List of ShooterofIO video games
ShooterofIO is a video game series developed by SOI Studios, Air Studios, War Games, and Supreme Studios, and published by Monsteristic, Monsteristic Gaming, and Microsoft. The series debuted with the ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops, which takes place in the modern day era and was released in October 2007. The most recent title, ShooterofIO: Modern Ops III, developed by War Games, was released on November 10, 2023. The upcoming title, ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 6 – Declassified, developed by Air Studios and Supreme Studios is scheduled to be released in October 2024.
Games
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Release years by system: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3 |
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Release years by system: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3 |
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Release years by system: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3 |
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Release years by system: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3 |
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Release years by system: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
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Release years by system: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
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Release years by system: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
Modern Ops series
ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops (2007)
In 2004, SOI Studios was founded and aquired by Monsteristic in 2005. The team began work on a entirely new first-person shooter video game inspired by Call of Duty (2003) and instead focused on a game set in the present day, as the team didn't feel World War II would be good for them. The game was officially confirmed by SOI Studios to be releasing in 2007, with the title being announced in January 2007. SOI Studios had developed the SOI Engine that was used on the game to allow better graphics and speed in developing maps and basic mechanics.
ShooterofIO 1: Modern Ops was announced in May 2007 and later released on October 18, 2007, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The game featured four post-launch paid downloadable packs (DLCs) that all expanded upon the mode's multiplayer mode.
ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2
Shortly after the release of the first game, SOI Studios began work on a new game for the franchise. Originally, they began to build a game set in the far future around 2060s, however believed that would ruin the success of the franchise. They restarted from scratch and began work on ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2 in June 2009.
ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 2 was announced in May 2010 and released on November 4, 2010, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The game featured six post-launch paid downloadable packs (DLCs) that all expanded upon the mode's multiplayer mode and the operations mode.
ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 3
Shortly after releasing Modern Ops 2, the team knew instantly they wanted to make a third game in the Modern Ops trilogy. The plan was to reuse every asset and make an entirely different game, whilst fixing issues players had in the first two games. The decision to end the Modern Ops sub-series was made final in July 2012 when former SOI Studios lead Jackson Miller, who announced he will be leaving after the third game released, would be due to issues making more Modern Ops titles without him.
ShooterofIO: Modern Ops 3 was announced in April 2013 and released on November 12, 2013, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The game featured six post-launch paid downloadable packs (DLCs) that all expanded upon the mode's multiplayer mode and the Special Ops mode.
Dark Warfare trilogy
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare
After being aquired by Monsteristic in 2007, the team at Air Studios began working on a game for 2009's time slot. They initially wanted to build a game set in World War II, but due to issues with deciding, they opted to have parts set in that period and the 1960s. The game is based on an enhanced version of the SOI 1.0 engine, with increased development on audio and visual effects. Air Studios utilized the engine to make more parts of certain environments destructible and introduce limb dismemberment and realistic burns to character models.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare was announced in June 2009 and released on September 10, 2009, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. Unlike the other games at the time, the game featured a unique style of releasing post-launch paid downloadable packs (DLCs). The game featured a "Battle Pass" system called the "Pack Contraband". Players who purchased the latest DLC would gain access to additional cosmetic rewards. This system did not return in Modern Ops 2.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II
Development on the sequel to Dark Warfare began in September 2010 when the team heard they had until 2012 to have the game ready. During that time, the games were being disliked due to the lack of innovation. Monsteristic promised that the 2012 game would bring "meaningful innovation" to the ShooterofIO franchise. Dark Warfare II is the first game in the series to feature futuristic warfare technology and the first to present branching storylines driven by player choice as well as selecting weapons before starting story mode missions.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare II was announced on May 1, 2012 and released on November 8, 2014, for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The game featured the "Battle Pass" system called the "Pack Contraband" that was first seen in the first Dark Warfare game. Players who purchased the latest DLC would gain access to additional cosmetic rewards. Players no longer needed to own the DLC to earn the Contraband Cosmetic "Free" rewards.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III
Development on a sequel to Dark Warfare II began in 2012, shortly after the release of the previous game. This game is the first ShooterofIO video game released after Monsteristic ended its partnership with Microsoft Studios and instead partnered with Sony Computer Entertainment, which secured the timed exclusivity of the game's downloadable content. Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews from critics, praising the gameplay, Zombies mode, and amount of content. However, it was also criticized for its story and lack of innovation. The seventh-generation console versions in particular were singled-out for their lack of a campaign and numerous features, as well as them being online-only. It was a commercial success, with it becoming the top-selling retail game in the US in 2015, and one of the most successful titles released for the eighth generation of video game consoles.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare III was announced in May 2015 and released on November 3, 2015, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. This is the final game in the franchise to be available on the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game features four post-launch paid downloadable (DLC) packs and doesn't see the return of the Contraband system, instead the game faetures a "Black Market" feature that has lootboxes to earn cosmetics for playing the game but more valuable items must be paid for.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4
Development on a fourth Dark Warfare game began in 2016 with the team at Air Studios wanting to build a competitve campaign storymode. In May 2017, the team had to scrap the idea and decided it would be best to not include a campaign mode in the title. Dark Warfare 4 is the the first mainline ShooterofIO title to focus all of its content on multiplayer, zombies, and a new battle royale mode. The multiplayer mode is the first in the series to not feature automatic health regeneration and introduces both predictive recoil and new ballistics systems. The game included one Zombies experience on release day, two if a special edition of the game, or the Dark Warfare Pass, was purchased. The locations of the maps include the RMS Titanic, and Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. The game also introduced a battle royale mode called Blackout, which features up to 100 players in each match. Many characters from this and other Dark Warfare titles can be used as the player's character model in this mode.
Development for the game started shortly after the release of Dark Warfare III. Air Studios chose not to create a traditional singleplayer campaign for the game at the beginning of production, instead focusing on a new 'Career' mode with a greater focus on the multiplayer aspect. They cited an increased interest for multiplayer and lack of time spent by the playerbase on the campaign mode as reasons why they shifted their focus. Dark Warfare 4 utilizes Blizzard's Battle.net platform for the Windows version instead of Steam, the first game in the series to do so. Teasing of the game began in March 2018, with a full reveal taking place later in May. Two betas were held for the game; one for the multiplayer in August and one for Blackout in September.
ShooterofIO: Dark Warfare 4 was announced in June 2018 and released on October 12, 2018, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game features the return of the ContraBand system in the game along the Black Market system, this time working side by side; players do not need to purchase DLCs to unlock rewards, but instead must purchase the Battle Pass on its own or own the expensive Warfare Pass.
Standalone games
ShooterofIO: Wargrounds
ShooterofIO: Wargrounds is a free-to-play game in the series and was developed by SOI Studios. The game was released on December 6, 2008.
SOI Studios next universe Assault Ops
In March 2024, Supreme Studios announced they were developing a game within the ShooterofIO franchise and planned to release the game in 2023, however that was later revealed to not be the case. Monsteristic announced they had been in talks with Supreme Studios but had not greenlit any game for them to develop, though they were planning to have them join War Games in developing games for the franchise starting in 2026.
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