Survivor games, also known as auto-shooter or bullet heaven, have emerged as a distinct sub-genre in the video game industry over the past few years. These games are defined by a gameplay mechanic that emphasizes movement, with shooting and attacking enemies handled automatically by the game. The player's role is to navigate through waves of enemies, collecting experience crystals to level up their character. This seemingly simple concept, reminiscent of early Flash games, combines fast-paced arcade action with elements of roguelite games, where failure leads to progress through permanent upgrades. Each session typically lasts between fifteen and thirty minutes, with mobile versions often being shorter. During these sessions, players must balance the risk of entering crowded enemy groups to collect more crystals against the safety of retreating to build up strength. As the character levels up, they gain access to new weapons and passive skills, which can be combined in creative ways to form powerful equipment fusions. This encourages players to experiment with different combinations to find a play style that suits them best. Even when a player is defeated, the resources they have accumulated can be used to unlock permanent upgrades, turning each loss into a step forward. The concept gained popularity in recent years, with many games adopting the survivor game model. The first widely recognized survivor game is Magic Survival, a mobile game initially released in South Korea before its global launch in 2019. This game is considered the origin of the sub-genre and inspired Italian developer Luca Galante to create Vampire Survivors for his studio Poncle. Vampire Survivors quickly became a benchmark in the genre and helped establish survivor games as a new trend in gaming. The success of Vampire Survivors led to the creation of many praised variations, such as Brotato and 20 Minutes Till Dawn, as well as adaptations of existing licenses like Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor and 3D versions like Megabonk. Major franchises such as Warhammer 40k have also joined the trend with Warhammer Survivors. This rapid growth, supported by over 450 developers, prompted Valve, the company behind the Steam platform, to officially recognize the "Bullet Heaven" category on Steam in May 2026.