The diversity of video games available and the segmentation of the market have led professionals to group video games according to a gender typology. The following list provides a definition of the main types of video games.
Adventure
The controlling interest in adventure games focuses on research and exploration, dialogues, puzzle solving, rather than reflexes and action. The player can act on history; some adventure games thus offer several scriptural branches. In general, game segmentation includes action and adventure games.
Compilation
This segment includes compilations of multi-genre games.
Race
Racing games place the player at the controls of a vehicle. The player must complete a certain number of laps and fight against other drivers to get a place on the podium. Two sub-genres are distinguished: the arcade racing game and the simulation racing game.
FPS (First-Person Shooter)
Subjective shooting games are based on aiming and movements where the environment is seen through the “eyes” of the character being played. This perspective generates a strong identification, accentuated by three-dimensional graphics.
Management / Wargames
In management games, the player assumes the role of a character who has to build and manage space of life (a city), Leisure (an amusement park), etc.management games are associated with war games in the segmentation of games.
MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) or MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online)
Online role-playing games are massively multi-players. This exclusively multiplayer game innovate, in particular, by the establishment of 24-hour universes called “persistent worlds”.
New Genres
Games are belonging to the categories of dressage, breeding, music, song, dance, rhythm, business simulation, “party game”. Rhythm video games are usually arcade games whose purpose is to follow a sequence of movements or to maintain a particular rhythm. Games are played using the keyboard or a joystick. Other games in this segment require a dance mat or a replica of a musical instrument.
Platform
Platform games are characterized by jumps from one platform suspended from the other or above obstacles, as well as various “traps” for the player-controlled character.
RPG (Role Playing Game)
Role-playing video games are based on traditional role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. The player embodies one or more “adventurers” who specialize in a specific field (combat, magic, etc.) and progress within a linear plot.
Simulation
Simulation games aim to realistically reproduce the sensations felt at the controls of a car, an aircraft, a tank, a train, etc.they take into account the laws of physics, the limits of reality and several parameters of the behavior of crewed vehicles.
Sport
Sports games bring together many existing sports disciplines. They place the player directly in action or offer the player to lead a team.
In 2012, the first three genres in volume accounted for more than half of total video game sales. All genres show a decrease in sales volume, except MMO (+46.0% to 0.3 million units sold in 2012) and simulation games (+22.1% to 0.4 million units). Action and adventure video games continue to dominate the French market with 7.2 million boxes sold, despite a 9.0% decline in one year. Sports games and FPS share the second position in 2012, with 4.2 million units sold, a decrease of 4.8 % (low for the market) for the former and 17.4 % for the latter. In third place, RPG games totaled 2.2 million units sold in 2012 (-17.5 %). Next, come racing games (-22.8 % to 2.1 million units) and games belonging to the Category “new genres” (-26.9% to 2.1 million units).
Th video game market by type (million units)