Computers have revolutionized our world. They open up unimagined possibilities, also for the world of games. As early as 1961, student Steve Russel developed the world’s first computer game: Spacewar! In 1972, the most famous video game ever followed: Pong, by Nolan Bushnell. A lot has happened since then: technology has evolved, the Internet has made gaming in online spaces possible.
What online games do children and young people play today? The gaming platform Steam shows that shooters, MMORPG, survival games, battle royals and sports games were played particularly frequently in 2022. These types of games are also trendy among young people. We present you these five popular genres of online games.
The word shooter comes from English (to shoot = to shoot) and refers to games in which the main objective is to eliminate opposing parties using firearms. In all shooters, the focus is on protecting your own threatened character. Team play, quick reactions and tactics are required. Shooters are often linked with an exciting game story and they come in countless variations. From highly tactical like Counter-Strike or Valorant to fast action like in Call of Duty there is a wide variety of games with different objectives. In first-person shooters, players control their character from a first-person perspective. We described whether first-person shooters promote violent behavior here.
MMORPG stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game” and combines elements of role-playing games with online worlds. The most famous representatives of the genre are Lost Ark World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV and Black Desert Online. The players slip into the role of a self-created character. You play with others and complete tasks (often called “quests” in these games). The focus of the individual games is very different. While players in World of Warcraft often team up with others to defeat dangerous enemies, in Guild Wars 2 players often fight each other in epic mass battles to capture and expand strongholds.
Besides tasks, MMORPG games offer a variety of other possibilities. Characters can learn a profession and earn gold or other currency with it. From the skilled cook to the blacksmith and the tanner to the jeweler, everything is there. In-character role-playing, in which players meet and interact with each other in character, is also common and offers similar incentives to improvisational theater.
Survival Games (Engl. “survive” = survive), such as for example ARK: Survival Evolved, The Forest, Rust or Minecraft attract with a very exciting gameplay, in which players start with a minimum of equipment and can build new items and even houses by collecting resources like wood, ores and co.
Depending on the game, players can explore technologies, travel an exciting but often dangerous world, and craft items. Most games can be played online together with others. Other game ends become either allies or opponents, with whom you either cooperate or fight for resources.
Battle Royale is the title of the first book written by Japanese author Koushun Takami in 1999. In the book, a school class is abandoned on an island and must survive there. However, only one person may remain. The successful book series The Tribute to Panem also works with a similar concept.
When the game PUBG: Battlegrounds was released in March 2017, it immediately raced to the top of the Steam charts. Soon other developers followed and tried to reinvent the genre. Fortnite , Paladins and Minecraft mods wrote success stories that continue to this day.
The game principle follows the novel templates: 100 players are let loose into a world and fight to be the last one left. You’ll start without equipment and you’ll have to find important resources in the game world to succeed and prevail. The playing field is constantly shrinking, which leads to the fact that game players inevitably have to meet and defeat each other. Things often get heated in the process, as we have already described in this article.
Another genre that has become indispensable are sports games. Fifa has been thrilling gamers of all ages for almost 30 years now.
Racing games like Formula 1, Dirt and Forza also inspire with a fast-paced gaming experience and realistic graphics. As in other sports, the primary attraction here is to compete with others. Traditional sports clubs have meanwhile eSports -teams, which also compete in sports games and tournaments.
The popular game genres are undergoing constant change, A good overview of current genres is provided by the USK’s encyclopedia.
No matter what genre is played, the focus is always on having fun. Your child needs the balance to the stressful school or training day and uses gaming to relax and entertain. Computer games are a great way to do something with friends, even if they live far away.
Stay interested and learn about age ratings and appropriate games for your child. If you feel your child is playing too much, talk openly about it and try to agree on rules together.
Fortnite has been one of the most popular online games among children and teenagers since its release in 2017. The game is approved for ages 12 and up, but is often used by much younger players.
Fortnite is a so-called battle royale game in which people fight against each other. There are currently three game variants: In the paid mode “Save The World” you have to build a fortress with other players to protect the last human survivors from zombies. Far better known and more popular is the free variant “Fortnite Battle Royale”, in which the goal is to kill all fellow players in order to survive yourself. There is also a creative mode, which is presented in our post Creative with Fortnite and Minecraft.
The game was available for free as an app for all mobile devices until the summer of 2020. Apple had banned the hit game from its App Store this year due to a legal dispute. Fortnite can be downloaded on Apple devices again via the streaming service GeForce Now since January 2022. There are currently two free subscriptions there, where you can play either one or six hours at a time. If you want to gamble longer, you have to switch to a premium subscription. Cost: €49.99 for 6 months.
Since the end of March 2022, the No Build mode was introduced for the release of the second season. Because the new mode prevents the construction of protective walls, gamers will have to figure out new tactics. The change pleases most fans, as it eliminates the hassle of building. That’s why many well-known Twitch streamers have returned to the game. Nevertheless, the new mode doesn’t change the original character of the game, but merely offers additional fun.
Rarely has a game generated so much hype. Certainly also because parts of the game are free and playable across different platforms. Moreover, it is easy to get into the game without any previous knowledge.
The gameplay is very exciting and provides plenty of adrenaline. Thus, game players must constantly be on guard, quickly hide from attackers and develop good strategies to survive. The round principle provides the incentive to do better in the next round than in the previous one. Funny details like the worldwide known joy and victory dances of the game characters add to the fun of the game.
Fortnite is heavily criticized because of the age rating from 12 years. Gun violence is the only, but necessary, course of action to win the game. Fortnite does not contain any detailed depictions of violence, there is no blood flowing, there are no corpses to be seen and the cartoon visuals also trivialize the violent gameplay. Still, the goal is to kill each other. Children in particular could lose awareness of this very quickly.
Fortnite is very nerve-racking, as you have to constantly scan your surroundings for threats. This pressure can cause stress and overwhelm in children. During the game rounds, many game pieces are quickly eliminated. This can cause frustration in a short time when it hits your own avatar.
To play Fortnite, you need to create an account with EPIC Games. To do this, it is necessary to provide an email address or that of an existing account, such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Nintendo, Playstation or Xbox.
The game allows you to purchase virtual currency, so-called V-Bucks. This can be used to buy virtual items like outfits, victory dances, or even access to weekly challenges with real money. These items and functions are not necessary for the game, but they are exciting, especially for children and teenagers. In recent years, the cooperation with well-known franchises such as Marvel or Star Wars has been expanded enormously, which should boost the voluntary in-app purchases. There are currently 46 Marvel skins available alone, and with a price between €10 and €20 per figure, that can get really expensive.
Children under 12 should not play the game in any case. If your child is older and has a desire to play Fortnite, preview the game yourself and talk to your child about why they find Fortnite interesting. Play together and let your child explain what it is all about and agree on common rules.
Also, try to make your child aware that Fortnite is about violence and it should not be underestimated. But that doesn’t mean that computer games necessarily make people violent.
Be there as a point of contact if your child encountersinappropriate content or uncomfortable play-along. Players who behave inappropriately can be reported via the game menu. Moreover, Fortnite has parental controls that you can set up for or together with your child.
In the game Overwatch two groups play against each other. The main theme is the struggle between good and evil, wrapped in cartoon visuals with animated background stories.
Overwatch is similar to games like
Fortnite
or
Valorant
.
In the game, gamers do not follow a specific storyline, but there is a background story, also called “lore”. This is about a team of heroes fighting a team of bad guys. However, all characters can be played in the game itself. Overwatch is set in a technologically advanced world. Due to the colorful and comic-like visuals, the game is relatively far away from reality.
At the beginning of each game round, each player chooses a hero. A distinction is made here between so-called tank heroes, support heroes and damage heroes. These have special abilities and thus must be chosen tactically wisely. There are different variations of the game played on different maps: “Attack”, in which two different teams have to take the area of the others, “Escort”, in which a group has to bring a cargo to a certain place, and “Control”, in which the groups try to fight for a point. It is played with up to six people in a group. You can talk to each other via a chat or the microphone.
Overwatch is a game that can be understood quickly. Due to the colorful visuals and the heroes with special abilities, youngsters quickly get into the game. Even for players who have not played many shooter games, the game is suitable. Due to the many heroes and game variants, the game does not get boring in the long run.
There are also tournaments up to championships in which teams from all over the world participate, the so-called Overwatch League. These competitions are broadcast on the Internet and are major events for fans of Overwatch.
Blizzard also regularly uploads elaborately produced background stories of the various heroes on Overwatch ‘s YouTube channel.
With a long tutorial, beginners will quickly find their way into the game. By awarding experience points to the winners and losers of a round, the game defuses and it is no longer important who won or lost. Also, at the end of the game, both teams can vote for who has performed particularly well.
Blizzard Entertainment also provides a catalog of rules of conduct for their games. Here, for example, there are references to player names that are inappropriate or hate speech. Such violations can be reported to Blizzard and will result in restrictions and exclusion from the game.
Overwatch is an online-only game. Internet access is therefore required to play.
In-game purchases with real money are possible, but they are not advertised and are not necessary for in-game performance. Nevertheless, the right skin, i.e. the right outfit for the game character, is important for many gamers. That’s why you should pay attention to what and how much your child buys and talk to him about it.
As a parent, pay attention to the USK age label and explain to your child why they are important. At the same time, it is helpful to exchange ideas with other parents whose children play Overwatch or comparable games.
If your child plays Overwatch because he is already 16 years old or you consider him mature enough, you should definitely talk to him about his gaming experience. Communication with other players is also crucial. Ask your child what they experience in the game and when interacting with other gamers.
Call of Duty is one of the world’s most successful first-person shooter games, which is also available as a free mobile version for cell phones. In it, you fight as a soldier against others or in a virtual war against aliens at breakneck speed. The goal is to destroy the enemies by force of arms, i.e. to shoot them.
The player slips into the role of a soldier and finds himself in different, historical or invented war theaters. There he engages in constant gun battles with enemies, as many of whom as possible must be killed. Multiplayer mode is played on the network against and with other people.
Since 2003 there has been a new part of the game series almost every year. There are more and more functions or other worlds as time goes on. However, the games do not build on each other. The most popular games in the series include “Black Ops”, “Ghosts” and “Modern Warfare”.
The fascination – regardless of whether the gamer is a teenager or an adult – is comparable to watching an action movie, except that the gamers themselves slip into the role of a soldier and fight against others. At the same time, the game looks very realistic and at the same time it is a simulation. This way of fighting is unimaginable for most gamers in reality.
Especially exciting are the challenges in the fight against others.
Young people – especially boys – are particularly attracted to games that are not yet designed for their age. They want to test themselves and try out or prove themselves to their peers by playing such games or pretending to do so. This does not always correspond to the truth!
Gun violence, poison gas and drone attacks, highly visible killing and bloodbaths are all part of the game. Due to its violent plot and atmosphere, the game is not suitable for children and teenagers. Nevertheless, it is also played by under-18s. Time and again, the effects of computer games like Call of Duty are discussed. The first-person shooter perspective is problematic, whereby events are shown from the character’s point of view. Whether this triggers a higher level of aggression due to a stronger identification with the character has not yet been scientifically confirmed.
The victim’s perspective or the consequences for society of a war are not addressed at any point in the game. Nevertheless, it is not a realistic war simulation.
The game is intended for adults 18 years and older. The publisher is Activision, one of the world’s largest games companies, headquartered in the USA. According to its terms of service, guardians can consent to an Activision account if their child is over the age of 13 and under the age of 18. However, the age classification of the USK that applies in Germany is not taken into account.
As a parent, you can decide whether or not to let your child play games that are not appropriate for their age according to the USK. You can best assess whether he or she can distinguish virtual violence from real violence and whether the depictions of war can have a frightening effect on your child. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that the age restrictions are not without reason. A game that is not suitable for minors should not be played by significantly younger children. On sites like spielbar.de or NRW-Spieleratgeber you can also read pedagogical assessments of different games in German.
Always stay in conversation with your child so that you know what they are playing and how they are using games. Also ask what your child is watching on YouTube. There may be videos about computer games – so-called Let’s Plays – that do not have a USK youth rating.
It’s not always true when kids tell you about friends who are supposedly allowed to play first-person shooters like Call of Duty. Exchange ideas with other parents about this. You must decide for yourself and your family what is best for them.
By the way, you can also lock Call of Duty via the family sharing feature or directly in the settings on your child’s smartphone, such as screen time on Apple devices.
