Spectre Divide, the most promising tactical FPS since Valorant, is out next week

Spectre Divide | Launch Date Reveal Trailer - YouTube Spectre Divide | Launch Date Reveal Trailer - YouTube
Watch On

After Morgan tried out the beta for Spectre Divide, a free-to-play shooter with an unusual two-characters-per-player setup, he said it was so fun that he couldn't stop thinking about it

That's admittedly no guarantee of success—I liked Concord when I previewed it, and its launch has been brutal—but Morgan's enthusiasm is certainly a good sign for the competitive FPS, which we've just learned is releasing next week.

Spectre Divide's teams of three are smaller than the usual five you see in shooters like Counter-Strike and Valorant, which it definitely takes after, but it's not precisely a 3v3 game, because everyone's got two bodies. As Morgan explained it: "You spawn in your first body and can switch to your second body at any time, wherever they are on the map."

It's weird, but Morgan says it works, and he also liked Spectre Divide's shooting, which is more Rainbow Six Siege than Counter-Strike in that you can move and shoot without tanking your accuracy. I can appreciate the appeal of CS2's stop-and-go gunplay—it's its own skill—but I've always preferred run-and-gun games. There's too much Quake 2 in my past to change my habits now.

"We're super excited about true-to-crosshair ADS unlocking tac shooters for a whole group of people for whom [Counter-Strike's] shooting model is not the right thing for them," game director Lee Horn told us. "Hopefully we've given them that."

Spectre Divide is out Tuesday, September 3 at 9 am Pacific. You can find more details on the official site, the Steam page, and in Morgan's recent preview.

Tyler Wilde
Editor-in-Chief, US

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.

Read more
Fragpunk characters with weapon drawn
The latest big game on Steam is Fragpunk, or as I like to call it, 'kitchen-sink Counter-Strike'
Fragpunk
Somebody finally figured out casual Counter-Strike
marvel rivals
Competitive shooters are at a crucial crossroads in 2025: 'sweaty' teamplay vs. casual fun
spectre divide
Spectre Divide and its studio are shutting down after just six months: 'The industry is in a tough spot right now'
midnight murder club
'The point is to be generous': This $20 FPS releasing next month is trying something new—giving away a full version of the game
splitgate 2
The Splitgate 2 open alpha is live now and very fun
Latest in FPS
Team Fortress Spy being shocked
An FPS studio pulled its game from Steam after it got caught linking to malware disguised as a demo, but the dev insists it was actually the victim of a labyrinthine conspiracy
Neighbors Suburban Warfare screenshot a child aims a slingshot at a man from across a cul-de-sac.
A beta of backyard FPS Neighbors: Suburban Warfare is out now, and the balance discussion is hysterical: nerf trash can lids and children
Fragpunk
Somebody finally figured out casual Counter-Strike
Image for
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide’s getting a new roguelite wave defense mode that sounds a whole lot like a souped-up take on Killing Floor
Destiny 2: Season of Plunder promo image.
'We made one big mistake': Destiny 2 developer reveals how a small team dedicated to player retention led to a 20 hour server outage and character rollback
Bears in Space
I downloaded this bear-obsessed comedy FPS to kill time before Doom: The Dark Ages and discovered the most underrated shooter on Steam
Latest in News
Silent Hill f transmission trailer screenshots
Silent Hill f is not messing around – now it's been banned in Australia
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 22: A view of Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California, United States on August 22, 2024.
'Google must divest the Chrome browser:' DOJ renews call for Google to sell Chrome, and Android could be next
Victory screen of Big Rigs showing infamous "You're Winner" message under a three-handle gold trophy
One of the worst games ever made is coming to Steam, but we won't know how cruel this joke is until we see the price tag
Sci-fi character from Dune
Dune: Awakening promises us a breath of fresh air, skipping early access for a full launch with no monthly subscription in May
Baldur's Gate 3 Karlach concept art
'The dream of the tech industry is to sell off your company at an overinflated price and retire,' says actor behind Baldur's Gate 3's Karlach, 'And I feel that's being done with game studios right now'
assassin's creed shadows protector's armor
Assassin's Creed Shadows hits 2 million players, putting it on track to be the series' most successful game yet