When was the Foamstars release date? This third-person party shooter surprised players when the reveal trailer arrived, offering some Splatoon-style gameplay for those on PS5. It was also one of the first titles to arrive from Sony’s big push for more live service titles in the PlayStation platform.
While it’s not going to be scooping any awards for being the one of the best PS5 games of this generation, there’s still plenty to like about Foamstars. But what’s it all about, who developed it, and when did it release? Here are all the details you need.
Foamstars release date
The Foamstars release date arrived on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 for players on PS5.
It essentially released as a free-to-play title, due to it being one of the free PS Plus games for February 2024 (and any PS5 player wanting to play it would need a PS Plus subscription for online play anyway). However, it costs $29.99 to pick up and play as of March 5, despite there being lots of in-game microtransactions and paid cosmetics.
Even though it wasn’t developed by a first-party studio, Foamstars has been pushed as a PS5 exclusive. While a PC version could happen (Sony is putting more of its exclusives on PC these days) it’s very unlikely it will ever come to Xbox or Nintendo consoles.
Foamstars developer
Foamstars is co-developed by Square Enix and Toylogic. Despite not being a Sony-owned studio, Square Enix has a long history of partnering with PlayStation for exclusive or timed-exclusive releases of its games – the most notable being recent Final Fantasy games.
Foamstars gameplay
In Foamstars, players must work together in 4v4 matches, using different weaponry to shoot jets of foam at enemies. Foam not only deals damage to opponents though, as it can also be shot at the terrain to block sightlines, create fortresses of suds, and more. It’s clearly reminiscent of Nintendo’s hit paint-themed FPS Splatoon, but with a twist.
Foamstars launched with three key game modes: Smash the Star, Happy Bath Survival, and Rubber Duck Party.
In Smash the Star, players must first defeat seven enemy players, at which point the best player on each team will be chosen as the Star Player. A team wins by knocking out the opposing team’s Star Player and defending your own, leading to some intense action.
Happy Bath Survival, on the other hand, is a unique game mode with different roles. Two players are placed in an arena, while the other two are outside of the arena. Though the goal is simple – knock out the opponents in the arena to win – the two players outside of the arena can support their allies and obstruct the enemy.
Rubber Duck Party is an escort-style mode that sees teams race to the middle of the map, fight for possession of a rubber duck, and stay near to it so that it moves towards their home base.
There’s also a variety of unique heroes in Foamstars, known as… erm… ‘Foamstars’. Each Foamstar has their own unique weapon and skill set, letting players find the right one for their playstyle.
What do people think of the Foamstars beta?
Reception to the Foamstars has been rather lukewarm, unfortunately. While it’s been praised for being a fun and fast-paced experience, much like Splatoon, it is largely coming across as a game you’d occasionally pick up and play for a gaming evening with friends, rather than a live service shooter you’d sink several hours into on a weekly basis.
It’s pricy cosmetics at launch were also criticised.
Foamstars faces stiff competition in the live service shooter space, with the likes of Fortnite, Apex Legends, The Finals, and more all vying for players’ attention. While it’s bright, light-hearted theme offers something novel (despite the accusations of being a Splatoon clone) early player counts suggest it won’t be a blockbuster hit.
So that’s everything you need to know about Foamstars. If you’re looking for something to play with a friend right now, check out the best PS5 co-op games, or for a wider look at what else is coming up, our list of new PS5 games will show you what’s on the horizon.