Video game genres made in 2020

The list of video game genres today looks very different than it did 20 or even 10 years ago, as many of the early concepts have either become obsolete or improved to the point where the original ideas are barely recognizable. Some of the bigger genres like RPGs and shooters have remained mostly the same, giving players a similar feel to what they've had for a while, with just a few gameplay tweaks and graphical tweaks that make the whole experience a bit more polished. But as more developers enter the space and attempt more crazy ideas, it seems like every year a new genre craze emerges and takes over the gaming world in a completely unexpected way.

One of the best examples is soulslikes, a term that literally didn't exist until FromSoftware decided to introduce players to a world of challenge and pain. Since then, it's pretty hard to talk about games without mentioning it Elden Ring or countless other exceptional games that simply wouldn't exist without the risks taken that led to the creation of an entirely new genre. But this is not the only example, because only in the last few years several new classifications have been created that describe a certain kind of game that is fundamentally different from other previous terms. These iterative ideas often come from existing genres with just a slight twist, while others combine several things at once to create a super interesting experience that takes the core concepts of one group of games and combines them with another that no one would ever expect to work.

In and out with whatever loot you find

Details:

• A pioneer Tarkovbut briefly seen in Division

• Now the base in the shooters area

The tactical shooter space is anything but new, with titles that date back to the early days that continue to see sequels and revivals all these years later. Many games in the genre focus on slow, methodical gameplay that requires a lot more game sense and knowledge than just raw sniping, and over time the emphasis has shifted from fast-paced action to this more tense style of shooting. But as more games tried this approach, it was clear that a new genre was on the verge of being born, and it wasn't Division that players first experienced an early concept of what later became an extraction shooter. In the Dark Zone, players could enter alone or with a group of friends and hunt for valuable locations while battling other players equally hungry for the prize and hopefully making it out alive.

This idea of ​​inside-out gameplay was quite new and unique, and it was here that the DNA of the genre first began to form. A few years later, Tarkov burst onto the scene mixing realistic gunplay with tense extraction gameplay that demanded as much of the player from a mental perspective as it did a mechanical one. Since then, the floodgates have been opened as many other games have attempted to create a similar loot loop in many different environments. Some followed the military path, as Delta Force and his conception of genre, while others went in the complete opposite direction, such as Hunt: Showdownbrings a horror element to an otherwise pretty grounded space. The genre is bigger than ever, with a breakout hit ARC Raiders setting a new high and bringing in so many new players who otherwise wouldn't have even tried an extraction shooter to begin with.

Cooperative horror

Mixing horrors and laughter into one

Details:

• Fast loops and easy mechanics

• Cooperative game with very low barriers

Horror is a genre that has been around for almost 40 years at this point, and in that time games have gone from fairly simple point-and-click adventures to terrifying journeys into the unknown. There's been a huge amount of innovation in the space, driven by both graphical improvements and experimental design philosophies, but one of the more interesting aspects is the idea of ​​a cooperative horror experience. Scary co-op games as a concept aren't exactly new, as 20 years ago players could enjoy a chilling story with a friend and have the same fun, but the 1920s gave way to a completely different kind of game that focuses more on combining comedy and urgency with horror rather than outright scaring the player.

Games like REPO and Deadly company have completely changed the way people see the world of horror, because instead of being an immersive single-player thrill ride, players can instead jump into a fast-paced game and experience as many laughs as scares. One of the biggest reasons why this combination works so well is contactless chat, because there are few things more fun than hearing a friend yell from a mile away and slowly listening to their microphone fade into the distance. The beginnings of this subgenre were also quite limited, only allowing two players to go through a solid story together, but now it's pretty common to see lobbies of 6+ people all running around in a panic and generally having a great time.

Autobattlers

No inputs are needed at all

Details:

• Team formations replace mechanical skills

• IP spinoffs from popular titles

Not every game has to have insanely high mechanical demands on the player, and in many cases the emphasis is more on tactics and strategy than raw skill. RTS games have been extremely popular for decades, giving players the chance to engage in large-scale conflicts and plan attacks without having to fire a bullet themselves, making them much more accessible to those who prefer a more relaxed experience. Over time, as more games entered the space, communities began to experiment and try new things, but until then warcraft 3, with its own Legion TD map, that players will witness the first iteration of what would become the autobattler genre.

The basic concept is that players spend resources to deploy units each turn, both to defend and to attack the enemy, and after almost a decade of this concept, the first mainstream automatic battleships would finally be born. The first big name was Auto Chess DOTAanother community-driven project that was later modified into a full release that followed TFT and Hearthstone Battlegroundswhich all used existing characters and concepts, just in a completely different style of play. In the following years, several other games entered the space, such as Super Car Petsand the genre remains a fun tactical alternative for players who enjoy a certain IP but prefer a slightly more casual feel.

Roguelike deck builders

You'll find more crazy combos every time

Details:

• Satisfying mechanics and combos

• Great emphasis on experimentation

Roguelikes and card games aren't exactly new kids to the gaming world, and in fact are among the longest-running genres in the industry. The former focuses on creating a compelling gameplay loop that players can enjoy over and over again, while the latter is more concerned with giving players a choice in how they engage with the game through various card combinations and interactions. Although both are incredibly popular genres, it wasn't until Kill the tower that the two actually met and became a mainstream phenomenon that has now taken over the gaming world.

By combining a fast-paced but replayable loop with a strategic gameplay style, players could suddenly play satisfying runs over and over again, bringing a much more thought-based element that simply didn't exist in the genre before. Despite being fairly simple on the surface, there are so many interesting shots created that they all do something completely different while still staying within the same card-based space. encryption, for example, at times it feels more like an escape room than an actual game, interestingly combining puzzles into a roguelike loop, while Balatro it takes the basic concept of poker hands and turns it into a mathematical mess of modifiers and multipliers that feels even more addictive than the gambling games it's based on. The genre is now one of the most popular and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Bullet Heaven/Survivor-like

Fight wave after wave

Details:

• A modified version of bullet hell

• Gradual progression by upgrading weapons/items

Bullet-hells are an incredibly early video game genre that can be traced back to the days of monochrome systems. The idea of ​​dodging wave after wave of attacks from a central point was incredibly compelling, and even though it was upgraded to a 3D world, the basic concept remained the same, almost from the beginning. But in 2019, the so-called Magical survival decided to flip the idea on its head, replacing bullets with enemies and having the player fight their way through hordes rather than dodging constant fire. This initial release did not gain much attention, but served as a major inspiration The surviving vampireswhich would then spawn countless new titles in this new style of shooter.

20 minutes to dawn, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, brothe list goes on, each carrying the same progression ideas and gameplay philosophies that made the initial breakout so addictive. Interestingly, however, the genre follows a very similar trajectory to its predecessor, as do the games Megabonk have shown that this concept can work damn well in a 3D environment. It may not be the industry's most revolutionary new discipline, but it's a perfect example of the iterative nature of gaming, where one good idea can quickly turn into a craze that will be flocked to and adored by countless players for years to come.