introduction to video game research

Video game research is a rapidly growing field, just as the video game industry continues to explode. It draws from a number of disciplines including media studies, education and learning theory, human-computer interaction (HCI), psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc. 

Research is done on all kinds of games. It should be noted that these days it's harder to classify games into neat categories, since there tends to be overlap and new genres of games continously being created. Roughly speaking, game types that are studied include:

Educational games. Also known as edutainment, these come in a variety of flavors -- single player drill and practice, immersive simulations and worlds, etc. The Jasper project is an example of a constructivist learning environment that let students develop ill-defined problem solving skills. Other software includes the Math Blaster series and Carmen Sandiego series.

Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), also known as Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) or simply, Role-playing games (RPGs). With origins in text-based MUDs and MOOs, these generally tend to be 3D, pervasive environments that are often more social in nature. Players often assume the roles of various characters (e.g. elves, dwarves, etc.) and perform tasks or engage in combat. Sometimes these are more collaborative and social than competitive. A typical RPG can incorporate teams or guilds. Examples of these kinds of games include: World of Warcraft, Everquest 2, Lineage 2, etc.

Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs). These are a special kind of MMOG that may feature an emphasis on building (e.g. Second Life) or social interaction (e.g. There)

Training and simulations (e.g. America's Arrmy). Emphasis is on realism rather than fantasy. These are often used for science education or various kinds of hands-on training (e.g. surgery simulations). Other popular simulation games include the Sim series (e.g. The Sims)

Action and adventure games. These are traditionally the most common form of games. Pong and Kings Quest are examples of vintage games that were popular. More recently, games like the Grand Theft Auto series have been studied.

Strategy and puzzle games - Puzzle games can involve logic, strategy, problem solving, pattern recognition, etc. Games include Civilization IV, Age of Empires, Tetris, Sudoku, BrainAge, etc.

Sports games - Popular sports games such as Madden NFL 2007 or Fifa World Cup Soccer allow players to experience the excitement of sports.

Fighting games - Perhaps the most well known fighting games include Dead or Alive series, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.

First person shooters (FPS) - often characterized by a first-person perspective that simulates the point of view of the character being played. Popular FPS games include Doom 3, Halo, and Unreal Tournament.