While economic turbulence may have caused some areas of the entertainment industry to stagnate in the 2020s, the gaming industry has bucked this trend. The emergence of professional video gaming and a more inclusive international gaming community has meant better research on which genres are trending, what titles gamers are getting most excited by on social media, and identifying trends for future releases that show why these genres are showing such promise.
First-person Shooters
Ever since the rise of the home video console, first-person shooters have remained one of the most visible genres. While the internet transformed the way people play these games and cultivated digital, global competition, you only need to explore the history and success of Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Resident Evil and Battlefield to get a glimpse of how big the market was at the turn of the century.
In 2024, it remains one of the most popular gaming genres. Counter-Strike is one of the most popular esports games and the recent release of Counter-Strike 2 has helped to encourage this growth. By porting these gaming titles to all consoles and not having them as monolithic standouts restricted to specific consoles, such as Halo on the Xbox, first-person shooters have been able to develop to their full potential.
Sweepstakes Games
We’re sure we don’t need to go into too much detail and explain how online casino gaming has become a revelation over the last couple of decades. It has expanded to such an impressive level that more minor parts of the industry have made a mark on it, too. This is a sign of proper growth. Some industries may show initial promise, but the health of the companies and businesses often underpins them and highlights their true strength.
Sweepstakes casino games have become a significant subdivision of online casino gaming. Their unique selling point is that you can use in-game currency to play, and the emphasis remains on the gaming mechanics rather than placing real money wagers. While this idea might not have been the most popular in the early days of online casino gaming, sweepstakes are now a multimillion-dollar, standalone industry.
As sweepstakes continue to provide a viable avenue for gamers who prefer not having to concern themselves with the loss of funds, WSN (Chumba casino review) is an example of another part of the industry that has spotted a trend. They rank the top sweepstakes operators based on a number of variables and can act as a good learning tool, allowing gamers to find out how slots and poker games work before they decide to play at a traditional casino for real money.
Role-playing Games (RPGs)
Professional video gaming continues to reach new heights, and role-playing games have a seminal role in its growth. Although some analysts and experts believe that this industry may have reached a plateau, it doesn’t look like that will happen anytime soon.
One reason the industry is staying so impressively ahead of the curve is that game design companies are rising to the challenge and developing games that captivate audiences. It also helps that there’s significant financial backing in countries like Saudi Arabia, which is resulting in some of the highest prize pools ever seen in professional video gaming.
Role-playing games are undoubtedly the biggest driving force behind the success of esports – that’s if you include the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends, which are the two most popular esports in the world. Yes, we know some of you are reading this, thinking they’re MOBA games more so than RPGs, but they definitely include elements of both. Given their startling, continued popularity, nobody can dispute their place in today’s list. It’s also helped by the fact that the next edition of GTA – the seminal RPG – is around the corner.
Sports
Sports games are a consistent earner for the big names in game design. EA Sports is one of the most revered names anywhere in the gaming world, and this is due to its consistency; whether it’s NFL, soccer, or NBA games, it’s by far the most prominent and visible name in the business.
Given that we’ve had the Euros, Copa America and the Olympics all within the space of a few months, these huge audience numbers drive people toward video games and sports gaming competitions. Although FIFA and Madden might not command the same audiences or prize pool as the likes of Dota 2 or League of Legends, they are a consistently popular genre.
Conclusion
It might seem as if we’ve just named the usual suspects today, but other genres could break into this list as we head into the second half of 2024. For example, sandbox games like Minefield share many of the same variables as RPG games.
There’s a vast audience, and while RPGs might not be exploding onto the scene, they have a strong, consistent and reliable brand that brings back regular, repeat gamers. By keeping an eye on how many units a game sells, the impressions that a trailer gets on social media, and the games that are attracting the biggest prize in esports, you’ll be able to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry and find out which genres are showing the most growth potential.
