches.[9] The unit is tasked with identifying the cause of the collapse before the affected networks can be used to trigger conflicts between allied nations.

The central antagonist group is the Eclipse Network, a covert organization built from former intelligence officers, private security contractors, data brokers, and military defectors. Eclipse uses stolen surveillance systems, falsified communications, and manipulated battlefield intelligence to turn governments against their own assets. The announcement trailer shows Shadow Division operating through a rain-soaked capital city, a hijacked satellite relay, a coastal detention site, a collapsed embassy, and an underground traffic-control hub converted into a command center.[10]

Campaign missions are built around infiltration, reconnaissance, sabotage, hostage extraction, convoy disruption, signal interception, and direct assault. Compared with Modern Ops 3, the mode places more emphasis on stealth openings, dynamic alarms, surveillance cameras, alternate entry points, and combat encounters that can escalate if the player is detected. Several missions allow players to approach objectives quietly before transitioning into larger firefights.

Campaign Early Access began on November 4, 2016, for eligible digital pre-orders and selected retail editions.[11] The early access period included the full Campaign, while Multiplayer and Contact remained locked until the worldwide launch on November 8.[1]

Multiplayer[edit | edit source]

Multiplayer returns as the competitive online mode of Shadows. The mode includes custom loadouts, weapon progression, Traits, equipment, Support Assets, public playlists, private matches, challenges, competitive playlists, and seasonal progression.[5] SOI Studios described Multiplayer as the game's largest systems revision, built around smaller team sizes, stronger information control, more objective-focused scoring, and less dependence on traditional scorestreak loops.[12]

Most standard core playlists use 5v5 matches instead of the traditional 6v6 structure.[5] Larger limited playlists support 8v8 matches on selected maps, but the main public playlist structure is built around ten-player lobbies. The smaller team size is intended to improve readability on dense urban maps, reduce spawn pressure, and make sound, route knowledge, and objective positioning more important. Matches still use fast respawns in most modes, but objective modes include slightly longer respawn delays after certain high-value deaths, including flag pulls, bomb plants, and final capture contests.

The mode launched with twelve maps: "Observation", "Floodline", "Embassy", "Switchyard", "Underpass", "Glass Tower", "Night Market", "Relay", "Safehouse Row", "Blacksite Metro", "Borderline", and "Command Deck".[13] Maps are designed around compact but layered environments, including surveillance towers, embassy blocks, rooftops, underground stations, corporate campuses, border checkpoints, signal compounds, and dense urban streets.

The launch modes include Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All, Domination, Search and Destroy, Capture the Flag, Headquarters, Kill Confirmed, Signal Control, Trace, Blackout, and Secure Line.[14] Trace is an objective mode in which teams fight to recover and upload rotating data fragments while enemy positions become briefly exposed near active upload zones. Blackout disables full mini-map support for most of the match and requires teams to activate temporary surveillance relays for limited radar information. Secure Line returns from previous entries with adjusted scoring for coordinated objective play.

The traditional class system is replaced by Loadout Grid.[15] Players build a loadout using a limited point budget across primary weapons, secondary weapons, attachments, tactical equipment, lethal equipment, Traits, Field Tools, and Support Asset access. Stronger weapons, extra attachments, and high-impact equipment cost more points, while lighter or more specialized builds leave room for additional utility. Players can create aggressive, stealth-focused, objective, reconnaissance, or support-oriented builds, but cannot equip every high-value option at once.

Perks are replaced by Traits and Protocols.[15] Traits provide smaller passive bonuses than traditional perks and are designed to avoid single-choice dominance. Examples include reduced sprint noise, faster equipment use, improved resistance to flash effects, quicker mantle recovery, and stronger objective capture speed. Protocols are more significant loadout modifiers that define a player's general role, such as Recon Protocol, Breach Protocol, Ghost Protocol, and Anchor Protocol. Players may equip one Protocol per loadout.

Traditional scorestreaks are replaced by Support Assets.[16] Support Assets are earned through eliminations, assists, objective score, reconnaissance actions, equipment disruption, and team support. Unlike traditional scorestreaks, part of the Support meter persists after death, but high-tier Assets require more objective participation and cannot be earned purely through passive play. Assets are divided into Recon, Assault, and Control categories. Recon Assets reveal routes or enemy movement, Assault Assets provide offensive pressure, and Control Assets lock down lanes, disrupt equipment, or deny enemy surveillance.

The mini-map system is changed from previous SOI Studios titles.[17] Unsuppressed weapon fire no longer creates constant red-dot tracking on the standard mini-map. Instead, nearby gunfire generates directional sound information, while enemy positions are revealed through Recon Assets, surveillance relays, active objective scans, team callouts, and certain Field Tools. Suppressors reduce audio and detection range but still carry handling and damage-range tradeoffs.

Field Tools are a new equipment category. They include deployable cameras, signal jammers, breach charges, portable scanners, decoy emitters, trip alarms, and temporary blackout devices.[17] Field Tools are designed to give non-lethal utility a larger role in public matches and objective modes. They can be countered by enemy equipment, EMP effects, Recon Protocol bonuses, and direct destruction.

Skill-based matchmaking returns, but uses the broader matchmaking approach introduced late in Dark Warfare III.[18] Standard public playlists prioritize connection quality, region, latency, playlist population, and party size before broader skill evaluation. Competitive playlists use tighter skill matching, stricter team balancing, visible division progress, map vetoes, and limited rule variations.

Lobby persistence is retained across standard public playlists. Players remain with the same lobby between matches when possible, with teams rebalanced after one-sided results. Persistent lobbies support map voting, playlist continuity, rivalries, and social flow. Players can leave or change playlists manually, while the system breaks lobbies after major connection problems, population drops, or repeated severe imbalance.[12]

The Multiplayer beta began on September 16, 2016, for PlayStation 4 and Windows players with selected access, followed by Xbox One access on September 23.[19] The beta included Team Deathmatch, Domination, Search and Destroy, Signal Control, Trace, and Blackout across four maps: "Observation", "Floodline", "Embassy", and "Switchyard".[19]

Contact[edit | edit source]

Contact is the cooperative mode of ShooterofIO: Shadows.[4] It is an original mode centered on alien containment operations and does not use Zombies, Aetheris, perk machines, GobbleGums, or round-based undead survival. The mode supports solo play and cooperative squads of up to four players.

Players control members of Nightwatch, a classified containment team sent into incident zones where Eclipse Network signal experiments have opened unstable contact points. Each mission takes place in a sealed site affected by alien growth, distorted communications, hostile creatures, and changing environmental hazards. The objective is to enter the zone, identify the source of the contact event, recover or destroy alien material, and extract before the site becomes unrecoverable.[20]

The alien enemies in Contact are collectively known as the Vanta. Vanta organisms are divided into several behavior types. Runners attack in groups and pressure exposed players, Stalkers move across walls and ceilings before ambushing isolated targets, Burrowers travel through soft ground and vents, Screamers disrupt radar and squad communication, and Carriers spread growths that alter routes through the map. Larger elite organisms appear during escalation events and require coordinated fire, equipment use, and objective awareness to defeat.[21]

Contact missions are structured around objectives rather than traditional waves. A squad may need to activate scanners, carry signal cores, escort mobile containment units, seal ruptures, defend extraction uplinks, or destroy alien nests. Enemy pressure increases as objectives are completed, with the final phase requiring the squad to extract while the site collapses into a high-threat state. Optional secondary objectives grant additional rewards but increase the likelihood of elite enemy spawns.

Players select a Field Role before entering a mission. The Assault role focuses on weapon damage and frontline clearing, the Engineer role carries tools for turrets, doors, scanners, and generators, the Medic role improves revives and squad survival, and the Recon role reveals enemy movement, hidden samples, and route hazards. Roles do not lock players into a single weapon class, but provide passive bonuses and role-specific equipment.

Progression in Contact is built around Site Rank, role levels, weapon experience, recovered alien samples, Skill Trees, Skill Proficiencies, Skill Mastery, and Exo Skills.[6] Players use samples and experience earned from completed operations to unlock permanent upgrades, improve individual skills, and customize how each Field Role functions during containment missions.

Skill Trees are the primary Contact progression system.[22] Each Field Role has its own tree divided into three branches. Assault branches focus on weapon handling, damage windows, armor recovery, and elite pressure. Engineer branches focus on equipment uptime, generator repair, scanner strength, turret performance, and rupture sealing. Medic branches improve revive speed, healing range, squad recovery, resistance to Vanta status effects, and emergency extraction survival. Recon branches improve enemy marking, sample detection, route scanning, stealth movement, and objective awareness.

Skill Trees contain active nodes, passive nodes, and link nodes. Active nodes unlock new abilities or equipment functions, passive nodes improve existing role behavior, and link nodes allow a player to connect two branches without fully committing to one path. Players can respec a Skill Tree between missions, but cannot change their active tree layout during an operation.

Skill Proficiencies are individual usage-based progression tracks attached to specific skills.[22] A player improves a proficiency by repeatedly using the related skill during missions. For example, an Engineer improves Scanner Proficiency by detecting Vanta movement, hidden samples, and unstable rupture points; a Medic improves Revival Proficiency by reviving teammates and preventing squad wipes; and an Assault player improves Suppression Proficiency by damaging elites during objective phases. Proficiency ranks improve reliability, cooldown time, range, duration, or secondary effects depending on the skill.

Skill Mastery unlocks after a player reaches the highest proficiency rank for a skill and completes a role-specific mastery challenge.[23] Mastery does not simply increase damage or healing; instead, it changes how a skill behaves. A mastered scanner may reveal enemy tunnels before they open, a mastered turret may mark targets for squad damage, a mastered revive may briefly shield the revived player, and a mastered suppression skill may slow elite enemy movement during extraction. Players can equip a limited number of mastered skills at once, forcing them to choose which parts of their role are specialized for a mission.

Exo Skills are advanced Contact abilities tied to Nightwatch exo-rig upgrades.[24] They are unlocked through late-tree progression and recovered Vanta samples. Exo Skills include short bursts of enhanced mobility, emergency shielding, impact stabilizers, rupture dampeners, pulse scans, and squad overcharge effects. Exo Skills are charged by completing objectives, assisting teammates, securing samples, and surviving escalation events rather than by kills alone.

Exo Skills are equipped through the Exo Frame menu before a mission. Each Exo Frame has a limited energy capacity, and stronger Exo Skills consume more capacity. Players can equip several smaller utility skills or one larger high-impact skill. Exo Skills are divided into Mobility, Defense, Control, and Support categories. Mobility skills help players reposition or escape collapsing routes, Defense skills reduce incoming damage during pressure phases, Control skills interrupt Vanta behavior, and Support skills improve squad recovery or objective completion.

Other Contact systems support the skill structure. Site Rank measures overall mission progression across each containment site, unlocking higher difficulties, new routes, additional secondary objectives, and more dangerous escalation patterns. The Research Bench uses alien samples to unlock equipment upgrades, skill modifiers, exo-rig parts, and cosmetic items. Containment Rating grades each mission based on objectives completed, squad survival, samples recovered, time taken, elite enemies defeated, and extraction success.[6]

Mission Modifiers alter site conditions for additional rewards. Modifiers can reduce ammunition caches, increase Vanta movement speed, corrupt scanners, disable parts of the map, add elite enemies earlier, or force extraction through alternate routes. Contracts provide rotating challenges tied to roles, weapons, samples, Site Rank, and Exo Skills. Squad Synergy bonuses activate when players bring complementary roles and skills into a mission, such as Engineer scanners improving Recon marks or Medic shields extending Assault suppression windows.[6]

At launch, SOI Studios included three Contact sites: "Ground Zero", "Hollow Signal", and "Red Orchard".[25] Four additional Contact sites were added during post-launch seasons: "Nightfall Quarantine", "Marrow Relay", "Kestrel Laboratory", and "Origin Spire".[7]

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows follows Shadow Division, a deniable operations unit formed after a series of coordinated intelligence failures exposes covert agents, corrupts surveillance networks, and causes several governments to act on falsified battlefield information. The crisis begins when allied forces are ordered into conflicting operations by command systems that appear authentic but have been manipulated from inside the intelligence chain.

The Campaign's central threat is the Eclipse Network, a hidden organization that believes modern states can be controlled more effectively through information collapse than direct military occupation. Eclipse does not seek to conquer territory openly; instead, it corrupts the systems used to decide where troops deploy, which targets are considered hostile, and which intelligence reports are trusted. By manipulating what governments believe they know, Eclipse can turn allies into enemies without firing the first shot.

Shadow Division is deployed to recover the source of the compromised signals and identify who is feeding Eclipse's commands into global emergency networks. Early story details describe the Campaign as moving through several connected operations, beginning with street-level raids and expanding into satellite relays, data vaults, private military compounds, and government black sites.[9]

SOI Studios described the story as a more isolated and paranoid military thriller than the studio's previous Modern Ops titles.[2] Rather than focusing on a large conventional war, Shadows centers on mistrust, false orders, missing intelligence, compromised allies, and the difficulty of proving who is responsible when every system used to verify the truth has already been corrupted.

The Contact storyline runs parallel to the Campaign.[20] While Shadow Division investigates Eclipse's human network, Nightwatch responds to the physical consequences of Eclipse's signal experiments. The first incidents suggest that Eclipse was not merely corrupting surveillance systems, but attempting to use those systems to communicate with something beyond Earth. The Vanta appear after repeated signal tests, leaving Nightwatch to contain sites that official governments cannot explain without exposing the intelligence collapse.

The post-launch Contact storyline follows Nightwatch as the Vanta spread beyond the original incident zones. "Nightfall Quarantine" reveals that the Vanta can adapt to human medical infrastructure and use emergency shelters as growth chambers. "Marrow Relay" shows that the creatures respond to underground transmission systems, suggesting that Eclipse's broadcasts did not create the contact event but awakened a dormant network. "Kestrel Laboratory" reveals that Eclipse had already recovered alien biological material before the public incidents began. "Origin Spire" concludes the seasonal arc by sending Nightwatch into the first stable contact point, where the squad discovers that the Vanta are not invading randomly but following signals that human systems taught them to recognize.[7]

Development[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows was developed by SOI Studios, marking the studio's first lead ShooterofIO game since Modern Ops 3.[2] The game followed Dark Warfare III, which was developed by Air Studios and received strong reviews after returning the franchise to a more focused structure following the divisive reception of Guardians.

SOI Studios stated that Shadows was not designed as Modern Ops 4, but as a separate mainline entry intended to explore a darker side of the studio's modern military formula.[2] Director Aaron Vale said, "We did not want to make Modern Ops with the lights turned off. Shadows had to feel like a different kind of military story, one where the danger is not just who is shooting at you, but whether the information sending you there can still be trusted."[26]

The studio described the project as a response to the franchise's increasing variety, with Dark Warfare handling horror-inflected covert warfare, Guardians experimenting with broader combat spaces, and Shadows focusing on surveillance, misinformation, black operations, and deniable combat. Producer Dana Mercer said, "The franchise had become wide enough that each studio needed a sharper identity. For us, the question became: what does SOI Studios do when the battlefield is not a country, but a system of lies?"[26]

The game uses the SOI Engine, continuing the shared technology introduced with Modern Ops 3 and later used by Guardians and Dark Warfare III.[27] SOI Studios stated that current-generation-only development allowed the team to push denser lighting, larger memory budgets, more active AI behaviors, more detailed interiors, and improved mission streaming without needing to maintain PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 feature parity.[3]

Dropping PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was one of the central technical decisions announced with the game.[3] Mob Productions stated that the older platforms had reached a point where they limited map density, loading behavior, animation blending, and environmental detail. Technical director Marcus Hale said, "Cross-generation support was not just a texture problem anymore. It affected how many enemies could search a building, how quickly a level could stream, how much surveillance logic could run at once, and how dense a cooperative site could become before the design had to pull back."[28]

SOI Studios described the current-generation-only shift as necessary for the design of Shadows.[8] The Campaign uses more surveillance systems, active alarms, destructible light sources, layered interiors, and enemy search behaviors than previous SOI Studios titles. Multiplayer maps are also built with more vertical overlap, interior density, and lighting variation than the team could reliably support on the older consoles.[8] Lead designer Colin Reed said, "If the player cuts the power, we want the level to respond. If they are spotted by a camera, enemies should move differently. If a squad pushes through a service tunnel, the map should still feel like it has a life above them. Those ideas were difficult to preserve while also building for machines from the previous generation."[28]

The development of Contact began from the idea that the third mode should not compete directly with Zombies.[20] SOI Studios said that it considered several cooperative concepts before settling on an alien containment mode. Mercer said, "Zombies belongs to Dark Warfare. We did not want to borrow its machines, its rituals, its economy, or its expectations. If we were going to build a third pillar for Shadows, it had to be its own thing."[20]

SOI Studios emphasized that Contact was not designed as a round-based survival replacement. Vale said, "Aliens could not just be green zombies. If an enemy crawled across the ceiling, cut the lights, fled through a vent, or split the squad with a scream, it needed to change how players behaved. The mode had to be about entering a site, understanding what went wrong, and escaping before the situation overtook you."[20]

The Vanta enemies were built around movement and pressure rather than simple durability.[21] Reed said, "The first rule was that the creatures had to use the space better than human soldiers. Soldiers hold angles. Vanta break angles. They climb, burrow, swarm, retreat, and come back through a route the player thought was safe." The team used this philosophy to design enemy types that attack from different surfaces, disrupt information, and force squads to move rather than remain in a single defensive position.[21]

The role system in Contact was designed to create squad identity without forcing traditional class restrictions.[20] Systems designer Maya Kessler said, "We wanted roles to matter, but we did not want someone to feel punished for choosing the wrong gun. A Medic can still carry a rifle. An Engineer can still fight. The difference is what they bring to the site when the scanner breaks, when the extraction point goes dark, or when someone goes down behind a sealed door."[26]

The Contact Deep Dive expanded the mode's progression systems and explained Skill Trees, Skill Proficiencies, Skill Mastery, and Exo Skills.[6] Kessler said, "A skill tree gives the player a plan. A proficiency gives them a reason to use the skill well. Mastery gives the skill an identity. Exo Skills give the squad a moment where the site bends, but only because they earned it inside the mission." The studio stated that the four systems were designed to support one another rather than exist as separate progression menus.[22]

Skill Trees were developed to make each Field Role feel flexible without becoming shapeless.[22] Kessler said, "The problem with a role system is that players either feel locked into a job or the job stops mattering. The tree lets us split the difference. An Engineer can lean into scanners, repairs, turrets, or rupture control. They are still an Engineer, but the squad can feel the difference between two Engineers who made different choices."

Skill Proficiencies were added to reward repeated use and role expertise.[22] Reed said, "We did not want players to unlock a skill, use it twice, and forget it. If you are the player who always saves the squad with a revive, or the player who keeps the scanner running under pressure, the game should recognize that behavior and let that specific tool grow with you."

Skill Mastery was designed as a high-end progression layer that changed skill behavior rather than simply raising numbers.[23] Kessler said, "A mastered skill should feel like the player understands the site better. More damage is useful, but it is not always interesting. We wanted mastery to create new decisions: reveal the tunnel early, shield the revive, mark the elite, interrupt the collapse."

Exo Skills were introduced as late-progression abilities tied to Nightwatch equipment and recovered alien samples.[24] Vale said, "The exo-rig is not there to turn soldiers into superheroes. It is a survival tool built from human engineering and things humans should not fully understand yet. It gives players a way to push back against the site, but it still has limits." SOI Studios stated that Exo Skills are charged through objectives and squad play to prevent the system from becoming a kill-only power meter.[24]

Other Contact systems were designed to support the skill structure.[6] Site Rank gives each location long-term progression, the Research Bench gives alien samples a clear purpose, Mission Modifiers add replay variety, Contracts give players rotating goals, and Containment Rating creates a score-based reason to improve mission execution. Mercer said, "We wanted every run to answer a question. Did you get out? Did you learn something? Did your role improve? Did the site change? Did the squad become better at containment?"

The Multiplayer reveal emphasized that SOI Studios was changing several basic competitive systems rather than only adding new maps and weapons.[5] Vale said, "The easiest version of Multiplayer would have been twelve maps, familiar perks, familiar streaks, familiar radar, and a darker coat of paint. That would have been safe, but it would not have answered why this game exists." The team described the 5v5 structure, Loadout Grid, Traits, Protocols, Support Assets, and reduced red-dot dependency as part of a broader attempt to make Multiplayer match the surveillance-war identity of the Campaign.[12]

SOI Studios acknowledged that the Multiplayer changes were unusual for a mainline entry.[12] Reed said, "Every change has a cost. Some players love the 6v6 rhythm, the red-dot chase, and the feeling of building streaks entirely through kills. We understand that. But Shadows is asking players to listen more, read routes more, and use information as part of the gunfight rather than as something that happens after it."

The Loadout Grid was designed to reduce the dominance of fixed optimal class setups.[15] Kessler said, "We wanted players to make real choices again. If someone wants a heavily attached rifle, a strong secondary, two pieces of equipment, and a powerful Protocol, something has to give. The grid is not about taking freedom away; it is about making freedom visible enough that tradeoffs matter."

Replacing scorestreaks with Support Assets was one of the most debated internal decisions.[16] Reed said, "We did not want players to feel like death erased every contribution, especially in objective modes. At the same time, we did not want high-tier rewards to become background noise. Support Assets let us reward pressure, information, disruption, and objective work without making every match revolve around the same kill chain."

The reduced mini-map system was created to support the darker map design and surveillance theme.[17] Vale said, "We are not trying to make a tactical simulator. This is still ShooterofIO. But we are reducing automatic certainty. If someone fires in another building, you should have a clue, not a perfect answer. The answer should come from your team's tools, your ears, your route knowledge, and the risk you are willing to take."

Seasonal development focused on expanding Contact while adjusting Multiplayer without fully abandoning its original direction.[7] SOI Studios added four post-launch Contact sites across six seasons, while the two seasons without new sites focused on Exo Skill balance, role tuning, contracts, containment ratings, mission modifiers, and endgame rewards. Multiplayer updates adjusted Support Asset charge rates, Loadout Grid costs, Field Tool counters, Blackout radar timing, and 5v5 spawn logic, but the studio retained the core structure rather than reverting to 6v6 or traditional scorestreaks.[7]

Several developers described Shadows as an attempt to find balance after the franchise's recent shifts. Vale said, "We learned from Guardians that scale alone does not make a game feel bigger. We learned from Dark Warfare III that focus matters. With Shadows, the goal is not to outgrow the franchise, but to sharpen one corner of it until it feels new."[26]

The team also addressed expectations around the lack of Zombies. Mercer said, "We know Zombies is huge, and we are not pretending otherwise. But putting Zombies into every game would make it smaller, not bigger. Air Studios had just built a fantastic foundation with Dark Warfare III. Our job was to create something that could stand beside it without copying it."[20]

Marketing and release[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows was announced on May 10, 2016, through a cinematic announcement trailer, publisher blog post, and developer message from SOI Studios.[29][10][2] The announcement confirmed the title, developer, publisher, 2016 release window, SOI Engine support, and platform lineup of Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.[3]

The announcement trailer opened with a citywide surveillance blackout followed by conflicting military orders appearing across several command screens. It showed Shadow Division entering a flooded underpass, breaching an embassy records room, moving across rain-covered rooftops, and fighting through a satellite relay facility. The trailer ended with a distorted message reading "truth is a weapon", followed by the title reveal.[10]

On June 21, 2016, Mob Productions and SOI Studios fully revealed Contact, the game's third mode, and confirmed the worldwide release date of November 8, 2016.[4] The reveal included a gameplay trailer, developer commentary, the first three launch sites, the Vanta enemy faction, role progression, extraction-based mission structure, Campaign Early Access, Multiplayer beta dates, and retail editions.[20][25]

The Contact reveal trailer showed a Nightwatch squad entering a quarantined city block after a signal event. The trailer showed alien growth spreading through apartments, a Stalker moving across a ceiling, a squad carrying a signal core through a collapsing tunnel, and an extraction sequence in which a larger Vanta organism destroyed the landing zone before the team escaped through a maintenance road.[30]

On July 19, 2016, SOI Studios fully revealed Multiplayer through a dedicated gameplay trailer and developer breakdown.[5] The reveal confirmed twelve launch maps, eleven launch modes, 5v5 core playlists, larger limited playlists, Loadout Grid, Traits, Protocols, Support Assets, Field Tools, reduced red-dot mini-map behavior, persistent public lobbies, and beta content.[12] The reveal focused on the idea that Multiplayer should reflect the game's surveillance and misinformation themes rather than simply repeat the structure of Modern Ops 3.[5]

The Multiplayer reveal trailer showed matches on "Observation", "Floodline", "Embassy", "Switchyard", and "Blacksite Metro".[31] The trailer highlighted a team cutting surveillance in Blackout, a Trace upload zone exposing enemy silhouettes for a short period, a Support Asset drone marking rooftop movement, and a Loadout Grid screen showing players removing attachments to equip stronger Field Tools.[31]

On August 16, 2016, SOI Studios released the Contact Deep Dive.[6] The presentation focused on Contact's long-term progression and clarified Skill Trees, Skill Proficiencies, Skill Mastery, Exo Skills, Site Rank, Research Bench upgrades, Mission Modifiers, Contracts, Containment Rating, and Squad Synergy.[22][24] SOI Studios described the deep dive as the final major systems reveal for Contact before the Multiplayer beta and launch marketing phase.[6]

The Contact Deep Dive gameplay footage showed an Engineer using a scanner to reveal a rupture behind a sealed wall, a Medic shielding a revived teammate during extraction, a Recon player marking a ceiling route before a Stalker ambush, and an Assault player using an Exo Skill to interrupt a Vanta elite during a site collapse.[32] The footage also showed the Research Bench, Skill Tree interface, Skill Mastery challenge screen, and Containment Rating results after extraction.[32]

Mob Productions announced three editions of the game during the Contact reveal.[33] The Standard Edition includes the base game. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game, Campaign Early Access eligibility, a digital soundtrack sampler, profile customization items, and the Nightwatch Pack for Multiplayer and Contact. The Blackout Edition includes the base game, a steelbook case, Campaign Early Access eligibility, a Shadow Division dossier, a behind-the-scenes feature, soundtrack sampler, and exclusive cosmetic items for Campaign, Multiplayer, and Contact.[33]

ShooterofIO: Shadows was released worldwide on November 8, 2016.[1] Mob Productions described the launch as the beginning of a new current-generation-only era for the franchise, emphasizing that all three supported platforms shared the same Campaign, Multiplayer maps, Contact sites, progression systems, and seasonal support plans.[1]

Post-launch seasons[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows received six post-launch seasons between December 2016 and September 2017.[7] The seasonal model expanded Multiplayer through new maps, modes, weapons, Field Tools, Support Asset tuning, and competitive playlists, while Contact received four additional sites, enemy variants, skill expansions, Exo Skills, contracts, and endgame containment challenges.

Season Start date Content
Season 01: Aftershock December 13, 2016 Added the Multiplayer maps "Skyline", "Drain", and "Consulate", the weapons Honey Badger and M249, the mode "Sabotage", and new Support Assets focused on lane denial. Contact added the site "Nightfall Quarantine", set in an overrun emergency medical district where Vanta growths spread through shelter tunnels and triage wards. The season also added Tier II Skill Tree branches, the Lurker enemy type, and new containment contracts.[34]
Season 02: Deep Signal February 7, 2017 Added the Multiplayer maps "Data Center", "Border Rain", and "Rooftop Relay", the weapons UMP45 and M1014, and the mode "Intercept". Contact added the site "Marrow Relay", an underground listening station where Vanta organisms respond to buried broadcast signals. The update expanded Skill Proficiencies, added Duo Contracts for coordinated squads, introduced signal-corrupted Mission Modifiers, and added the Wailer enemy type.[35]
Season 03: Fracture Cell April 4, 2017 Added the Multiplayer maps "Rail Yard", "Black Tide", and "Embassy Annex", the weapons ACR and Five-seven, and the mode "Lockout". Contact did not receive a new site, but gained Containment Trials, additional Exo Skills, mastery challenges, new Research Bench upgrades, and several balance changes to sample rewards and Site Rank progression. Multiplayer updates adjusted Loadout Grid costs, Blackout radar timing, and Support Asset charge rates.[36]
Season 04: Black Bloom June 6, 2017 Added the Multiplayer maps "Monolith", "Warehouse 9", and "Old Quarter", the weapons FAMAS and AA-12, and the mode "Breachpoint". Contact added the site "Kestrel Laboratory", a sealed Eclipse research complex where recovered alien material was tested before the public contact events. The season added Vanta mutation variants, squad synergy bonuses, new Exo Frame parts, and expanded Containment Rating rewards.[37]
Season 05: Eclipse Rising August 1, 2017 Added the Multiplayer maps "Port Authority", "Midnight", and "Signal Park", the weapons SCAR-L and RPD, and the mode "Dead Drop". Contact did not receive a new site, but added Nightwatch Directives, final Exo Skill tuning, elite enemy rotations, new Contract chains, and hidden evidence across existing sites foreshadowing the final contact point. Multiplayer received additional 5v5 spawn tuning, persistent lobby improvements, and Field Tool counter adjustments.[38]
Season 06: Origin Point September 26, 2017 Added the Multiplayer maps "Axiom", "Floodgate", and "Last Tower", the weapons TAR-21 and Intervention, and the end-of-cycle mode "Final Trace". Contact added the final site "Origin Spire", sending Nightwatch into the first stable contact point beneath an abandoned signal tower. The season concluded the Contact storyline, added Prime Vanta variants, endgame Containment Mastery rewards, final Skill Mastery challenges, and prestige-style cosmetics for players who completed high-rating extractions across all sites.[39]

Coverage of the announcement focused heavily on the decision to drop PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.[40] Several outlets described the move as overdue after the technical compromises seen in the last-generation versions of Guardians and Dark Warfare III. Others noted that the decision could alienate players who had continued following the series on older consoles, especially because Dark Warfare III had released on those platforms only one year earlier.[40]

Early previews described Shadows as a darker and more restrained SOI Studios project than Modern Ops 3.[41] The Campaign's surveillance-collapse premise, the move away from last-generation hardware, and the promise of more layered Multiplayer maps were praised.[41]

Reaction to the Contact reveal was cautiously positive.[42] Several outlets praised SOI Studios for creating a new cooperative identity instead of placing Zombies into another annual entry, while others questioned whether an alien containment mode could build the same long-term community appeal as Zombies. Previewers were particularly interested in the role system, the Vanta enemy behavior, and the extraction structure, but remained cautious about replayability across only three launch sites.[42]

Reaction to the Multiplayer reveal was more divided than the response to the Campaign premise and Contact reveal.[43] Several previews praised the denser map design, persistent lobbies, broader public matchmaking bands, and objective-focused Support Assets. Others warned that 5v5 core matches, reduced red-dot behavior, and the Loadout Grid could be controversial among longtime players used to faster 6v6 pacing and more traditional streak progression.[43]

Reaction to the Contact Deep Dive was generally positive, with previews noting that the mode appeared more progression-heavy than initially expected.[44] Critics praised the connection between Skill Trees, Proficiencies, Mastery, and Exo Skills, but some remained cautious about whether the number of progression systems would make the mode harder for casual players to understand at launch.[44]

Reception[edit | edit source]

ShooterofIO: Shadows received generally favorable reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[45][46][47] Critics praised the game's atmosphere, technical consistency, darker Campaign tone, and the originality of Contact, while criticism focused on Multiplayer's major structural changes, the reduced mini-map system, and the number of progression systems introduced in the cooperative mode.

Reviewers commonly described Shadows as an ambitious but uneven follow-up to Dark Warfare III. The decision to drop PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was widely credited with improving visual density, lighting, loading behavior, and overall technical stability compared with the last-generation versions of previous entries. However, several outlets argued that the game changed too many familiar Multiplayer systems at once, making it less immediately accessible to longtime players.

IGN gave the game a 7.8/10, praising the Campaign's tone and the strength of the game's presentation.[50] The review described the Campaign as "paranoid, stylish, and tightly directed", but criticized some missions for relying on repeated signal interception and data recovery objectives. IGN praised Contact as a strong foundation for a new cooperative pillar, especially its enemy behavior and extraction structure, but called Multiplayer "smartly designed in theory and colder in practice", arguing that the 5v5 pacing and reduced mini-map information made public matches feel slower than expected.[50]

Game Informer gave Shadows an 8/10, praising SOI Studios for giving the game a distinct identity rather than making Modern Ops 4.[48] The magazine praised the Campaign's atmosphere, the current-generation-only technical upgrade, and the depth of Contact. It also praised Loadout Grid for making class tradeoffs more meaningful, but noted that the system could feel restrictive to players who preferred the simpler class-building style of earlier games.[48]

GameSpot gave the game a 7/10, offering one of the more critical major reviews.[49] The review praised Contact for attempting something new and commended the Vanta enemies for forcing players to move and coordinate. However, it criticized the mode's progression layers as overly dense at launch, saying that Skill Trees, Proficiencies, Mastery, Exo Skills, Site Rank, samples, and Containment Ratings could overwhelm casual players. The review also criticized Multiplayer for replacing "simple momentum" with "systems that often explain themselves better in menus than in matches".[49]

Official Xbox Magazine gave the Xbox One version a 7.5/10, praising the technical presentation and several Multiplayer maps while criticizing the move away from traditional scorestreaks.[51] The review described Support Assets as more objective-friendly than scorestreaks but less exciting to earn. It also praised "Observation", "Embassy", and "Blacksite Metro" as strong maps, while calling Blackout mode divisive due to its reduced radar information and slower team movement.[51]

The Campaign received generally positive attention.[52] Critics praised its surveillance-collapse premise, darker visual style, and quieter opening sections. Several reviews compared the tone favorably to SOI Studios' Modern Ops games, noting that Shadows was less explosive but more thematically consistent. Common criticism focused on repeated hacking terminals, data vaults, and communications objectives, as well as a story that some reviewers felt raised more questions than it answered.[52]

Contact received a mixed-positive reception at launch and was generally considered the game's most original mode.[53] Reviewers praised the Vanta enemy behaviors, the extraction-based structure, Field Roles, Skill Mastery, and Exo Skills. "Ground Zero" was frequently cited as the strongest launch site due to its clear escalation and readable layout, while "Hollow Signal" was praised for atmosphere. "Red Orchard" was more divisive, with some critics praising its open routes and others criticizing navigation clarity. Some reviews warned that only three launch sites made the mode feel promising but limited without strong post-launch support.[53]

Multiplayer was the most divisive part of the game.[54] Critics praised persistent lobbies, map density, objective scoring, and broader public matchmaking bands, but were divided over 5v5 core playlists, Loadout Grid, reduced mini-map certainty, and Support Assets. Some outlets argued that the changes supported the game's theme and rewarded careful play, while others said they made public matches feel slower, less immediately rewarding, and less recognizable as SOI Studios Multiplayer.[54]

Fan reception was divided at launch.[55] Players praised the current-generation-only presentation, Campaign atmosphere, and the attempt to create a new cooperative mode instead of relying on Zombies. However, Multiplayer changes became controversial among longtime fans, especially the lack of traditional scorestreaks, the 5v5 standard, and reduced red-dot tracking. Contact developed a smaller but enthusiastic early community, particularly among players interested in progression-heavy cooperative play.[55]

Post-launch reception improved over the six-season cycle, particularly for Contact.[56] Critics praised "Nightfall Quarantine" and "Kestrel Laboratory" for giving the cooperative mode more variety, while "Origin Spire" was generally viewed as the strongest Contact finale. The seasonal additions helped address early concerns about the mode's limited number of launch sites, although some critics continued to describe the progression systems as dense for casual players.[56]

Multiplayer received balance updates throughout the seasons, but its broader reputation remained mixed.[56] Support Asset tuning, Loadout Grid cost changes, Blackout adjustments, and spawn updates improved the flow of several modes, yet the core 5v5 structure and reduced mini-map design remained divisive. Retrospectives often described Shadows as a game whose strongest legacy was Contact, while Multiplayer became remembered as an ambitious experiment that influenced later support systems but never fully won back the traditional audience.[56]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mob Productions (November 8, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Available Now Worldwide". Mob Productions. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 SOI Studios (May 10, 2016). "SOI Studios Returns With ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Mob Productions (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Platform Details". Mob Productions. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Mode and Release Date Revealed". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 SOI Studios (July 19, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Revealed". SOI Studios. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 SOI Studios (August 16, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Deep Dive". SOI Studios. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Mob Productions (September 26, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Complete Seasonal Overview". Mob Productions. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 SOI Studios (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Gameplay Overview". SOI Studios. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 SOI Studios (May 10, 2016). "Inside the World of ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Mob Productions (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Announcement Trailer". Mob Productions. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Campaign Early Access Details". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 SOI Studios (July 19, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Deep Dive". SOI Studios. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  13. ↑ Mob Productions (July 19, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Maps Revealed". Mob Productions. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  14. ↑ Mob Productions (July 19, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Modes". Mob Productions. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 SOI Studios (July 19, 2016). "Loadout Grid in ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer". SOI Studios. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 SOI Studios (July 19, 2016). "Support Assets Replace Scorestreaks in ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 SOI Studios (July 19, 2016). "Information Systems in ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer". SOI Studios. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  18. ↑ SOI Studios (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Matchmaking". SOI Studios. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Beta Announced". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 SOI Studios (June 21, 2016). "Contact: The New Cooperative Mode in ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 SOI Studios (June 21, 2016). "The Vanta Threat in ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact". SOI Studios. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 SOI Studios (August 16, 2016). "Contact Skills and Progression in ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 SOI Studios (August 16, 2016). "Skill Mastery in Contact". SOI Studios. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 SOI Studios (August 16, 2016). "Exo Skills in ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact". SOI Studios. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Launch Sites Revealed". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 SOI Studios (June 21, 2016). "SOI Studios on Building ShooterofIO: Shadows". SOI Studios. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  27. ↑ Mob Productions (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Uses SOI Engine". Mob Productions. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 SOI Studios (June 21, 2016). "Why ShooterofIO: Shadows Is Current-Generation Only". SOI Studios. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  29. ↑ Mob Productions (May 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Announced". Mob Productions. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  30. ↑ Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Reveal Trailer". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Mob Productions (July 19, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Reveal Trailer". Mob Productions. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Mob Productions (August 16, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Deep Dive Trailer". Mob Productions. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Mob Productions (June 21, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Editions and Pre-Order Details". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  34. ↑ Mob Productions (December 13, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 01: Aftershock Available Now". Mob Productions. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  35. ↑ Mob Productions (February 7, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 02: Deep Signal Released". Mob Productions. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
  36. ↑ Mob Productions (April 4, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 03: Fracture Cell Launches". Mob Productions. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  37. ↑ Mob Productions (June 6, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 04: Black Bloom Available Now". Mob Productions. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  38. ↑ Mob Productions (August 1, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 05: Eclipse Rising Released". Mob Productions. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  39. ↑ Mob Productions (September 26, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Season 06: Origin Point Released". Mob Productions. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Russell, Mark (May 11, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Announced for Current Platforms Only". Console Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Martin, Joel (May 12, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Looks Like SOI Studios' Darkest Game Yet". Game Frontier. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Harris, Dean (June 22, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Mode Is Not Zombies, and That May Be the Point". Video Game Weekly. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Russell, Mark (July 20, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Takes Big Risks". Console Insider. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Harris, Dean (August 17, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Deep Dive Shows a Bigger Co-op Mode". Video Game Weekly. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 "ShooterofIO: Shadows for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 "ShooterofIO: Shadows for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 "ShooterofIO: Shadows for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 Ryland, Dan (December 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Review". Game Informer. No. 284. pp. 64–69.
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 Waters, Chris (November 8, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Review". GameSpot. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 Carson, Luke (November 8, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Review". IGN. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 McCaffrey, Ryan (December 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Review". Official Xbox Magazine. pp. 48–53.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Russell, Mark (November 9, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Campaign Review". Console Insider. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 Harris, Dean (November 10, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Contact Review". Video Game Weekly. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Martin, Joel (November 9, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Multiplayer Review". Game Frontier. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 Russell, Mark (November 12, 2016). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Splits ShooterofIO Fans at Launch". Console Insider. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 56.3 Harris, Dean (September 27, 2017). "ShooterofIO: Shadows Ends Its Seasons With Contact Stronger Than Ever". Video Game Weekly. Retrieved September 27, 2017.

External links[edit | edit source]

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