{"id":1658323,"date":"2026-08-09T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/PLQMfzEkfm4RrfDM5J57mA"},"modified":"2026-08-09T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T16:00:00","slug":"hit-markers-are-an-fps-crutch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/hit-markers-are-an-fps-crutch\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit markers are an FPS crutch"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Black
Activision<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Doom:
Id Software<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"hunt
Crytek<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

You’ve been shot, and I have the hit marker to prove it.<\/p>\n

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FOV 90<\/div>\n
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\"FOV<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Future)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Welcome to FOV 90, an FPS column from staff writer Morgan Park. Every other week, I cover topics relevant to first-person shooter enjoyers, spanning everything from multiplayer and singleplayer to the old and the new.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The humble hit marker glyph is a mainstay of the FPS user interface, dutifully reporting the fate of projectiles. Hit your target and ‘X’ marks the spot. See nothing, and you’re hitting nothing. I like the hit marker\u2014it’s an absolute form of feedback unique to shooters, and I can think of a lot of games that wouldn’t feel right without it.<\/p>\n

But it’s also a crutch. The hit marker is both overused and often misused, nowadays appearing in every game with a gun as if it’s always<\/em> the best form of communication. The mechanic has even penetrated the singleplayer arena, which is weird, because the studio that popularized the hit marker always meant it to be a multiplayer-only concession.<\/p>\n

There are earlier examples of a hit marker, but it was made famous by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The ‘X’ glyph and gratifying “thwip” sound instantly became iconic to the series, but not the campaign. In fact, the majority of Call of Duty campaigns don’t use them. I’m not aware of Infinity Ward ever commenting on why it decided this back in the day, but to me, it’s obvious: The hit marker was superfluous to the campaign, because you knew you’d killed a guy as soon as he dropped dead. <\/p>\n

Looking back at that campaign today, it still looks totally readable and natural:<\/p>\n

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