Video games have been a beloved pastime for decades now, and they only continue to grow more immersive and have a wider variety of options as the years go on. Right now, many video game enthusiasts are claiming that the world is currently in a golden age of video games development. New technologies have made some video game graphics almost indistinguishable from reality, leaving entire worlds for players to explore and get lost in. However, the most popular games vary widely by geographical location. 

In almost all fifty states in the United States, there is a completely unique game that is most popular. Hogwarts Legacy seems to be the most popular game across multiple states, being the game of choice for Texas, Idaho, Missouri, and New Mexico. High On Life, Zelda, and The Last of Us are other extremely popular games that have created a lot of buzz in other states. It seems that there is no definitive genre that seems to be garnering attention the most. In fact, zombie, sports, combat, and adventure video games all seem to be performing well, despite being unrelated. 

Gaming Outside of the US

Video games also have a dedicated fan base outside of the United States as well. There are millions of players worldwide that have their own preferences for their favorite games. For example, in the United Kingdom, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the most popular game. France favors less violence for their game of choice, preferring Pokemon Legends as their game of choice. Japan loves Pikmin, Russia has God of War: Ragnarok as their top pick, and Australia prefers Legend of Zelda. 

There are some video game genres that are widely played around the world. First person shooter games, such as Duck Hunt, are a very popular type of game. Action adventure games are highly played too. The Last of Us is one of the most popular games in the genre; its storyline revolves around the survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Simulation games have been popularized by Minecraft and other similar style games. Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games are well loved as well. For example, Honor of Kings has 100 million daily players, which is larger than the population size of entire countries. However, games in the sports genre are by far the most popular type of game, and are widely appreciated across all age demographics. FIFA has sold 325 million copies in 2023. 

Conclusion

These video game genres might be the most popular currently, but some new genres are breaking ground as the technology becomes more advanced. Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR games) have recently been taking the whole world by storm, and are only going to gain more traction. By 2027, it is predicted that both AR and VR will surpass 100 million users worldwide. Fitness gaming is also highly in demand, used by players who don’t want to be mobile while playing their favorite game. Just Dance and Wii Fit have been very popular in this segment for a long time. Finally, casino gaming is very popular, and has grown 30% since 2018. With so many gaming options to choose from, the sky’s the limit for the seasoned or novice gamer.