As featured on leading podcasts and in gaming forums, some games tend to spark more debate than others. While gamers have always had their own individual preferences, it can be tough not to follow the crowd when certain genres of gaming seem to be hogging the limelight.
There are so many fantastic games to explore in the modern environment on an array of impressive gaming platforms. For example, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time thanks to its endless possibilities, while titles like Pragmatic Play’s anime slot, Starlight Princess are wowing online gamers thanks to its manga-style theme and its excellent gameplay. Products like Baldur’s Gate 3 also have a huge community behind them, while League of Legends is a favorite release for millions of dedicated gamers.
While the aforementioned titles are some of the biggest and best releases you can possibly play today, they aren’t the only options worth your time. In fact, some genres are more popular than others, meaning that many gamers tend to focus solely on these particular categories as they’re clearly thriving for a reason. With that in mind, below is a brief look at some of the most in-demand genres of gaming and why they tend to deliver.
Reigning supreme in a fighting game is highly satisfying
Through iconic titles like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, the fighting game genre has always tended to shine. A proposition almost any gamer can tackle, players simply have to grapple and block their way to glory, all while executing deadly combinations and mastering any counter-attacking moves that can see off their opponents. Be it in a story mode or during an online bout against a rival in another country, the genre has risen to prominence since the 1980s and continues to be adored by gaming communities.
Gamers enjoy testing themselves in survival games
The appeal of survival games is obvious, really. After all, we’ve all wondered how we’d fare in an apocalypse or while living alone on a desert island, right? Well, these engaging releases task players with doing exactly that. Having to survive and thrive against the odds, this particular genre feeds on the basic instinct of humans having to fight and survive, with titles like No Man’s Sky and Rust putting gamers in testing scenarios. There are also some enticing sub-genres associated with survival games, with survival horror titles particularly appealing to gamers right now.
Sports games have always done well
It should come as no surprise to learn that sports titles are some of the most in-demand products on the market today. Be it through Football Manager 2024, NBA 2K24, or EA Sports FC 25, sports games enable fans of their beloved teams to score points with their heroes and coach them to glory. Players can compete against each other in a tense sporting match-up, they can join forces in exhilarating online bouts, and they lure both gamers and sports fans in thanks to the entertaining offering they generally serve up.
First-person shooters have been around since the 1970s
A much-loved genre of gaming that has been impressing gaming audiences for decades, first-person shooters like Halo and GoldenEye 007 are iconic releases. With gamers enjoying the genre since the 1970s, these titles have become a staple among gaming communities, with the weapon-based combat on offer appealing to so many gamers. Providing an adrenaline rush during epic battles from a first-person perspective, this intriguing genre of gaming clearly isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s probably only going to grow further.
Special mention must also go to racing games, real-time strategy games, battle royale products, and action-adventure releases.
© 2025, C Wood. All rights reserved.
