For many years first-person shooters were the reigning champs of gaming. Games like Call of Duty and Halo dominated the release cycle, and for a while, it seemed that no other style of game could stand a hope of taking the crown. However, in the last year, there has been a slight shift, and it seems there may be a new champ in the form of battle royale. These are some of the best battle royale games you can currently jump into on PS4.
★ Featured favorite
Apex Legends
Apex Legends has certainly given Fortnite a run for its money. This squad-based battle royale set in the Titanfall universe shows no signs of waning as more and more people get in on the action, and Respawn is looking to support it with frequent content updates. The latest update gave players a brand new map to play on, along with its third season of content to unlock via playing. Choose your favorite hero character and take out the competition.
Free at PlayStation
FPS at its finest
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – Blackout
Call of Duty may not be known for battle royale, but its first foray into the popular genre has been a hit. Its Blackout mode is set on the series’ biggest map ever as 100 players parachute to the ground and fight to be the last man standing. Quite possibly one of the better feeling battle royales thanks to Call of Duty’s stunning gunplay, Blackout is one of the best battle royale experiences around.
$36 at Amazon
The reigning champion
Fortnite Battle Royale
There is a reason that this game is so popular. Not only is it free-to-play, but it also happens to be really fun. There, of course, is a full paid version of Fortnite, but if you want to get your battle royale on, you don’t have to drop one cent. Foregoing a dark and gritty atmosphere, Fortnite has a lot of appeal to kids as well. The latest season of Fortnite completely revamped its gameplay mechanics, as well, so now is the perfect time to jump in.
Free at PlayStation
Single-player no more
Red Dead Online: Make It Count/Gun Rush
Red Dead Redemption 2 may have been defined by its single-player campaign, but its two battle royale modes are aiming to keep players coming back for more. Make It Count, and Gun Rush are modes in Red Dead Online that throw groups players on an ever-shrinking map in a bid for survival. Gun Rush is much faster paced than Make It Count with a 32-person battle to the end.
$35 at Amazon
The pioneer
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegounds
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds arguably started the battle royale phenomenon that we see today. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but PUBG offers a few different maps that players can survive on. There’s a reason this has one of the highest concurrent player counts on Steam. Despite it jank, it’s a hell of a lot of fun and is also now available on PS4.
$28 at Amazon
Paladins’ spin-off
Realm Royale
While Realm Royale is meant to be free-to-play, players can currently only purchase the Founder’s Pack for $15 on PlayStation 4 as the game is still in beta. If you don’t decide to hold off until that time, you’ll hop into a traditional battle royale experience with 100 players fighting it out on a shrinking map. Its graphics certainly remind you more of Fortnite than any of the others on this list.
$15 at PlayStation
GTA shenanigans
Grand Theft Auto Online: Smuggler’s Run
If you’ve got a copy of Grand Theft Auto V, then you already the proud owner of a game which might scratch some of your battle royale itch. GTA Online is an experience that runs parallel and separate to the main story of GTA V. The online world is open and evolving. You are sharing this world with up to 30 other players which can lead to some pretty serious and extensive deathmatches.
$28 at Amazon
Post-apocalyptic
Tom Clancy’s The Division: Survival
Survival is an expansion to The Division, which was released in 2016, and you will need the base game to play it. This expansion drops you and 23 other players into Manhattan. The whys and wherefores that lead to your being there are somewhat irrelevant. What’s important is that you have to survive in the face of extreme weather and other players gunning for you and your gear. It is incredibly tough, but it can be a heck of a lot of fun.
$15 at PlayStation
Survive the fallout
Fallout 76 Nuclear Winter
The world of Fallout 76 received a battle royale mode in June that was so popular; it became a fixture for the game. Similar to other battle royale titles, players will have to fight as a ring of fire closes around you, looting anything you can find. The added threat of some creatures from the Fallout universe only heightens the tension of this exciting mode.
$16 at Amazon
A grand royale
Battlefield 5 Firestorm
Much like the game it takes place in, Battlefield 5’s entry into the battle royale ring is complete with tons of destruction. Environments crumble as 64 players try their best to survive against one another. With all of the action taking place on a massive map (even for Battlefield’s standards), this is one of the most remarkable and enjoyable battle royale experiences that have released in recent memory.
$20 at Amazon
As it stands, the popularity of battle royale games shows no signs of waning. Even if a title isn’t a full-fledged battle royale that focuses solely on the game mode, some of your favorite series are adding smaller battle royale modes into the mix. We’d recommend trying out Apex Legends.
