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{{Development (ShooterofIO)}}
{{Development (ShooterofIO)}}


The ''[[ShooterofIO]]'' franchise is a [[first-person shooter]] [[media franchise]] developed by [[SOI Studios]], [[Air Studios]], [[War Games]], and [[Supreme Studios]]. The franchise is published by [[Monsteristic]] and is owned by [[Microsoft]] and is part of the [[Microsoft Gaming]] category of franchises.
The ''[[ShooterofIO]]'' franchise is a [[first-person shooter]] video game franchise developed by [[SOI Studios]], [[Air Studios]], [[War Games]], and [[Supreme Studios]]. The franchise is published by [[Monsteristic]] and is owned by [[Microsoft]] as part of the [[Microsoft Gaming]] portfolio.


Starting in 2007, the franchise began with ''[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops]]'', that released in October 2007, and released live service support until the release of Air Studios' game in 2008, which was ''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]''.
The franchise began in 2023 with the release of ''[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops]]''. Since then, the series has expanded through multiple sub-series and settings, including the modern military-focused ''Modern Ops'' games and the darker, near-future ''Dark Warfare'' titles.
 
As of 2026, the franchise consists of four main entries, with ''[[Dark Warfare II]]'' serving as the next major installment.


== History ==
== History ==


=== 2004-2006: Foundation of Monsteristic ===
=== 2021–2023: Foundation and ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' ===
{{See also|Monsteristic}}{{Needs expansion|date=May 2024}}
 
Childhood friends [[Freddie Goodwin]] and [[Mark Rogueson]] sought to make a business using their skills in game development. In 1998, they founded Monsteristic, which opted to create text-based video games whilst working on their own video [[game engine]] to have it prepared to be used before 2010. By 1999, the development of their engine reached an all new peak when 60 more people joined their team.  
In 2021, publisher [[Monsteristic]] established [[SOI Studios]] as a dedicated internal development team focused on creating a large-scale first-person shooter franchise capable of supporting both annual releases and long-term live-service content.
 
Development on the franchise's debut title, ''[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops]]'', began shortly afterward. The team sought to create a grounded military shooter inspired by contemporary warfare while avoiding direct depictions of real-world conflicts. Instead, the game's campaign focused on fictional global tensions involving rival military coalitions.
 
To improve authenticity, developers consulted military veterans, studied modern combat tactics, and researched military technology used throughout the early 21st century. Multiplayer was designed around accessible gameplay that rewarded both casual and competitive players. The development team emphasized balanced weapon design, fast-paced movement, and map layouts that encouraged constant engagement.
 
''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' was released worldwide on November 10, 2023, receiving strong commercial success and establishing the foundation for the franchise.
 
=== 2023–2024: Expansion with ''Dark Warfare'' ===
 
Following the success of ''Modern Ops'', development responsibilities rotated to [[Air Studios]], which began work on a darker and more experimental entry for the franchise.
 
Released on October 12, 2024, ''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]'' introduced a near-future setting featuring advanced military technology, covert operations, and global conspiracies. The game also expanded the franchise's Zombies mode and introduced a more cinematic campaign structure.
 
''Dark Warfare'' became the franchise's most commercially successful title at the time and significantly expanded the player base. The game's post-launch support included multiple seasons, new multiplayer maps, additional Zombies experiences, and narrative updates.
 
=== 2024–2025: Return of the Modern Ops series ===
 
Development returned to [[SOI Studios]] for the franchise's third installment, ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]''.
 
The studio focused on refining systems introduced in previous titles while modernizing movement, weapon customization, progression systems, and multiplayer content. The game launched with an extensive selection of multiplayer maps, a new campaign storyline, and expanded cooperative experiences.
 
''Modern Ops 2'' was released on November 3, 2025, for current-generation platforms and PC. The title continued the franchise's commercial growth and maintained a large live-service ecosystem through seasonal updates.
 
=== 2025–present: Development of ''Dark Warfare II'' ===
 
In late 2025, [[Air Studios]] began development of ''[[Dark Warfare II]]'', the fourth main entry in the franchise and the direct sequel to ''Dark Warfare''.
 
The game expands upon the near-future setting introduced in its predecessor while introducing new gameplay systems, a redesigned Zombies experience, and the largest multiplayer offering in franchise history.


Goodwin and Rulesman worked together to create a new plan to create a game series and the two business men split up in the teams. The 110 employeees split up into groups of 55 with Goodwin leading game direction and Rulesman focusing on the producing side of business. Goodwin pubically announced in June 2003 that they were looking for a team of developers to make a first-person shooter video game.
Marketing for the title began throughout 2026, including multiplayer reveals, developer blogs, gameplay showcases, and Zombies-focused promotional events.


=== 2005-2007: ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' and the founding of SOI Studios ===
''Dark Warfare II'' is scheduled for release in 2026.
{{Main|ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|SOI Studios}}
''[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops]]'' was developed by a team of 60 people, over the course of a year and a half. After being aquired by [[Monsteristic]], the [[SOI Studios]] team decided to create a [[first-person shooter]] [[video game]], that would be supported for two years before moving to a potential sequel if the game was successful. At first, the game was simply going to be titled "Modern Ops". Three months into development, the game title was changed to simply "ShooterofIO". Shortly before the reveal of the game in 2007, it was retitled to be ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops''. The team changed the title to what it is due to them learning of Air Studios' upcoming game as an installment in the series of games, with them deciding to make things a franchise.


While developing the story for ''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'', SOI Studios chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength. To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires. The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat. Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.
== Technology ==


The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players. An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended. The killstreak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting. Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well. Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.
Throughout its history, the ''ShooterofIO'' franchise has utilized proprietary iterations of the SOI Engine.


''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'' runs on the SOI 1.0 engine, which features true world-dynamic lighting, HDR lighting effects, dynamic shadows and depth of field. Bullet penetration is calculated by the engine, taking into account factors such as surface type and entity thickness. The game runs in a native resolution of 600p on the Xbox 360 and PS3.
Beginning with SOI Engine 1.0 in ''Modern Ops'', the technology evolved significantly through subsequent releases. Features introduced across the series include:


Certain objects, such as cars and some buildings, are destructible. This makes distinguishing cover from concealment important, as the protection provided by objects such as wooden fences and thin walls do not completely protect players from harm. Bullet stopping power is decreased after penetrating an object, and the decrease is dependent on the thickness and surface type of the object. The game makes use of a dynamic physics engine.
* Dynamic global illumination
* Advanced HDR lighting
* Real-time shadow rendering
* Enhanced physics simulation
* Bullet penetration systems
* Destructible environmental elements
* High-player-count networking technology
* Advanced artificial intelligence systems
 
Each major installment has introduced improvements to the engine while maintaining compatibility with the franchise's large-scale multiplayer experiences.


== Games ==
== Games ==
All together, the ShooterofIO franchise has released sixteen video games all developed by SOI Studios, Air Studios, and War Games. All the games were also published by Monsteristic.


=== Released ===
=== Released ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Title
!Title
Line 35: Line 72:
!Developer
!Developer
!Publisher
!Publisher
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops|''ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops'']]
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |October 18, 2007
| rowspan="3" |[[SOI Studios]]
| rowspan="62" |[[Monsteristic]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |September 10, 2009
| rowspan="3" |[[Air Studios]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |November 4, 2010
| rowspan="3" |SOI Studios
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: WWII]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |November 18, 2011
| rowspan="3" |War Games
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |November 8, 2012
| rowspan="3" |Air Studios
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 3]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |November 12, 2013
| rowspan="5" |SOI Studios
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Guardians]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |October 12, 2014
| rowspan="5" |War Games, Air Studios
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
| rowspan="6" |
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |November 3, 2015
| rowspan="5" |Air Studios
|-
|[[PlayStation 3]]
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|[[Xbox 360]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Shadows]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |November 18, 2016
| rowspan="3" |SOI Studios
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
| rowspan="4" |
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: 1950]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |September 19, 2017
| rowspan="3" |War Games
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |October 12, 2018
| rowspan="3" |Air Studios
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops (2019 video game)|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" |October 29, 2019
| rowspan="3" |SOI Studios
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 5]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |November 13, 2020
| rowspan="5" |Air Studios, [[Supreme Studios]]
|
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
| rowspan="5" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 5]]
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
|-
|[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
| rowspan="5" | ''[[ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" | November 10, 2023
| rowspan="5" | [[SOI Studios]]
| rowspan="10" |[[Monsteristic]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="5" |''ShooterofIO: Advanced Operations''
| [[PlayStation 4]]
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |November 23, 2021
| rowspan="5" |War Games
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|-
|[[PlayStation 5]]
|[[PlayStation 5]]
|-
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|[[Xbox One]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|-
|[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
| [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops II (2022 video game)|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops II]]''
| rowspan="5" | ''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |October 28, 2022
| rowspan="5" | October 12, 2024
| rowspan="5" |SOI Studios
| rowspan="5" | [[Air Studios]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|-
|[[PlayStation 5]]
| [[PlayStation 5]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
|[[Xbox One]]
|-
|-
|[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
| [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III (2023 video game)|ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |November 10, 2023
| rowspan="5" |War Games
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|-
|[[PlayStation 5]]
| rowspan="3" | ''[[ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2]]''
|
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" | November 3, 2025
| rowspan="3" | [[SOI Studios]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Mob Productions]]
|-
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
| [[PlayStation 5]]
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|-
|[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
| [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
|}
|}


=== Upcoming ===
=== Upcoming ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Title
!Title
Line 250: Line 120:
!Publisher
!Publisher
!Notes
!Notes
!Ref
|-
| rowspan="5" |''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 6 – Declassfied]]''
|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="5" |October 25, 2024
| rowspan="5" |Air Studios
| rowspan="5" |[[Monsteristic]]
| rowspan="5" |
| rowspan="5" |
|-
|[[PlayStation 4]]
|-
|-
|[[PlayStation 5]]
| rowspan="3" | ''[[Dark Warfare II]]''
| [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| rowspan="3" | October 16, 2026
| rowspan="3" | [[Air Studios]]
| rowspan="3" | Mob Productions
| rowspan="3" | Direct sequel to ''[[ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare]]''
|-
|-
|[[Xbox One]]
| [[PlayStation 5]]
|-
|-
|[[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
| [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]]
|}
|}


Line 279: Line 143:


[[Category:ShooterofIO]]
[[Category:ShooterofIO]]
[[Category:ShooterofIO franchise developers]]
[[Category:First-person shooter franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 2023]]
[[Category:Microsoft Gaming franchises]]

Latest revision as of 10:15, 13 June 2026

Part of a series of articles on
ShooterofIO
Related

The ShooterofIO franchise is a first-person shooter video game franchise developed by SOI Studios, Air Studios, War Games, and Supreme Studios. The franchise is published by Monsteristic and is owned by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Gaming portfolio.

The franchise began in 2023 with the release of ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops. Since then, the series has expanded through multiple sub-series and settings, including the modern military-focused Modern Ops games and the darker, near-future Dark Warfare titles.

As of 2026, the franchise consists of four main entries, with Dark Warfare II serving as the next major installment.

History[edit | edit source]

2021–2023: Foundation and ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops[edit | edit source]

In 2021, publisher Monsteristic established SOI Studios as a dedicated internal development team focused on creating a large-scale first-person shooter franchise capable of supporting both annual releases and long-term live-service content.

Development on the franchise's debut title, ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops, began shortly afterward. The team sought to create a grounded military shooter inspired by contemporary warfare while avoiding direct depictions of real-world conflicts. Instead, the game's campaign focused on fictional global tensions involving rival military coalitions.

To improve authenticity, developers consulted military veterans, studied modern combat tactics, and researched military technology used throughout the early 21st century. Multiplayer was designed around accessible gameplay that rewarded both casual and competitive players. The development team emphasized balanced weapon design, fast-paced movement, and map layouts that encouraged constant engagement.

ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops was released worldwide on November 10, 2023, receiving strong commercial success and establishing the foundation for the franchise.

2023–2024: Expansion with Dark Warfare[edit | edit source]

Following the success of Modern Ops, development responsibilities rotated to Air Studios, which began work on a darker and more experimental entry for the franchise.

Released on October 12, 2024, ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare introduced a near-future setting featuring advanced military technology, covert operations, and global conspiracies. The game also expanded the franchise's Zombies mode and introduced a more cinematic campaign structure.

Dark Warfare became the franchise's most commercially successful title at the time and significantly expanded the player base. The game's post-launch support included multiple seasons, new multiplayer maps, additional Zombies experiences, and narrative updates.

2024–2025: Return of the Modern Ops series[edit | edit source]

Development returned to SOI Studios for the franchise's third installment, ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2.

The studio focused on refining systems introduced in previous titles while modernizing movement, weapon customization, progression systems, and multiplayer content. The game launched with an extensive selection of multiplayer maps, a new campaign storyline, and expanded cooperative experiences.

Modern Ops 2 was released on November 3, 2025, for current-generation platforms and PC. The title continued the franchise's commercial growth and maintained a large live-service ecosystem through seasonal updates.

2025–present: Development of Dark Warfare II[edit | edit source]

In late 2025, Air Studios began development of Dark Warfare II, the fourth main entry in the franchise and the direct sequel to Dark Warfare.

The game expands upon the near-future setting introduced in its predecessor while introducing new gameplay systems, a redesigned Zombies experience, and the largest multiplayer offering in franchise history.

Marketing for the title began throughout 2026, including multiplayer reveals, developer blogs, gameplay showcases, and Zombies-focused promotional events.

Dark Warfare II is scheduled for release in 2026.

Technology[edit | edit source]

Throughout its history, the ShooterofIO franchise has utilized proprietary iterations of the SOI Engine.

Beginning with SOI Engine 1.0 in Modern Ops, the technology evolved significantly through subsequent releases. Features introduced across the series include:

  • Dynamic global illumination
  • Advanced HDR lighting
  • Real-time shadow rendering
  • Enhanced physics simulation
  • Bullet penetration systems
  • Destructible environmental elements
  • High-player-count networking technology
  • Advanced artificial intelligence systems

Each major installment has introduced improvements to the engine while maintaining compatibility with the franchise's large-scale multiplayer experiences.

Games[edit | edit source]

Released[edit | edit source]

Title Platform(s) Release date Developer Publisher
ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops Windows November 10, 2023 SOI Studios Monsteristic
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare Windows October 12, 2024 Air Studios
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2 Windows November 3, 2025 SOI Studios Mob Productions
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S

Upcoming[edit | edit source]

Title Platform(s) Release date Developer Publisher Notes
Dark Warfare II Windows October 16, 2026 Air Studios Mob Productions Direct sequel to ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S

See also[edit | edit source]

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