Video games have undergone massive evolution over the years. Earlier, there were just a handful of game genres like the highly popular first-person shooter games, role-playing games, and so on. With developers mixing different types of games and upgrades in gaming console technology, there has been a steady growth in the genres as well as subgenres of video games. Listed below are some of the most popular video game genres.
Sandbox
Initially, this genre of video games was just a niche. Now it has expanded so much that popular games like Grand Theft Auto and Minecraft are often categorized as sandbox games. This genre requires a player to perform a variety of tasks in different ways. The games are highly immersive. Sandbox games encourage players to experiment with different mechanics of the game. The gameplay is non-linear in an open environment.
Real-time Strategy
Originally, real-time strategy (RTS) was coined as a marketing phrase for the well-known game Dune II by Westwood Studios. Over the years, RTS games have become some of the best-selling video game titles, such as Warcraft and Age of Empires. These games involve a player playing against a robot or an AI player. The players are part of different teams, groups, or factions. They have to work on map and resource management in “real-time” simultaneously with the AI player.
Shooter
One of the earliest genres of video games was the shooter. Now, these games have two subgenres: first-person shooter and third-person shooter. The only difference between these two is the change in perspectives, that is the viewpoint through which the player sees the game field. Shooter games began as arcade-style games with very simple environments. Over the years, the design, environments, and gameplay have become slightly complex as seen in popular games like Fortnite and Call of Duty.
Multiplayer online battle arena
Also known as MOBA, this genre combines elements of other video game genres such as RTS games. Fan favorite games like League of Legends and Dota 2 are popular MOBA games. These are multiplayer games wherein your opponents might be AI-based or other human players. These games require the player to control one character in the game and meet certain conditions to win various levels.
Role-playing games
This is another original genre of video games. The initial premise of the game was that a player creates or has control of a single character in the game. They have to go through various levels after collecting points. Over the years, role-playing games (RPGs) have grown to include so many elements that several subgenres have sprung up. For instance, there are action role-playing games centered around combat, computer RPGs designed especially for personal computers.
Sports games
Whether someone likes outdoor games or indoor games in real life, this genre of video games has been very popular among everyone. These games have highly detailed recreations of actual sporting events like FIFA, NFL, car racing, and cricket. With stellar advances in graphics, these games give players a highly immersive experience like no other. Madden NFL 22, FIFA 23, and NBA 2K23 are some of the popular titles in this genre, with thousands of game walkthrough videos of these available online.
Action-adventure
Some of the classic video games belong to the genre of action adventure. From the Legend of Zelda to Assassin’s Creed, and the Titanfall series, action-adventure games have always been popular among gamers young and old. These games focus on combat and plot set in various geographical locations ranging from fictional, real, historical, and interplanetary. They have a very engaging story involvement with super-tight game rules or mechanics.
Puzzle games
One of the most well-known puzzle video games is Minesweeper. While Minesweeper had a pretty simplistic interface, there are several puzzle games with highly immersive environments and complex game rules. Animal Well, Reina and Jericho, Hogwarts Legacy are some popular titles in the puzzle video game genre in 2023. Some of these are rescue games, while others are logic games.
