The best shooter games on PS5 in 2026 cover almost every style of gunplay imaginable. You can fight across massive battlefields, survive high-risk extraction runs, clear demon-filled campaigns, hunt aliens with friends, compete in tactical 5v5 matches, or spend hours chasing better weapons in a looter shooter.
The strongest choice depends on what you actually want from a shooter. Battlefield 6 is built for large-scale multiplayer warfare, DOOM: The Dark Ages is one of the best options for pure single-player FPS action, Helldivers 2 excels at cooperative chaos, while Halo: Campaign Evolved brings one of gaming’s most recognizable shooter campaigns to PS5 in a modernized form.
This guide focuses primarily on shooters you can play on PS5 now, with upcoming 2026 releases covered separately.
| Game | Best For |
Shooter Style |
|---|---|---|
|
Battlefield 6 |
Large-scale multiplayer |
Military FPS |
|
Halo: Campaign Evolved |
Campaign and co-op |
Sci-fi FPS |
|
DOOM: The Dark Ages |
Single-player action |
FPS |
|
Helldivers 2 |
Four-player co-op |
Third-person shooter |
|
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 |
Multiplayer, Zombies and campaign |
Military / sci-fi FPS |
|
Marathon |
High-risk extraction |
Extraction FPS |
|
Borderlands 4 |
Loot and character builds |
Looter shooter |
|
ARC Raiders |
Tactical extraction |
Third-person extraction shooter |
|
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 |
Horde combat and co-op |
Third-person shooter |
|
Valorant |
Competitive tactical play |
5v5 tactical FPS |
If you only want three starting points, choose Battlefield 6 for multiplayer, DOOM: The Dark Ages for solo play, or Helldivers 2 if you regularly play with friends.
If large battles are the reason you play shooters, Battlefield 6 is one of the strongest PS5 choices in 2026.
The game combines infantry gunfights with tanks, helicopters, jets, destructible environments and class-based squad play. Its main multiplayer modes include Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush, King of the Hill and Domination, with support for up to 64 online players on PS5.
Battlefield 6 also restores a dedicated single-player campaign, following Dagger 13 across locations in Africa, Europe and America.
Destruction is particularly important. Buildings and cover can be damaged or removed to alter sightlines and create new tactical opportunities rather than existing purely as visual effects.
PS5 Pro owners also get an enhanced version designed to deliver higher frame rates at higher resolution.
Best for: large-scale multiplayer, vehicle combat, squad play and environmental destruction.
Skip it if: you mainly want a tightly designed solo campaign and have little interest in online multiplayer.
One of the most notable shooter releases of 2026 is also one that would once have seemed unlikely on PlayStation.
Halo: Campaign Evolved launched on PS5 on July 28, 2026. It is a modernized remake of the original Halo campaign, rebuilt with updated visuals, cinematics, controls and additional missions.
You play as Master Chief after crash-landing on the mysterious Halo ringworld, fighting Covenant forces alongside Cortana while uncovering the installation’s secrets.
The major advantage for co-op players is flexibility. The campaign supports:
The PS5 version is also PS5 Pro Enhanced.
For players who want an FPS campaign they can experience with another person on the same console, that split-screen option immediately separates Halo from many modern shooters.
Best for: sci-fi campaigns, couch co-op and online cooperative play.
For players who want shooting without competitive multiplayer or live-service progression, DOOM: The Dark Ages is one of the easiest recommendations.
It is a single-player FPS and a prequel to DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal. The game puts more emphasis on grounded, aggressive combat, combining firearms such as the Super Shotgun with new tools including the Shield Saw.
Its difficulty system can be customized, making it more approachable for players who are new to DOOM while still offering substantial challenge for experienced FPS fans.
The game originally launched on PS5 on May 15, 2025, but received major new content in 2026. The Revelations campaign expansion arrived on July 7, adding six new levels, additional enemies, puzzles and the Chain Spear weapon.
A 2026 update also added upgraded PSSR support for PS5 Pro.
Best for: single-player FPS fans, fast combat and players who do not want to depend on multiplayer servers.
Few shooters create cooperative chaos as effectively as Helldivers 2.
Teams of up to four players deploy onto hostile planets, complete objectives and fight overwhelming alien forces using firearms, turrets, orbital strikes, air support and other Stratagems.
Friendly fire is part of the experience, so communication matters. A badly placed airstrike can destroy the enemy—or your entire squad.
PlayStation describes Helldivers 2 as a frenetic third-person cooperative shooter supporting teams of up to four. The PS5 version is also PS5 Pro Enhanced.
It remains particularly relevant in 2026 because Sony added Helldivers 2 to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium members on August 12, 2026.
Best for: groups of friends, PvE action, teamwork and unpredictable multiplayer moments.
Skip it if: you want a traditional offline campaign. Helldivers 2 requires online access.
For players who want several different shooter modes in one package, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 remains a strong PS5 option in 2026.
Its multiplayer launched with 16 6v6 maps and two larger 20v20 maps, alongside an expanded Omnimovement system.
But competitive multiplayer is only part of the package.
Black Ops 7 also includes a cooperative campaign that can be played solo or with a squad and a traditional Round-Based Zombies experience.
The PS5 edition supports DualSense features and is PS5 Pro Enhanced.
Best for: players who move between competitive multiplayer, campaign and Zombies rather than committing to only one mode.
There is one important buying consideration in late 2026: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, so players primarily interested in the newest Call of Duty multiplayer may want to compare the two before purchasing.
Marathon is one of the biggest new PS5 shooters released specifically in 2026.
Bungie’s extraction FPS launched on March 5, 2026 and takes players to Tau Ceti IV, where they search for weapons, equipment and valuable resources while dealing with hostile forces and other players.
The core concept is risk.
You enter a zone, collect valuable gear and then try to escape with it. If the run goes badly, you can lose what you brought with you.
That creates a different kind of tension from Battlefield or Call of Duty. Winning a firefight is important, but knowing when to avoid one can be equally valuable.
Marathon supports up to 18 players in its online spaces and can be approached alone or as part of a crew. Its PS5 Pro enhancements include PSSR designed to maintain a clean 4K presentation during action.
Best for: extraction-shooter fans, competitive players and anyone who enjoys high-risk progression.
Skip it if: losing equipment after a failed run sounds frustrating rather than exciting.
If your favorite part of a shooter is finding better weapons, building a character and watching damage numbers climb, Borderlands 4 is designed around that loop.
The game takes place on Kairos and lets players choose between different Vault Hunters with their own abilities and build possibilities.
Gear is central to progression, with the Borderlands series once again emphasizing an enormous variety of weapons and equipment.
You can play alone or join up to three friends for four-player online co-op. Borderlands 4 also uses level scaling and individual difficulty systems intended to make it easier for players at different progression levels to stay together.
Its environments are more open than older Borderlands games, with a hover bike used to travel between fields, mountains, deserts, dynamic events and quests.
Borderlands 4 launched for PS5 on September 12, 2025.
Best for: loot, character builds, co-op progression and players who enjoy constantly changing weapons.
Players interested in extraction gameplay but who prefer a third-person perspective should look at ARC Raiders.
You travel to the surface of a future Earth to collect resources while dealing with both hostile ARC machines and other Raiders.
The important difference from a normal battle royale is that survival is not simply about being the last player standing. You need to collect worthwhile loot and successfully extract so that resources can be used for crafting, upgrades and progression back in Speranza.
ARC Raiders can be played alone or in teams of two or three, even though it remains an online multiplayer game. PS5 supports up to 21 players in an online session.
It launched on PS5 on October 30, 2025 and is PS5 Pro Enhanced.
Best for: tactical players, extraction fans and players who enjoy PvPvE encounters.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 combines shooting with brutal melee combat and enormous groups of enemies.
The campaign follows Space Marine Titus and can be played solo or with up to two friends in three-player co-op.
Beyond the campaign, Operations provide repeatable three-player PvE missions with different classes and progression, while PvP supports 6v6 battles.
Space Marine 2 is therefore a useful middle ground for players who want a story campaign but also want a reason to continue playing afterward.
The PS5 version is PS5 Pro Enhanced.
Best for: third-person action, co-op PvE, Warhammer fans and players who enjoy fighting massive enemy swarms.
If mechanical accuracy and tactical teamwork matter more to you than spectacle, Valorant is one of the best free shooters available on PS5.
Riot’s game is built primarily around 5v5 matches where teams attack and defend while combining precise gunplay with Agent abilities.
Most modes feature five players against five, and competitive rounds punish careless decisions because players generally have one life per round.
Valorant is free to download on PS5, and PlayStation Plus is not required to play it online. It supports console crossplay between PS5 and Xbox Series consoles but keeps PC players separate.
Best for: competitive players, tactical FPS fans and anyone who wants a high-skill shooter without buying a full-price game.
Not every shooter needs an endless multiplayer progression system.
If you mainly want a campaign, start with:
The strongest option if combat itself is the priority. It is designed as a dedicated single-player FPS rather than a multiplayer game with a campaign attached.
Choose Halo if you want a more traditional sci-fi campaign with vehicles, large combat spaces and optional co-op.
A better choice if you want a cinematic campaign but also expect to move into multiplayer or Zombies afterward.
Ideal if you like the combination of guns, melee combat and large groups of enemies.
If you never intend to play online, DOOM is the cleanest recommendation because its entire design revolves around the solo experience.
Multiplayer shooters vary dramatically, so choose based on the scale and pace you prefer.
Battlefield 6 is the best fit for large maps, vehicles and squad warfare.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 offers faster conventional multiplayer with 6v6 maps alongside larger battles.
Valorant is much more tactical and punishes individual mistakes.
Marathon and ARC Raiders add extraction mechanics where surviving with your equipment matters as much as eliminating enemies.
The right choice depends on what creates tension for you: huge battles, fast respawns, one-life rounds or the risk of losing valuable loot.
If you regularly play with friends, several PS5 shooters are designed around cooperation rather than simply allowing it.
The strongest choice for four-player PvE chaos.
Better if you want character builds, loot and a longer progression loop.
Ideal for players who specifically want to complete a full FPS campaign together. It even supports two-player local split-screen on PS5.
A strong option for three-player PvE, particularly if your group prefers short repeatable missions and class progression.
The best co-op game is not necessarily the one with the highest player count. The key question is whether cooperation is part of the gameplay design or simply an optional feature.
You can build a substantial PS5 shooter library without paying for the base games.
Best for tactical 5v5 competitive play. It is free and does not require PS Plus for online multiplayer.
A strong option for players who want the Call of Duty gunplay and progression systems without purchasing the current premium release. Warzone remained among the most downloaded free-to-play titles on PlayStation in July 2026.
Respawn’s free hero shooter combines character abilities with Battle Royale. Standard matches can support up to 60 players, with Duos and Trios available.
One of the more unusual free multiplayer shooters because the environment can be destroyed during matches. Walls, floors and even larger parts of buildings can be removed to change routes and expose opponents.
Free-to-play does not mean there are no optional purchases. All four games include monetized cosmetic, progression or seasonal systems, so check what is included before spending beyond the base download.
PS5 Pro owners have a growing selection of shooters designed to make better use of the newer hardware.
Confirmed examples include:
Enhancements vary by game.
Battlefield 6 targets higher frame rates at higher resolution, Marathon uses PSSR to improve image clarity, and DOOM: The Dark Ages received upgraded PSSR support in its 2026 update.
Competitive shooter players should still prioritize responsiveness and frame rate over visual settings whenever the game provides a choice.
The biggest confirmed shooter still ahead is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
It launches on October 23, 2026 for PS5. Activision has already detailed multiplayer modes including Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed and Search and Destroy, alongside larger 24v24 Ground War battles.
The August beta also introduced new movement mechanics and a modular Kill Block battlefield capable of changing layouts between rounds.
Because the finished game is not yet available as of August 2026, it belongs on the upcoming list rather than being ranked above shooters you can buy and fully play now.
Start with the way you want to play.
Choose Battlefield 6 if multiplayer scale matters most.
Choose DOOM: The Dark Ages if you want a dedicated offline-style single-player campaign.
Choose Halo: Campaign Evolved if you want a sci-fi FPS campaign with split-screen or online co-op.
Choose Helldivers 2 if you have a regular group of friends.
Choose Black Ops 7 if you want campaign, competitive multiplayer and Zombies in one package.
Choose Marathon or ARC Raiders if extraction and high-risk progression appeal to you.
Choose Borderlands 4 if collecting weapons and improving builds is more important than competitive multiplayer.
Choose Valorant if you want competitive tactical shooting without paying for the base game.
Before purchasing through PSNShop or another PlayStation marketplace, check whether the game requires online connectivity, PlayStation Plus, a particular edition, or additional DLC for the content you actually want.
“Looking beyond gunplay? Check out our complete master ranking of the best PlayStation games across all genres.”
Battlefield 6 is one of the strongest overall choices if multiplayer is your priority because it combines infantry combat, vehicles, environmental destruction and battles supporting up to 64 players. For single-player gamers, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a better recommendation, while Helldivers 2 is the stronger option for cooperative PvE.
For pure single-player FPS combat, DOOM: The Dark Ages is difficult to beat. Battlefield 6 is better for large-scale multiplayer, Halo: Campaign Evolved offers a strong campaign and co-op combination, while Valorant is ideal for tactical competitive play. The best FPS therefore depends on whether you want solo, co-op or PvP gameplay.
Battlefield 6, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Valorant, Marathon, ARC Raiders and Helldivers 2 are all strong choices but serve different audiences. Battlefield emphasizes large-scale warfare, Call of Duty offers faster conventional multiplayer, Valorant focuses on tactical 5v5 competition, and Marathon and ARC Raiders introduce extraction-based risk and progression.
Valorant, Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends and The Finals are strong free-to-play options. Valorant is best for tactical matches, Warzone for Call of Duty-style Battle Royale and Resurgence, Apex for hero-based Battle Royale, and The Finals for team-based matches built around destructible environments. Optional in-game purchases are available in each.
DOOM: The Dark Ages is one of the strongest dedicated single-player shooters because the entire game is structured around its campaign and combat system. Halo: Campaign Evolved is another excellent choice if you want a more traditional sci-fi adventure, while Space Marine 2 combines a campaign with third-person shooting and melee combat.
Helldivers 2 is the strongest recommendation for players who want mission-based four-player cooperative action. Borderlands 4 is better for loot and character progression, Halo: Campaign Evolved is excellent for campaign co-op, and Space Marine 2 provides three-player PvE missions alongside its main campaign.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is one of the biggest remaining confirmed shooter releases of 2026 and launches on October 23. Earlier in the year, Marathon launched on March 5 and Halo: Campaign Evolved arrived on PS5 on July 28. As always, release schedules can change, so check the current PlayStation listing before pre-ordering an upcoming game.
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