The gaming industry is nothing if not innovative and the last five years have seen a significant degree of creativity and new development from the gaming sector. Gaming is now one of the most successful and profitable sectors of the entertainment industry and is looking to eclipse the film industry in the next 10 to 20 years, which is quite a leap from the days of Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.

Over the course of the last five years in particular, the gaming industry’s competitive landscape, player base and market trends have shifted, and now a number of previously neglected gaming genres have experienced a resurgence in popularity. Below are a few of the most popular and successful gaming genres that have risen through the ranks during the last few years.

Action games

The action game genre has always been popular – these games are exhilarating and fun, and they provide a challenge for players’ reaction times, reflexes and coordination. As a result of this genre being so popular for so long, production companies have recently been able to innovate and create new types of action games for fans to try.

The Battle Royale action game type has become especially popular over the last few years and is now one of the best-selling game categories around the world. The gameplay involves several different combatants fighting with one another until only one team, or fighter, is left. Games such as Call of Duty Warzone and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (otherwise known as PUBG) all fall under this category.

Along with Battle Royale games, survival games such as Resident Evil have become extremely popular. These games are set in an inhospitable, frightening, environments that players need to navigate through while performing tasks and going on missions. This is a popular genre with a diverse range of titles, and these games are ideal for players who enjoy strategy and challenge over direct combat games.

Online casino games

If you are not already a gambler, the presence of online casino games in this list may surprise you. However, the online casino industry has grown significantly over the course of the last few years and market researchers are predicting that online casinos could overtake their brick-and-mortar counterparts in popularity and revenue within the next 10 years. The games – especially online slots – that are offered by online casinos are increasingly well designed and feature cutting-edge graphics, animation and audio effects.

Online casino games are fun to play and visually arresting, and on top of this, players can take home winnings that can be fairly considerable if a progressive jackpot is involved. As the online casino industry continues to expand, it is likely that we will see more games developed by the major production companies and by smaller, niche producers. Online casinos will be able to offer gamblers even bigger, more comprehensive games libraries, and gamblers will have the chance to try hundreds of different games before settling on their favourites.

Simulation games

Simulation games are another genre that has really taken off during the last few years. These games are designed to simulate real-world experiences, tasks and work, and are extremely popular around the world.

Some simulation games involve simulations of being a bus driver, flying a plane or trucking across country. The games may sound specialized, but you should really try playing them before you dismiss them outright – many players have found that these simulation games are restful and entertaining, and help to develop concentration and focus skills.

There are other simulation games that allow players to simulate a human’s life and give the player control over a character’s interactions, activities and social experiences. There is a reason why the Sims games have been popular for decades – they are great fun! There are also games featuring virtual pets or specific activities such as sports, construction and management.

Massively Multiplayer Online games

Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMO games, combine several gaming genres into one. These games allow thousands of different players from around the world to play a game on the same server. MMO game players can interact with one another, form teams or compete to try to achieve a goal before anyone else. MMO games are a genre of social gaming that we are likely to see more of in the future as increasing numbers of people become interested in social gaming, streaming and spectator gaming. You can be sure that this is one genre to watch in the next five years.