Over 7,000 votes have been cast in the first round of PC Gamer's tournament to crown the greatest FPS mode of all time. The elimination bracket has narrowed the field from 16 classic and modern modes to the top eight, with familiar favorites like Team Deathmatch, Conquest, Bomb Defusal, and Capture the Flag advancing.
Round 1 Results
In closely contested matches, Team Deathmatch narrowly defeated Free-For-All/Deathmatch with 75% of the vote. Battle Royale secured a slim victory over Extraction at 52%, while Conquest bested Domination with 68% of the vote. Bomb Defusal proved a strong contender, winning its match against Hostage mode with 85% of the vote. Payload edged out Gun Game by a 52% to 48% margin, and Infection defeated Prop Hunt with 61% of the vote. Capture the Flag dominated its matchup against VIP mode, securing 91% of the vote. Lastly, Attack & Defend narrowly won against King of the Hill, taking 52% of the vote.
PC Gamer staff shared their reactions to the results, with some expressing surprise at certain eliminations. Wes Fenlon noted his sadness at Extraction's departure, highlighting its unique high-stakes gameplay. Tyler Wilde commented on the surprise of Battle Royale's win over Extraction and the continued adoration for Capture the Flag, lamenting the lack of a prominent modern CTF game. Lincoln Carpenter expressed surprise at King of the Hill's early exit, considering it an archetypal shooter game type. Evan Lahti recalled affection for the VIP mode from early Team Fortress Classic days, wishing for its comeback. Tyler Colp acknowledged the difficult pairings, particularly the close contest between Gun Game and Payload.
Round 2 Matchups
Round 2 pits the winners against each other in new head-to-head battles. Voting for Round 2 closes on Monday, October 12, at 11:59 PM PDT.
The first matchup features Team Deathmatch against Battle Royale. Team Deathmatch, often known as Team Slayer in games like Halo, represents intimate, team-based action. Battle Royale, simply known as BR, offers large-scale slaughter.
Next, Conquest faces Bomb Defusal. Conquest, also referred to as Warfare in some titles, embodies large-scale combat, while Bomb Defusal, seen in games like Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant, is the consensus king of competitive play.
In another highly anticipated match, Payload will go head-to-head with Infection. Both are unusual, asymmetrical formats that rely on players sticking together to achieve objectives.
Finally, Capture the Flag is set to compete against Attack & Defend. Capture the Flag, a perennial favorite, faces Attack & Defend, which was a surprise winner in Round 1. The latter category includes modes like Overwatch's 2CP and Battlefield's Breakthrough.