Discover the most important types of video games
Video games can be divided into several categories or genres based on how players interact with the game.
Technological advances in the gaming industry have increased the number of console and desktop games, e-sports games, and mobile gaming platforms for smartphones, leading to the development of many different genres.
Video game classification
A video game genre describes a style or category of games that share similar mechanics, ideology, or characteristics. Different game genres can be very fluid and intertwined, often having many subcategories and overlapping rules.
Mixing and adapting genre elements is common in gaming these days, but most games can be grouped into one of 10-15 different types.
Popular video game types
1. Sandbox games
- A genre that puts a player’s creativity first. It is often characterised by fewer specific goals and narrative paths - instead, the player faces a number of tasks that can be completed in various ways, which translates into a more immersive experience.
- Sandbox games include simulation games (e.g., The Sims) including Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto.
2. RTS (real-time strategy) games
- They typically include resource management, often offering a “top-down view”.
- In the iconic RTS title, Dune II, human players and AI players control different factions and compete against each other simultaneously in “real time”, hence the term “real-time strategy” (as opposed to turn-based strategy).
- Some of the most popular RTS titles include Warcraft, Age of Empires and Command & Conquer.
3. FPS and TPS (first-person shooter and third-person shooter) games
- A genre with a long tradition that was eventually divided into: first-person shooters (FPS) and third-person shooters (TPS).
- Most Battle Royale games - a subgenre itself - operate in first-person or third-person shooter modes, including Fortnite and PUBG: Battlegrounds.
- A first-person shooter simulates the typical human point of view, essentially showing what your character sees in the game (e.g., Half-Life, Call of Duty and DOOM). A third-person shooter pulls back the perspective and shows your entire character and the surroundings (e.g., Gears of War and Tom Clanc’s The Division).
4. MOBA games (multiplayer online battle arena)
- A subgenre of RTS games; these are multiplayer online games in which players are often divided into two teams fighting in an arena. They emphasise map and resource management, as well as competition between players in real time.
- In this niche, Dota 2 and League of Legends have gained significant audiences through e-sports competitions.
5. Role-play games
- Their basic assumption is to build and develop characters through subsequent experiences in the game. RPG games have developed into numerous subgenres, e.g. action role-playing games (e.g. The Witcher 3), computer RPG games (e.g. Fallout), or MMORPG games, i.e. a combination of the MMO (massively multiplayer online) format with RPG gameplay (e.g. World of Warcraft).
6. Sports simulation games
- They are highly diverse and are often developed in partnership with large sports organizations, from racetracks to pitches or courts. (e.g., NBA 2K, Madden NFL, Forza)
7. Logic and party games
- These types of games emphasise game mechanics. They include thematic games as well as all kinds of board games.
- Party games often contain a multiplayer component (e.g. the popular Mario Party series).
- Puzzle games can be very simple (e.g. Minesweeper) or offer a fully developed environment and hybrid gameplay (e.g. Tomb Raider).
8. Action-adventure games
- They put a heavy emphasis on both story and combat through commitment to storytelling and gameplay mechanics (e.g. Legend of Zelda, Assassin's Creed).
9. Survival and horror games
- There is a lot of overlap between the survival game and horror game genres; characteristic elements here are, for example, zombies, a post-apocalyptic plot and the use of the jump scare technique.
- Basic survival game mechanics focus on managing resources, crafting and salvaging to keep a given character alive (e.g. Minecraft, Don't Starve, The Long Dark).
10. Platform games
- Games that feature running, climbing and jumping as the player explores and overcomes challenging levels. They offer a side view and simple controls.
- Examples of platform games: Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Why choose PaysafeCard as a payment method?
No matter what genre of video game you prefer, you can use PaysafeCard as a convenient and secure payment method.
PaysafeCard is supported on Microsoft Store and PlayStation Store (just log in to your account and select PaysafeCard as your payment option) and by many other online merchants.
PaysafeCard is a great payment method for gaming purchases, especially if you want to pay online with cash.
Buy games, add-ons, accessories and skins using a PaysafeCard voucher, which you can conveniently purchase on the PaysafeCard website or at your nearest in-store location.