There are so many gaming genres, that it can be difficult to know where to start, especially as general genres like “action” don’t give much away about gameplay, setting, or really anything else.
As we have more gaming-capable devices and a proliferation of digital game stores and subscription services now, it is easy to try your hand at a new genre, whether it’s because of an upcoming IP release or because the genre is newly emerging and will see a rash of new games arrive in the coming year.
1. Casino Games
Online casinos were introduced in the 1990s. They’re hardly new. However, the advent of 5G mobile Internet technology and improved hardware and other technologies means that slots, table games, and live poker have become much more advanced. As well as offering live dealer games, that ramp up immersion, some sites offer instant withdrawals with crypto. And, players on Telegram and Discord can install casino bots enabling them to play directly from their favorite messaging and communication apps.
Casino games are available on mobile devices as well as desktop devices and they offer thousands of games in every casino gaming genre.
2. Play-To-Earn Games
If betting isn’t your thing, but you’d still like to earn some rewards or money, for your gaming efforts, play-to-earn games are becoming increasingly common and high quality. Cryptocurrency and blockchain-based games, in particular, are proving to be very popular with casual gamers.
With play-to-earn blockchain games, players earn cryptocurrency for spending time on a game, for leveling up, or for reaching other specific criteria. Some of these games do require an initial investment, and players will need to have a crypto wallet handy when it comes time to withdraw earnings, but play-to-earn games do give players an incentive to pick up their phones and play.
3. Trading Card Games
Magic: The Gather is widely considered the first modern trading card game, having launched in 1993. Then came Pokemon. Initially launched in Japan in 1996, Pokemon spread to the rest of the world starting in 1998 and has become a cultural phenomenon.
More recently, Disney has launched Lorcana and Marvel has launched Marvel Champions. Starting with Crypto Kitties in 2017, this is another gaming genre that has started to evolve online. Cards are minted as Non-Fungible Tokens, which not only means that players own their digital cards, but it means they can be bought and sold on NFT marketplaces, bringing the collectible appeal of games like MTG and Pokemon. Away from the blockchain, digital trading card games have also seen a spike in popularity. Pokemon TCG Pocket racked up $200 million in profit in its first month showing the genre’s popularity.
4. Narrative Games
Narrative games are games that are driven by storyline, giving players the chance to drive the story in their chosen direction, rather than leaving it to the game itself. They don’t tend to be too heavy on gameplay, fighting, or other features, but they have become a very popular addition to game libraries.
Especially popular launches have included episodes from The Walking Dead franchise, and other IPs will likely jump on the trend and launch episodic titles.
5. VR Gaming
While VR isn’t strictly a genre of games, it’s more of a platform, it deserves special mention. Virtual Reality is still something of an emerging trend but in the past couple of years, Apple has launched its own VR headset while new versions of the PS VR headset and Meta headsets have launched. They have become more affordable, and this accessibility will likely lead to the development of more VR titles and an increase in uptake for this genre.
2024 saw a good number of improved titles launch, and 2025 is already promising a VR version of Five Nights at Freddy’s, which should be utterly terrifying, as well as other stellar titles.
6. Action Real-Time Strategy
The Action Real-Time Strategy genre is a hybrid genre that combines action and real-time strategy. The action plays out live, which requires quick thinking, and the combination of action and strategy means deep thinking is critical for this genre. Games like DOTA 2 define the genre, and while it has been around for some time, the continued increase in popularity of eSports events, and its widespread coverage on streaming and other channels, means that this genre is likely to see new entries in the next 12 months.
DOTA 2 launched more than 10 years ago and there’s still no sign of a sequel, but the game does offer regular updates and its popularity means publishers may not want to rock the boat or cannibalize their player numbers.
7. Battle Royale
Released in 2017, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is considered to be the first of the mainstream Battle Royale titles. Battle Royales see dozens or even hundreds of players effectively dropped into a location to be the last player standing or at least part of the last group standing.
Battle Royales are intense and not everybody’s cup of tea. But, while games like Fortnite and Warzone have seen something of a lull in player numbers, the genre isn’t done yet. Fortnite launched its OG game style, which took players back to the game’s very first iteration and it grabbed the attention of a lot of gamers. And, with the launch of every new Call of Duty game comes a new series or new additions to the Warzone title. 2025 could well see a resurgence in this genre.
8. Online Board Games
Physical board games are seeing a major resurgence in popularity and this is spreading to digital channels. We will likely see more VR versions of board games, while sites like BoardGameArena and TableTopSimulator will prove especially popular with die-hard analog gamers.
A lot of board games are also now launching their own mobile apps, and you can even find a select few board game conversions on consoles as well as on Steam and Windows. The world’s largest board gaming expo, Essen Spiel, saw its highest-ever visitor count this year, and many of the thousands of new games launched at the event were app-driven or app-supported so the worlds of digital and physical board games are combining.
9. Shooters
The first-person shooter remains the most popular video game genre. The games are immersive and exciting, and they can usually be played with groups of friends or against random players online. 2025 will be no different. A new Call of Duty will launch, and we’re also set for a new Battlefield entry. A new DOOM is slated for launch and there will likely be dozens of games launching within this genre. CS2 saw plenty of updates in 2024, which may well continue in 2025 as well.
Cross-platform play is becoming more commonplace, which means PC and console players can battle it out together, adding another element of enjoyment. And, if VR continues to see an increase in popularity, we can expect to see some AAA first-person VR shooters hitting shelves.
Conclusion
The gaming industry is the largest entertainment industry in the world, surpassing movies and TV by some considerable way. Just when you think you’ve seen every possible genre of game, something new pops up.
Blockchain and crypto gaming, as well as VR platforms, lead the way in new innovations, but we also get to enjoy hybrid genres like the action-RTS genre, as well as the digitalization of typically physical game types.
