Types of gaming

blogmeta November 28, 2025No Comments

The world of game development is vast and can be categorized in several different ways. Here’s a breakdown of the primary types of game development, categorized by platform, team size/scope, and genre/technical approach.

Table of Contents

1. By Platform & Distribution

This is the most common way to categorize the industry, as the platform dictates the technology, tools, and business models used.

PC Gaming:
- AAA/Standard Games: High-budget titles sold on platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077, Baldur’s Gate 3).
- Indie Games: Smaller, often more creative games from independent studios. The backbone of digital PC storefronts. (e.g., Hades, Stardew Valley).
Console Gaming:
- Development for platforms like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
- Requires developer kits and approval from the platform holder.
- Includes both massive AAA blockbusters (God of War, Halo) and smaller indie titles.
Mobile Gaming:
- Games for iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).
- Heavily dominated by Free-to-Play (F2P) models with in-app purchases (IAPs) and ads.
- Focuses on short, engaging sessions and intuitive touch controls. (e.g., Genshin Impact, Candy Crush Saga, Monopoly Go!).
Web Gaming:
- Games that run directly in a web browser without any installation.
- Historically used Flash (now deprecated), now using HTML5, JavaScript, and WebGL.
- Often casual, puzzle, or hyper-casual games. (e.g., games on Poki or CrazyGames).
Cloud Gaming:
- An emerging platform where the game runs on powerful remote servers and is streamed to the player’s device (PC, phone, TV, etc.).
- Removes hardware limitations for the player. (e.g., Xbox Cloud Gaming, NVIDIA GeForce NOW).
VR/AR Gaming (Extended Reality – XR):
- Virtual Reality (VR): Fully immersive experiences using a headset. (e.g., Half-Life: Alyx, Beat Saber).
- Augmented Reality (AR): Overlays digital elements onto the real world, often using a phone or glasses. (e.g., Pokémon GO, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite).

2. By Team Size, Scope & Business Model

This category defines the “who” and “how” of the development process.

AAA (Triple-A) Development:
- Who: Large, well-established studios (e.g., Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Sony Interactive Entertainment).
- Scope: Extremely high budgets ($50 million+), teams of hundreds, long development cycles (3-5+ years).
- Goal: Create blockbuster, high-fidelity experiences with mass-market appeal. High-risk, high-reward.
Indie (Independent) Development:
- Who: Small teams or even a single person (solo dev), operating without the financial support of a major publisher.
- Scope: Low budgets, small teams, shorter development times. Often funded by personal savings, grants, or crowdfunding.
- Goal: Focus on creativity, artistic expression, and niche genres. Higher creative freedom, but also high financial risk.
AA (Double-A) Development:
- Who: Mid-sized studios that fall between AAA and Indie. (e.g., Focus Entertainment, Devolver Digital often publishes AA games).
- Scope: Mid-range budget and team size. Often a “sweet spot” with more polish than an indie game but more creative freedom and lower risk than a AAA project. (e.g., Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Kena: Bridge of Spirits).
Hobbyist Development:
- Who: Individuals or small groups making games as a passion project or for learning, with no commercial intent.
- Scope: Often uses accessible engines like GameMaker Studio, Godot, or Construct. Many game jams (e.g., Ludum Dare) fall into this category.

3. By Genre & Technical Approach

This defines the “what” and the “how” from a design and engineering perspective.

Genre-Based Specialization:
- First-Person Shooter (FPS): Focus on combat, level design, and network code for multiplayer. (e.g., Call of Duty).
- Role-Playing Game (RPG): Focus on complex stat systems, branching narratives, character progression, and large worlds. (e.g., The Elder Scrolls, Final Fantasy).
- Real-Time Strategy (RTS): Focus on AI, pathfinding, UI/UX for unit management, and game balance. (e.g., StarCraft, Age of Empires).
- Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO): An extreme specialization focusing on massive, persistent worlds, server architecture, and networking. (e.g., World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV).
- Puzzle & Casual: Focus on intuitive mechanics, clear feedback loops, and accessibility. (e.g., Tetris Effect, Portal).
- Simulation & Sports: Focus on realism, physics