An operational study of video games' genres

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the most successful games during the last 34 years (1986-2019). We observed that the 100 most ranked games are represented by 16 genres (adventure, role-playing, shooter, platform, puzzle, strategy, hack and slash / beat 'em up, real time strategy, turn-based strategy, point-and-click, indie, racing, sport, fighting, arcade and simulator). These genres are then compared to show which genres are more attractive for players. As a result, we observed that 6 genres among the 16 represent the most ranked games (adventure, RPG, shooter, platform, puzzle, and strategy). They represent 0.83 of the successful games. This allowed us to recommend to combining the others genres with the 6 selected genres. Also, we analyzed the evolution of the 16 games genres during the last 34 years. We observed that some genres have a great success until the past decades, but they haven't a success in this decade. Game designers and researchers in the field of games may rethink about how to add attractive elements in the genres non-successful in this decade. Also, we observed that some genres like the indie games haven't a great success in the past decades, but they have an important increased success in this decade. This may encourage the decision makers and the game designer to invest on these genres.