Role-playing games
Role playing games (RPGs) are computer, console, or tabletop games where players take over the roles of characters, usually in a sci-fi or fantasy setting. Especially with console games, the player controls more than one character, which could be a cleric, archer, barbarian, wizard, etc. RPGs make up a large part of the video gaming industry, accounting for over $1 billion in revenue worldwide.
Role playing games began in the 1970s with tabletop editions. The first popular RPG, Dungeons and Dragons, was invented in 1974 and has since been played by twenty million people worldwide. Not long after that, PC games like Ultima started coming out. These games developed a following throughout the 1980s; in 1987, Final Fantasy was released and went on to sell over 85 million copies worldwide.
Final Fantasy VII brought the role playing game into the mainstream beginning in 1997, and many more would follow. In 2004, World of Warcraft was released, becoming popular with more than just teenagers and young adults. Games like these provide a way for people around the world to cooperate and socialize, as opposed to games where people compete against one another. The future of the RPG genre is promising, as hundreds of games are released for both consoles and computers.