On Genre
Isn’t it all just a simulation? On a Discord server I share with developer friends an interesting conversation started around video game genre which helped clarify and develop some of my own thoughts on the subject. It started with folks discussing the original Sim City, why is it a “simulation” (aka “sim”) game and why other titles, such as the Civilization series, or other genres, such as roguelikes, are or are not considered sims. I believe that sims is such a large umbrella term with low utility. At most it refers to “games with significantly complex detailed systems and variables" (colony sims, tycoon games, etc) or alternatively "games that resemble a simulacrum of reality whether fantastical or realistic" (shop sims, life sims, flight sims) but it is a porous genre label that applies to a wide swath of highly dissimilar titles. Digging into more specific sub genres of sim games, such as colony sims (Dwarf Fortress, Rimworld) or immersive sims (Thief, Deus Ex) the ...
