# Straftat
**Straftat** (German for "criminal offence") is a free-to-play online first-person shooter developed by the French brothers Sirius and Léonard Lemaitre, released on Steam on October 24, 2024. It pits two players against each other in lightning-paced 1v1 duels on small, inventive maps, and later added 2v2 and free-for-all modes. The game is built in Unity, features disposable weapon pickups and proximity chat, and contains no progression systems, battle passes, or microtransactions beyond a single optional map DLC.[1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/) • [2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) • [3](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/our-favorite-1v1-fps-just-became-our-favorite-2v2-fps-and-you-can-still-play-it-for-the-low-price-of-free/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Lemaitre Bros (Sirius and Léonard Lemaitre), French brothers, previously made the urban exploration game Babbdi[1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/) • [4](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/) |
| Release | October 24, 2024 on Steam; MobyGames lists a March 8, 2025 release date[1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/) • [5](https://www.mobygames.com/game/232359/straftat/releases/) |
| Modes | 1v1 at launch; 2v2 and 4-player free-for-all added in a July 2025 update[3](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/our-favorite-1v1-fps-just-became-our-favorite-2v2-fps-and-you-can-still-play-it-for-the-low-price-of-free/) |
| Maps | 70 in the free base game at launch, another 70 in a $5 DLC; the Steam page now lists over 350 maps[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) • [6](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2386720/STRAFTAT/?l=bulgarian?l=romanian) |
| Weapons | Disposable pickups scattered at spawners, thrown away rather than reloaded; one-handed weapons can be dual wielded[7](https://straftat.wiki/wiki/Gameplay) • [2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) |
| Engine | Unity[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) |
| Reception | 97% positive Steam rating shortly after launch; PC Gamer named it the best FPS of 2024 and ranked it #45 on its Top 100 PC Games of 2025[8](https://www.pcgamesn.com/straftat/out-now-steam-reviews) • [1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/) |
## Gameplay
Straftat is an arena shooter for 2 to 4 players built around fast, fluid movement and disposable weapon pickups scattered across the map at spawners.[7](https://straftat.wiki/wiki/Gameplay) Rounds are short, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to multiple minutes, which [PC Gamer](https://www.edgepedia.org/pc-gamer) notes inspires strong "I got next" reactions from a spectating Discord server.[9](https://www.pcgamer.com/best-fps-games/)
**Movement.** The movement should feel familiar to anyone who has played a [Source](https://www.edgepedia.org/source-game-engine) engine shooter, but the game's capacity for tricks and movement mastery is more comparable to [Quake](https://www.edgepedia.org/quake-video-game). The central technique is a crouch slide, in which crouching out of a sprint speeds the player up; it has a low skill floor, so new players can use it immediately, while skilled players demonstrate a high ceiling for movement practice.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/)
**Weapons.** The arsenal leans into a large variety of disposable weapons: players toss them away to pick up another rather than reloading, and can [dual wield](https://www.edgepedia.org/dual-wield) any one-handed weapons together. Some weapons are strong, such as assault rifles described as laser-precise, jacked-up versions of Counter-Strike's AK and M4; others are deliberately poor, such as a machine pistol that empties all its bullets in a single trigger pull with heavy recoil.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) The roster includes tasers, barrels, rocket launchers, mines, and melee weapons, many deliberately strange, powerful, and often unbalanced.[10](https://niklasnotes.com/dashboard/game/113270/straftat) The only weapon spawns on some maps are proximity mines and non-damaging knockback guns, producing matches in which players booby-trap the map and then wrestle each other into the minefields with blast guns.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/)
## Maps
The free base game launched with 70 maps, with another 70 included in a $5 DLC; DLC-less players can still access the bonus maps as long as the match host owns the DLC.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) Each map has a gimmick or twist that changes how it is played, such as a courtyard with a single central AK-47 spawn, a looping ice slide, a Hong Kong-inspired vertical city block, and a send-up of the Black Lodge from [Twin Peaks](https://www.edgepedia.org/twin-peaks) that uses warp gates and identical rooms.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) Updates have regularly added more maps, always including both free and DLC maps; a February 2025 update added 37 new arenas and 4 new weapons, and a later update added 50 more maps plus custom music, crosshair and player-outline customization, a lobby ban button, voice chat muting, and leaderboard cheating prevention.[4](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/) • [11](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/pc-gamings-best-free-multiplayer-shooter-continues-to-be-preposterously-generous-with-its-latest-update-adding-50-new-maps-custom-music-and-more-we-definitely-want-straftat-to-live-as-long-as-possible/) The Steam page now lists over 350 maps.[6](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2386720/STRAFTAT/?l=bulgarian?l=romanian)
## Development and monetization
The Lemaitre brothers created Straftat because they could not find a decent deathmatch shooter to play together.[4](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/) Their previous game was Babbdi, a moody single-player urban exploration game sharing Straftat's brutalist aesthetic.[4](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/) Motivated by what PC Gamer describes as contempt for the current live-service environment, the map DLC has been the game's only microtransaction since launch.[3](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/our-favorite-1v1-fps-just-became-our-favorite-2v2-fps-and-you-can-still-play-it-for-the-low-price-of-free/) DLC owners gain access to the Babbdi map as a special training area and an optional weapon randomiser for all maps.[4](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/) [Cosmetics](https://www.edgepedia.org/cosmetics) include hats unlocked by finishing matches or earning achievements, and cigarettes as cosmetic DLC.[2](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/) • [1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/)
The developers have stated they will not add a ranked mode, wanting to keep the game mostly casual and fun to play with friends; community Discord servers handle competitive matches instead.[12](https://steamcommunity.com/app/2386720/discussions/0/599639565862498691/)
## Reception
Straftat reached a 97% positive rating on Steam shortly after launch.[8](https://www.pcgamesn.com/straftat/out-now-steam-reviews) PC Gamer named it the best FPS of 2024, calling it the only competitive FPS of the bunch that could also be described as a party game, and praising its networking, gunfeel, and map design.[9](https://www.pcgamer.com/best-fps-games/) In the publication's Top 100 PC Games of 2025 it placed #45, with strategic director Evan Lahti describing it as "slapstick Quake" and "the best free FPS on Steam".[1](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/) Player reviews praise its fast movement, short 1v1 rounds, extensive map and weapon variety, retro Y2K presentation, and [breakcore](https://www.edgepedia.org/breakcore) soundtrack.[10](https://niklasnotes.com/dashboard/game/113270/straftat) Léonard Lemaitre has since announced Vholume, a [Mirror's Edge](https://www.edgepedia.org/mirrors-edge)-style first-person platformer set in a dystopian city.[13](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/this-dystopian-free-running-sim-is-set-in-a-brutalist-megacity-is-being-codeveloped-by-one-of-the-designers-of-last-years-best-fps/)
## References
1. [The top 100 PC games, PC Gamer (2025)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-top-100-pc-games-2025/)
2. [This new FPS is so good, it's almost unfair that it's free, PC Gamer (28 October 2024)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/this-new-fps-is-so-good-its-almost-unfair-that-its-free-a-1v1-me-bro-simulator-with-70-maps-and-no-microtransactions-that-feels-like-the-sickest-counter-strike-source-mod-of-2007/)
3. [Our favorite 1v1 FPS just became our favorite 2v2 FPS, PC Gamer (15 July 2025)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/our-favorite-1v1-fps-just-became-our-favorite-2v2-fps-and-you-can-still-play-it-for-the-low-price-of-free/)
4. [The best FPS of 2024 simply cannot stop adding new maps, PC Gamer (11 May 2025)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/the-best-fps-of-2024-simply-cannot-stop-adding-new-maps-introducing-37-new-arenas-4-new-weapons-and-a-horrible-smelly-head-in-its-latest-update/)
5. [Straftat Releases, MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/232359/straftat/releases/)
6. [STRAFTAT on Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2386720/STRAFTAT/?l=bulgarian?l=romanian)
7. [Gameplay, Straftat Wiki](https://straftat.wiki/wiki/Gameplay)
8. [Free FPS Straftat is killing it on Steam, with a stunning 97% positive rating, PCGamesN](https://www.pcgamesn.com/straftat/out-now-steam-reviews)
9. [The best FPS games on PC, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/best-fps-games/)
10. [STRAFTAT Reviews: What Players Think, Niklas Notes](https://niklasnotes.com/dashboard/game/113270/straftat)
11. [PC gaming's best free multiplayer shooter continues to be preposterously generous, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/pc-gamings-best-free-multiplayer-shooter-continues-to-be-preposterously-generous-with-its-latest-update-adding-50-new-maps-custom-music-and-more-we-definitely-want-straftat-to-live-as-long-as-possible/)
12. [Straftat update roadmap?, STRAFTAT General Discussions, Steam Community](https://steamcommunity.com/app/2386720/discussions/0/599639565862498691/)
13. [This dystopian free-running sim set in a brutalist megacity is being codeveloped by one of the designers of last year's best FPS, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/this-dystopian-free-running-sim-is-set-in-a-brutalist-megacity-is-being-codeveloped-by-one-of-the-designers-of-last-years-best-fps/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles › Individual PC and computer-platform game titles › Shooter game titles › Military and realistic shooters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license