Lately, I’ve been wondering: are arena-style shooters back on the rise? My instinct says no, as the battle royale genre still clearly reigns as king. However, with games like Splitgate and Halo Infinite, I’m thinking that perhaps there’s some evidence of growing battle royale fatigue, and classic shooter action may once more return. It feels too early to say for sure. However, with LEAP, announced this week by Blue Isle Studios, it’s clear that arena shooters aren’t ready to bite the dust yet. Described as a ‘blend of FPS genres,’ LEAP will feature battles with up to 60 players who fight on the ground and in the air. Will it be different enough to drag people from Fortnite for a bit? We’ll know when LEAP enters closed beta starting next week.
LEAP‘s developer certainly has an interesting pedigree. If you don’t recall the name Blue Isle, then you may surely know of its first game known as Slender: The Arrival. Yes, the ‘jumpscare for views’ horror game was the team’s first venture (and it received some positive reception). The team later delivered Valley and Citadel: Forged With Fire. But it’s with the former you see some of LEAP‘s early DNA. Valley was a fast-running, fast-leaping game, and Blue Isle is taking some of that momentum into its latest.
The game is a multiplayer first-person shooter with loads of guns, various ways of travel, and a dash of humor. With up to 60 players per game, LEAP features large maps. And with large maps comes different modes of transport. You can use a jetpack, a grappling hook, a hover board, a robot dog-thing, and more. There’s also a rocket-powered innertube? You can check out the action in the David Attenborough-esque trailer below.
LEAP closed beta begins a week from today
As you can see from the trailer, LEAP is certainly all about speed and action. Its maps have a lot of verticality and variety, which should make for some enjoyable matches. And, as I’m sure it’s been pointed out, the movement speed and the disc launcher shown in the trailer does lend it some TRIBES vibes. If it’s anything like that amazing series, I might want to give this a go.
I suppose we’ll know for sure when LEAP starts up its closed beta test on January 19. To get in on it, head on over to the playtest page on the game’s official site and follow the simple directions. You can also head over to its Steam page for more info, including its current system requirements.
