Shmups in 2025: Don’t call it a comeback
- Zirolux
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
We been here for years! The shmup genre isn’t making a comeback — it never left. I am used to reading articles about vinyl records every year that say vinyl records are making a comeback…every year. I don’t want the same thing to happen to shmups. Shmups deserve better. Shmups are timeless.
What we’re witnessing now is a strong continuation of a legacy that refuses to slow down or die. 2025 has all the makings of a landmark year for shmups, with powerhouse revivals, breakout indie gems, and more visibility than the genre has seen in over a decade and it’s all thanks to fans like you.
Whether you’re reliving the glory of Gradius or discovering bullet-hell brilliance in projects like Earthion or PRISMIDIA, this is a year shaped by passion, precision, and pure pixel fury.
Big Names, Big Blasts: Legacy Leaders Return
Indie Energy: The New Vanguard of Shmup Devs
The State of the Genre: Thriving, Evolving, Inclusive
Shmups are thriving and not just in big-name collections, but across many small indie dev releases, some made by only one person. Whether you’ve logged thousands of hours in bullet hells or you’re just dipping into the genre, now is a perfect time to dive in. These games are more accessible, stylish, and intense than ever and the people making them are continuing to build special experiences.
Don’t forget, this genre we love so much is powered by our collective energy, support, and let’s be honest, money. We are seeing this breadth of releases because enough of us are dishing out the cash so that the people behind them can make a living and hopefully be successful enough to keep doing it. As long as we continue to support the genre and the people who make the games, we will always be able to say that Shmups will never die.
So set your ship type to the match your shot style and set your weapon and expectations to hyper because 2025 is shaping up to be a banger.
I’ll see you out there in the shmuposphere.