Gaming in 2023 offers an unparalleled freedom of options with literally millions of games at our fingertips. Following the rise of smartphones and many other related factors, the global games industry has ballooned to phenomenal scale, with its yearly revenues projected to reach north of $300 billion a year.
From casual gaming to massive triple-A productions, there’s sure to be a gameplay experience or platform out there to suit your needs. Yet, while dyed in the wool gamers normally know what they like already, many people are just getting into the wide world of gaming today and may not know what genres or game-types are worth exploring.
In light of this, we’re conducting a survey here of the most popular game genres out there today in 2023. If you’re not sure what to play next, or what type of game might suit you, you could do worse than exploring these crowd-pleasers below – let’s take a look!
First Person Shooters (FPS)
FPS is one of the older game genres and, since its inception in the early 90s, it has remained a fan favourite. First Person Shooters are games that incorporate gun combat and feature a camera view from the first person perspective. This name differentiates them from the various 3rd person-style games that may also include shooting – but play substantially differently.
In general, FPS games are fast paced and demand good reactions and accuracy from players. For this reason, they have become a favourite focus of modern competitive esports such as Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant.
The most popular FPS in the world today is, without a doubt, the Call of Duty franchise. With an estimated $30 billion in lifetime revenue, this hit series of tactical shooters has managed to single-handedly outsell the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A popular choice for console gamers, Call of Duty has since been seeking to diversify its offerings. From branching into battle royales with Warzone, to continuing to develop its mobile offerings.
If you want to try out an FPS, Call of Duty might be a good place to start if you already have a game console as you may well have friends already active in the player pool.
Slots
When you think of slots games, you probably imagine the old electro-mechanical machines that line brick-and-mortar casinos. And while it’s true that the mechanical forebears of modern slots are still immensely popular in physical establishments the world over, they’re by no means the most popular way to play this enduringly simple yet compelling game-type today.
Instead, that honour goes to online slots, otherwise known as digital slots. Unlike even the most modern physical machines, online slots are pure software. This makes them an unlikely contender on our list of the world’s most popular video game genres – and you may be surprised to find out that, in fact, online slots are the most popular type of game played online today.
There’s plenty of reasons why this should be the case – for one, the flexibility and creativity of top tier slots is second to none, and you’re sure to find one that incorporates features or visual elements that you resonate with. For decades now, reputable platforms have furnished prospective patrons with a huge array of top quality slots to explore – so much so that a simple web search will guide you directly to some reel-spinning fun.
Battle Royales
Named after the Japanese film and novel, battle royales are last-man-standing elimination games that take place on large single maps. Battle royales incorporate a lot of variation, with PUBG Mobile being also an FPS, whereas Fortnite is a third person title.
Battle royales are increasingly popular with younger adults, and are a firm favourite of esports gamers. The unique thrill of competing against a large group of players makes this type of titles a consistent draw for online gamers. The average battle royale pits you against 99 other players in solo mode – though team modes, both 2v2 and 4v4, are also very popular.