There’s no denying that everyone has a fascination with the past. Whether it’s the Napoleonic wars or Ancient Egypt, people are captivated by history. One of the biggest time periods that often interests people is the Wild West.
It’s not surprising that the American Frontier captures so many people’s attention as it was a lawless time when anything could literally happen. When thinking of the Wild West, masculine cowboys and epic gunfights are the two most significant topics that come to mind. Naturally, this subject matter has led to iconic Western movies and was even considered one of the biggest genres in cinema until the late 1960s.
Strangely enough, the video game industry hasn’t had consistent demand for Wild West video games, with only a few stand-out games throughout its short history. As video games strive to entertain players with action-packed gameplay and intriguing settings, the Wild West makes the perfect subject for games.
It’s baffling that video games have yet to truly take advantage of the genre, which is why the genre needs a massive resurgence within the industry.
History of Wild West Games
In the early days of video games, there were only a handful of games inspired by the Old West, and these were either shooters or strategy games. Some of the most popular examples include Wild Guns, Outlaws, Gold Rush, Badlands, Bank Panic, and The Oregon Trail.
Until the late 2010s, the Wild West genre did not really make an impact on players. Sure, the previous Wild West games were liked by players, but there was yet to be a Wild West game that blew audiences away.
Each video game theme that skyrockets in popularity often has a few starting games that kicked off the fad. In the case of survival horror in the 1990s, players can easily pinpoint classics such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Clocktower, and Alone in the Dark as the key games that led to the resurgence of the genre.
The Wild West genre in video games would not find this catalyst until 2010. Sure, there were other successful Wild West games before this time period with Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath and Gun, but they failed to drive the genre to triumphant new heights.
The Success of the Genre
Players within the gaming industry would only really take note of the theme with games like Fallout: New Vegas, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Desperados III, Hard West 2, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Each of these games delivered something original and intriguing to players whilst retaining the unique environment of the Wild West.
Unfortunately, the success of these games did not lead to an instant revitalization of the genre but arguably set the stage for it. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the biggest Wild West game to ever be released as it was both a critical and commercial success, with 45 million units sold worldwide.
This proves that there is a massive interest in the genre, but the games must be done right. Red Dead Redemption 2 delivers a captivating story paired with an open-world environment and a stunning design. Ultimately, this game set the benchmark for Wild West games and the level of finesse that players are expecting.
A Need for Something Refreshing
There is definitely a gap in the market for a new genre to step up in order to give players something fresh and invigorating. Overused themes are definitely one of the biggest issues within the video game industry as developers jump on a successful theme to try and recapture the magic.
The most recent overplayed genre is arguably the Samurai theme. Similar to the Wild West genre, the Samurai theme centers around Japanese warriors battling through the land and often with a single-player experience. Just like the Wild West, the Samurai theme has been in video games since the start but has only really found success within the past couple of years.
Games like Sekiro, Nioh 2 and Ghost of Tsushima showcased just how marvelous the Samurai theme can be with dynamic gameplay paired with an engrossing world. Like all good things, this one crashed because the games that followed it were not up to the same standard.
The world is ready for the Wild West
Evidently, it’s time for a brand-new trend within the video game industry, and the theme could easily fill that gap. There has yet to be a surge in Wild West games, but the time period is still fresh amongst gamers.
All the genre needs is that one game that absolutely changes everything. The iGaming industry found its own resurrection of the theme with Hacksaw Gaming’s Wanted Dead or a Wild. Before the release of Wanted Dead or a Wild, most western iGaming titles were considered tacky and outdated. Still, this game brought the theme into the twenty-first century with a modern design and dynamic gameplay.
Perhaps, Red Dead Redemption 2 was just the start, and there are plans within the gaming industry to release further Wild West games. What is clear is that the western setting is severely underutilized and players are easily missing out on some of the best experiences.
