When people started living more of their lives online, it was like a whole new world opened up – we could chat with people no matter where they were and what time it was, shop for just about anything, and even work and attend school from the comfort of our homes. The gaming world went through a similar online transformation.
While we were once limited to what was available in the base game and enjoyed a consistent and entertaining experience, our online activities introduced a new dimension of social interaction, continuous new updates, next-level competition, and incredible accessibility to unlimited games. Over time, a handful of online gaming genres made their presence known. A few of these stood out more than others and became enduring favourites.
Battle Royale
The battle royale genre is relatively new in popularity. While we saw its origins long ago in online survival games like ARMA 2, Minecraft, and Japanese visual novels, it wasn’t until Fortnite and PUBG: Battlegrounds that it effectively exploded into mainstream gaming. It’s a genre that has the biggest presence among younger gamers – and for good reason. The intense and high-energy action, bright and engaging art styles, creative customisation with skins and emotes, and, notably, team-based play naturally cater to younger gamers. At one point, the genre was so in demand that it was considered oversaturated, with everyone piggybacking on the format, including Call of Duty: Warzone.
First-Person Shooters
When we think of first-person shooters (FPS), some of the most iconic video games of all time come to mind: the best-selling franchise Call of Duty, the tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege, the ever-competitive Counter-Strike, and narrative-driven titles like BioShock and Left 4 Dead. At the time of writing, the FPS genre remains the most popular video game genre among internet users of all age groups. While all these titles include a story mode, the real thrill for most players comes in the form of online mode. Along with the realistic physics, the sounds of combat, lighting effects, and the fact that you can experience the game through the eyes of the character for a more immersive experience, the concept of playing against real people ups the ante.
Online Casinos
Online casinos are a natural evolution of traditional gambling. Although there aren’t cool NPCs involved or an intriguing storyline to follow, you can play the best slot machines online with exciting themes and visuals and even interact with live dealers. This gaming genre probably has the most subgenres within it, including but not limited to poker, blackjack, roulette, slots, craps, and speciality games like bingo. It’s a dynamic and unique genre still developing and evolving with all sorts of technological advancements, keeping it fresh and fascinating. As online casinos become legalised in more countries and regions, their popularity will only continue to grow and potentially even surpass other gaming genres.
Mobile Games
Those searching for accessibility, affordability, and diversity are most drawn to mobile games. Whether we’re waiting for an appointment, commuting to work, or relaxing on the couch, these types of games are available right in the palm of our hands. Depending on our mood, we can play a quick puzzle game, endless runner games like Subway Surfers, an arcade game, or even classic board games that have gone digital; the choices and variety are endless. And since most mobile games are designed to be intuitive and casual, they result in many downloads and cause many players to get hooked. From kids to seniors and everyone in between, mobile games have an extremely broad appeal, making them a staple genre in the gaming sphere.
MOBA/MMORPG
These sister genres might sound incredibly similar, but they’re different enough to garner specific audiences. MMORPG stands for massively multiplayer online role-playing game – think Old School RuneScape, World of Warcraft, and Final Fantasy. These games centre around an online world where players essentially live out adventures as their character and develop skills, go on quests, and explore their environment. These games emphasise character development and evolving storylines and narratives over the battles and combat associated with MOBAs – multiplayer online battle arenas.
MOBAs attract a different crowd, a player base more interested in competition and shorter gaming sessions. League of Legends and Dota 2, likely the most popular in the genre, focus more on teamwork and strategy to win matches. Although there’s still a focus on character ability, the objective isn’t as holistic as it typically revolves around destroying enemy bases or infiltrating specific areas. Seeing as they both have distinct gameplay experiences and involve investing a lot of time, they keep players coming back for more.
Action-Adventure
Where action-adventure games excel over other video game genres is their focus on storytelling and world-building, and the emphasis on cinematic presentation. We get to explore rich and immersive worlds, engage in combat, solve puzzles, follow a narrative, and engage with specific themes we might have previously known nothing about.
Many of these games also feature incredibly complex storytelling, helping us foster an emotional connection with the characters and universe. Sometimes, they force us to face moral dilemmas, while other times they dig deep into hard-hitting themes like loss, identity, culture, adversity, and survival. While most of these games focus on offline, single-player gameplay, many also have online multiplayer modes that complement the experience.
