The Outsiders

The Outsiders is a Swedish independent video game developer founded in 2017 by industry veterans including David Goldfarb, former creative director of Battlefield 3 and Payday 2. They are best known for Metal: Hellsinger, a rhythm-based first-person shooter published by Funcom and released in 2022.

Metal: Hellsinger (2022)

A first-person shooter set in Hell where your weapons fire in sync with a heavy metal soundtrack and shooting on-beat builds your score multiplier and increases your damage. The concept sounds like a gimmick but it executes well enough that the rhythm mechanic becomes genuinely engaging once it clicks. Features original music performed by metal vocalists including Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Matt Heafy of Trivium, and Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. Released for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, launching day one on Xbox Game Pass. Received positive reviews. A Dream of Destruction DLC followed in 2023.

The Studio

David Goldfarb’s background in large-scale shooters like Battlefield 3 is visible in the game’s feel, even at a much smaller scale. Metal: Hellsinger is a strong debut and a good example of a focused concept executed well.