Issue 1.3: Genres Are Not Generic
Game & Word: Volume 1, Issue 3
Game & Word: Volume 1, Issue 3
NOTE: Thank you so much to those who wrote to me with such wonderful feedback about last week’s issue! If you don’t mind, please hit the “heart” button at the top or bottom of this post if you enjoyed reading it. Doing so helps my discoverability, which helps Game & Word survive and grow. Thank you! 😊
Summary: In this issue, we’ll explore what genres are, and how they manifest in video games compared to other media. We’ll also take a high-level look at gaming’s three broad categories, to which all the medium’s genres belong.
Table of Contents (Issue 3: Monday, Jan. 17, 2022)
Feature, Chapter 3: Genres Are Not Generic
Food for Talk: Discussion Prompts
Further Reading
Game & Word-of-Mouth
Footnotes
CORRECTIONS & ERRATA: At the end of last week’s issue, I signed off with a teaser for this week about a Greek warrior-king explaining the evolution of the Final Fantasy franchise. Alas, upon further fleshing out the concept, I realized the analogy didn’t hold up to scrutiny. As such, I decided against including it.
I sincerely apologize for the confusion and promise to be more mindful about what I tease for future issues.
Chapter 3: “Genres Are Not Generic”
Good morning, everyone!
Over the last couple of weeks, we twisted our brains in knots in order to properly define video games. And we concluded that video games are… just that. Games.
But as I also hinted at, not every game is created alike. Every game is different. And yet, not every game is original—just like in any medium.
While appealing to different audiences, creators will take note of what’s worked in the past, and try to replicate it (ideally in spirit, not by the letter). After a while, these tricks of the trade—called “tropes”—start to form and congeal. Certain tropes start appearing together more and more frequently as creators try them out in their works, each time putting their own spin and flair on them.
Each of these new creations codifies, enriches, and builds on these tropes. If this goes on long enough, a new genre is born.