‘Pay to Win’ has become an infamous term in the gaming world.

Users and players willing to shell out a few extra bucks to access features that are normally unlocked as the game progresses can give some serious advantage, especially in online games.

This presents an unfair balancing issue within the online communities.

What if a gamer is dedicated but doesn’t have the cash to pay for a rare weapon or endgame upgrade early on?

It irritates gamers to no end and unfortunately doesn’t show signs of stopping.

Game companies can earn more income for eager gamers trying to avoid grinding in games.

The 3 Worst Pay to Win Games

APB Reloaded

APB, an MMO where ‘cops and robbers’ come to life, has been an outlier in this field due to its reskinning of weapons already in-game and selling them as new. Although sporting a deep customization system and no shortage of players, even in recent years, opinions are still somewhat sour.

Reddit user Minty_chu chose it as their pick in the ‘Most Notorious “Pay to Win” Games’ thread on r/gaming:

“APB Reloaded is my #1 pick.
Tried it for half a week, everyone who played in this game had a DRASTIC upper hand. It was absurd and halfway from unplayable if you didn’t drain your wallet.”

This is a terrible thing to come across in-game. You’re either forced to grind out levels to get the same weapons that other gamers can just open their wallets for and get instantly. And even THEN, the weapons are nothing but reskins. It’s one thing to not play a game for years, come back online and see everyone has gotten great gear.

That’s the nature of the beast. But to see gamers buy items that need the effort to acquire getting them instantly is disheartening, and I could see why many people would be tempted to leave these games in droves. In this case, APB proves to be in its own genre: pay to win games.

Dungeon Keeper (2014)

Based on the 1997 strategy game Dungeon Keeper, the *new* Dungeon Keeper has earned an insane amount of criticism for its crippling pay-to-win system.

When confronted with the issues, the developers said that they didn’t intend to make it pay to win. They went on to claim that everything in the game is free; that one can start the game and acquire all goods and items for free.

This statement, at face value, is technically correct: anyone can play this game for free and get everything. However, the odds are so stacked against those who don’t take advantage of microtransactions in the game that they might as well not play the 2014 strategy game.

The time it would take to grind for those items that can be bought in seconds is staggeringly high. It seems to me that EA was just, (unsuccessfully), trying to save face.

Luckily, the game’s developers have since expressed regret over their reliance on microtransactions and were forced to add more explanation about the pay-to-win features on the App Store and other places by the British ASA.

I wonder if getting outside corporations involved with gaming practices is a good or bad thing going into the future, but I’m personally glad that the developers were held accountable for their practices.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a free-to-play MMORPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. It received mixed reviews from critics and was also criticized for its pay-to-win model. A member of r/gaming wrote:

“Don’t even bother trying to PvP unless you’ve spent a ton of money in the Zen shop. Buying an epic mount? Enjoy saving for months and months and months trying to get millions of Astral Diamonds. Or you can just buy it–instantly.”

This is a heartbreaking view on the pay-to-win games out there. In the old Neverwinter games, there was no pay to win at all; players had to level throughout the story and actually earn their gear or spells.

I remember playing Neverwinter Nights years ago and enjoying going on quests, discovering hidden items and areas, meeting interesting characters. What happened to it? It pretty much takes the actual game out of the game, making it just an exercise in opening your wallet to balance the playing field.

The 3 Best Pay to Win Games

Maple Story

A true online classic, 2D side-scrolling MMORPG Maple Story was released way back in 2003. A beloved game by South Korean company Wizet with publisher Nexon, it has received nearly $3 billion in revenue over its lifetime. However, as dedicated as the fan base can be, there are some players that long for those lost days.

Reddit’s r/gaming user PanoramaMan said of Maple Story:

“Friends of mine have even told me that they had to abandon Maple Story after experiencing frustrating issues with the pay to win model. They needed cubed items and couldn’t get them, leaving others to acquire the newest content, leaving my friends in the dust. It takes the very soul out of the game.”

Wizet shouldn’t have to resort to expensive upgrades that take the challenge out of everything and alienate its player base, especially with all of that revenue. Talk about greedy.

Games should create a challenge and balanced leveling systems based on a player’s game time, not their wallets or their willingness to get the best gear without the proper work being put in. Game developers, unfortunately taking advantage of gamers’ passions for these titles, seem to be making off like bandits.

Clash of Clans

The wildly popular Clash of Clans, unfortunately, suffers from the pay-to-win model in its own way. Join one of the many clans and have a go at building your own village, all including barbarians and strategy game goodness.

However, if you want to build your buildings faster, or train more troops quickly, you have to pony up the cash in the form of ‘gems’ in-game.

A famous ‘Clash’ player, Jorge Yao, had achieved notoriety on the game’s leaderboards, but at a great cost: Spending $3000 on Clash of Clans within the first few months of his fame.

Gamers are forced to either sink the money in or spend hours—like Jeorge Yao who would often play for 48-hour stretches of time—trying to defend against other players and getting your name on the top of the lists.

Amusingly enough, someone had calculated what it would take to essentially ‘beat’ the game from its starting point, totaling up to an unbelievable $15,000—$18,000 price tag.

Warframe

A free-to-play online coop game, Warframe was released in 2013 on PC, and PlayStation 4, and 2014 on Switch and Xbox One. Right now, it’s one of the most played games on Steam, no mean feat.

The developer, Digital Extremes, was very hands-on with the community, helping it turn from a mediocre release to a great gaming community that flourishes online. The game includes shooting, parkour, and classic role-playing elements. Much like the Monster Hunter series, the player is in fast-paced combat and grinds for gear.

The pay-to-win model is also found in gems like Warframe.

An anonymous user from r/gaming in the ‘BEST pay to win games’ thread on r/gaming states:

“Warframe’s model to pay to win is somewhat unconventional. You can cut out the grinding, sure, but the bonuses you acquire will help everyone in the game, as well as your money going directly to the developers so they can tweak issues or even add more content to play around with.”

The passion displayed by players and developers alike for the betterment of the game is a great thing to see, especially in light of more toxic gaming communities. Perhaps the pay-to-win model works better in a coop game rather than a head-to-head multiplayer game where the stakes are high every time you strap in to hunt down the other team?

Reading cautionary tales about pay to win models has worried me. Tales of family members paying time after time in certain games to acquire newer or more powerful weapons or armor have some people left in debt. You shouldn’t have to worry about your loved ones falling prey to these pay-to-win models.

Like I said before, games should be a balanced experience for everyone, not just the privileged few who can afford upgrades via microtransactions. Some players even enjoy the grinding, actually playing the game the way it was meant to be played and acquiring all items, secret and rare. The pay-to-win model can harbor good and beloved games, but at what cost?

What is a MOBA?

As gamers, we happen to be pretty familiar with them, even if we’ve never actually played one. MOBA stands for ‘Multiplayer Online Battle Arena’.

MOBAs make up a large chunk of the gaming population, originally spawning from real-time strategy games. Blizzard played a large role in the story of MOBA games and their popularity.

With their iconic releases of StarCraft and Warcraft, (specifically Warcraft III), they set the stage for a more interactive experience and user-based content.

Harnessing the creator’s toolkit via game editing programs, people modded these games to experience all on their own, only sharing color palettes and game sprites.

All that said, what are the best MOBA games?

The Best MOBA Games Right Now

Smite

Released in 2014, Smite is still going strong into 2023. Developed by Hi-Rez Studios, Smite allows the player to take on the role of a god or goddess in a third-person perspective, then subsequently engaging in combat with other players. I was taken aback when I learned the stakes people played this game at it currently has a million-dollar esports pool. Maybe there’s something to it.

The big draw for this MOBA is Conquest mode, where 2 teams of 5 players go at it in the arena. Players are allowed resources to buy weapons and other upgrades before the round starts, (reminding me of Counter-Strike), and both teams begin the round at their teams’ ‘fountain’, or home base. The goal is to kill the other teams ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Titan’.

A feature of Smite that I dig is the level of customization. You can choose from nearly one hundred characters, all originating in myths from different cultures. As a mythology nerd, I’m already all-in with Smite.

They’re even adding another pantheon of heroes from the King Arthur stories. Don’t worry, Nintendo Switch players; you’ll get your chance to play one of the best MOBAs. The Switch version of Smite is planned for a February 19th, 2019 release date.

What Makes It Great

Unique Perspective: Smite’s third-person camera angle provides a fresh take on the MOBA genre, making it feel more like an action RPG. This perspective also affects gameplay elements like map awareness, making it more challenging and dynamic.

Character Variety: The game features gods from seven different mythologies, each with unique abilities and roles. The third-person perspective enhances some of these abilities, like Thor’s “Anvil of Dawn,” which launches you into the sky.

Complex Combat: Unlike other MOBAs, every ranged ability in Smite is an aimed skill shot, and your position and direction are crucial when playing as a melee character. This adds a layer of complexity to combat.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The game Smite is generally considered to have a steep learning curve, especially for newcomers. The complexity of the game, with its variety of gods and abilities, adds to the challenge.

Heroes of the Storm

Blizzard makes its first appearance on the list with 2015’s Heroes of the Storm. It was released on Microsoft Windows and Mac. Blizzard shies away from calling Heroes of the Storm a MOBA game—instead, they refer to it as a ‘hero brawler’, and they’re not wrong: Heroes of the Storm includes everyone’s favorite Blizzard characters in the roster.

It’s veritable who’s who in gaming characters. Tracer, Genji, Gul’Dan, Leoric, and others all make an appearance, 85 of them in all. My personal favorite is The Butcher from the first Diablo. I used to be so scared of him while playing when I was younger, but now I can harness his evil power to beat my enemies—I’d say that’s pretty good character development.

Again, the prize pool is massive: the most recent tournament had a 1,000,000 prize.

Using Blizzard’s Battle.net, players are thrust into intense 5v5 battles on 15 different maps. It even includes mounts, something World of Warcraft players are familiar with. This is one of the best MOBAs around, and worth checking out long into the future.

What Makes It Great

Streamlined Systems: Unlike traditional MOBAs, there’s no gold or items to worry about. This allows players to focus more on team fights and objectives rather than farming.

Unique Characters: The game features characters from various Blizzard franchises, each bringing their own unique abilities and styles to the battlefield.

Innovative Hero Design: Some heroes, like Cho’Gall, are designed to be controlled by two players simultaneously, offering a unique gameplay experience.

Interesting Facts

• Player Base: At its peak in 2017, HotS was almost as popular as Dota 2. Although those days are gone, it would still easily be among the top 20 most played games on Steam if available there.
• Queue Time: In big regions like North America or Europe, you can find a quick match in less than a minute almost at any time of the day.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Heroes of the Storm is generally considered to be easier to pick up for newcomers compared to other MOBA games like League of Legends. The game emphasizes team play and offers a variety of maps and objectives, making it strategically rich. While it is easy to get into, mastering the game can be challenging.

League of Legends

League of Legends, aka LoL aka League, was developed by Riot Games for Windows and Mac in 2009. Defense of the Ancients, or DotA, directly inspired it. A feature I like from League is that every game takes place in its match, meaning that players all start on the same footing, leaving it up to the player to advance and get better skills and items.

League of Legends has a richly detailed backstory, with an original fantasy environment being written around the different champions, something I like over the other MOBAs. Destroying the opposing team’s nexus is the goal of the game, and you need to battle your way through a wide and wild array of character types: ranging from Eldritch horror to steampunk.

Riot Games is extremely active in the game’s development, even holding their own eSports league: League of Legends Championship Series. The 2014 world championship had a whopping $2.13 million prize. Game times vary, sometimes running up to 45 minutes, but players are in an agreement that it’s closer to 30 to 35 minutes in length.

Currently, there are 143 champions in the game, divided into 7 classes: Controller, Fighter, Mage, Marksman, Slayer, Tank, and Specialist.

What Makes It Great

Item System: League has a comprehensive item system where killing minions, enemy champions, and towers grants you gold. This gold can be spent on hundreds of items, each with unique stat-boosting powers, adding another layer of strategy to the game.

Constant Evolution: The game has evolved significantly since its release, with every new character adding new mechanics and complexity. This keeps the game fresh and engaging for long-term players.

Mental Engagement: The game is mentally taxing but in a rewarding way. It’s not a game you play to relax; it’s a game you play to be challenged.

Interesting Facts

• It’s One of the Two Biggest MOBA Games in the World: League of Legends is huge. Popularity begets popularity. LoL is a premiere eSport, and as such has notable visibility worldwide. MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. LoL is perfectly suited for this “realm” of gaming.
• According to the recent League of Legends statistics, 2022 has seen 31,512,723 peak players per day, totaling 180 million average monthly players.
• Judging by LoL stats, the game attracts players worldwide, but 14.44% of users are from the United States.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

League of Legends is considered a difficult game to learn, especially for beginners. The game has a steep learning curve, with various mechanics, strategies, and a large pool of champions to understand.

Dota 2

The sequel to the originator of MOBAs, Dota 2 was released on PC, Linux, and OS X in 2013. This isn’t just a pretty coat of paint on an existing engine; it’s a massive upgrade using the Source 2 engine. In it, players control their ‘hero’, or player character, and face off against other players, usually in two teams of 5, something very common with MOBAs.

As with other similar games, during the match, your goal is to defeat the other players, collecting loot along the way. Dota 2 has been cited as being one of the best MOBAs and best games of all time—not a title to be taken lightly. I can see why, as the gameplay is very rewarding and downright addictive.

It’s only fitting that the sequel to the grandfather of MOBAs is one of the best.

Of course, Dota 2 has an insanely large competitive gaming scene. Tournaments and leagues all over the world compete with each other in this richly detailed environment. Valve itself outs on the largest one in Seattle. The prize pool of Dota 2 in 2018 was an unthinkable $25,532,177 split between multiple teams.

The first-place finishers in the International Dota 2 Championship were team OG, taking home their share of the massive prize—$11,234,158 between its 5 members. Matches can last up to 45-50 minutes. I read a player’s experience that he was in a grueling 2-hour long match, taking a lot of stamina to complete the game.

Can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, friend!

What Makes It Great

Depth of Gameplay: Dota 2 is described as one of the deepest games in terms of gameplay mechanics. It requires players to manage resources and economy, meticulously, making every decision crucial.

Item and Talent Complexity: The game offers a wide range of items and talent trees that allow for multiple strategies. This adds another layer of depth, especially in the late game where decisions can be game-changing.

Dynamic Game Environment: Dota 2 is ever-changing, with frequent game patches that introduce new mechanics, items, and heroes.

Interesting Facts

• Dota 2 was the most played game on Steam for the longest time. However, in 2018, PUBG broke the record
• Most people know that Dota first began as a modification of Warcraft 3. However, it was inspired by the map ‘Aeon of Strife’ in StarCraft, making that map the true legacy from which the popular gaming genre started.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Dota 2 is considered to be a challenging game for beginners. The game has a steep learning curve and is not forgiving to new players. The community can be toxic, especially to newcomers who are still learning the ropes.

Even with friends to guide you, the game’s complexity and the skill level of other players can make the initial experience daunting.

Find more statistics at Statista

Strife

Strife was released in 2015 on Linux and Windows and was developed by S2 Games, a game studio based out of California. Something that immediately caught my attention about Strife and S2 Games was their aim to stop toxicity in the gaming community, something that I think can get overbearing and abusive.

They somewhat streamlined Heroes of Newerth into Strife to appeal to more casual players of MOBAs. Strife pits two teams of players against each other, with the main goal being to destroy the opposing team’s structure. The structure, dubbed ‘the Crux’, reminds me of the Nexus in League of Legends.

A player chooses a hero to stick with for a game’s running time, usually about 30-40 minutes, and can level that hero up outside of the game by winning experience points.

What Makes It Great

Role-Playing Elements: Strife is not just a first-person shooter; it incorporates role-playing game elements. NPCs in the game are not just targets; they offer quests that move the story forward.

Variety in Combat: The game starts slow but can get intense, resembling the action. It offers a range of weapons and items, including stealth kill weapons like the punch dagger and crossbow.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Strife is considered an easy game to pick up and learn. It has simplified gameplay and controls compared to similar games of its era, and it incorporates RPG elements that add depth without making it overly complex

Vainglory

Vainglory advertises itself as the ‘no compromise cross-platform MOBA’ and comes in as the first primarily mobile MOBA on the best MOBAs list. Originally released for iOS and Android devices back in 2014 & 2015, Vainglory is currently in Alpha on Windows and Mac.

Published by Super Evil Megacorp, Vainglory was originally displayed at Apple’s iPhone 6 announcement to show off the hardware, software, and graphical power of their (then) new device. The player’s goal is to ultimately control the path between their and their opponent’s bases.

They can venture off of the path, avoiding or battling AI turrets and other monsters, to gain resources and help their team to victory. This is a cross-platform title, meaning people on all three different release platforms can play in the same match with each other.

That’s something I dig about this game, and frankly, it should be a mainstay in the gaming world by now. Vainglory’s version of the game’s hero is called the ‘avatar’, which the player controls along with 4 others on their team. The goal is to make way pass enemy turrets and destroy the ‘Vain crystal’.

This should take anywhere from 20-30 minutes on average, so it’s relatively quick to play compared to MOBAs like Dota 2. Right now, players can choose between 48 different avatars, plunging themselves into a beautifully rendered world with detailed shadows and textures. The original number of avatars? Seven.

I have to applaud Super Evil Megacorp on their dedication to updating this game so much and building on their past experiences and their influential cross-platform play. See a full list of cross-platform MOBAs.

What Makes It Great

Well-Balanced Mechanics: The game mechanics are well-balanced, and the power scaling is well-polished, making it a game that follows in the footsteps of LoL and DOTA 2 but with its unique twists.

NPC Involvement: Vainglory features non-player characters called Minions that stop the enemy team from advancing. Behind these Minions are turret towers that add another layer of defense.

Diverse Hero Pool: Vainglory offers 52 different heroes, each with unique abilities and powers. Players can unlock these heroes by playing the game and climbing the ranks, providing a sense of progression.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The game is complex and stays true to the MOBA genre, featuring a large map, multi-dimensional heroes, and intricate item strategies. While it offers a rich gameplay experience, it is not necessarily easy for newcomers to the MOBA genre.

Arena of Valor

An adaptation of the Chinese variant MOBA, Wangzhe Rongyao, Arena of Valor was released in 2016 in Taiwan. Little by little it then released into different countries all over the world onto mobile devices, eventually culminating in the world-wide release on the Nintendo Switch in September of 2018.

Arena of Valor was published by Tencent Games, which I didn’t realize was the largest video game company in the world. They hail from China and focus primarily on online games, notably PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on the mobile.

Arena of Valor started as the brainchild of Tencent games after they approached Riot Games, developers of League of Legends, asking if they could develop it into one of their mobile titles. The creators of League didn’t bite, saying that it was strictly to be on non-mobile platforms, as being on mobile would decrease the integrity of the gameplay and graphics.

Players take on the role of the heroes, a choice from a roster of 78 characters. These range from the lighthearted ones like Wisp, a small child piloting a mech, to the actual Chinese historical figure from the Three Kingdoms era, Lu Bu, (albeit highly fictionalized).

This game has been dubbed the ‘kingpin of pocket gaming’, and has amassed over 200 million players.

What Makes It Great

Hero Diversity and Customization: With over 39 heroes to choose from, each falling into one of six different classes, players have a wide array of options. The game also allows for further customization through the Arcana Pool, letting players tailor heroes to their play style.

Multiple Game Modes: Arena of Valor offers a variety of game modes, including Ranked Matches, Standard Matches, Custom Matches, and Arcades. This keeps the gameplay fresh and caters to different player preferences.

Game Duration: The game offers quick, action-packed games with importance on both micro and macro gameplay.

Interesting Facts

• Player Demographics: More than half of the players in Arena of Valor are women, accounting for 54% of the player base.
• Playable on Nintendo Switch: The game is not limited to mobile platforms; it is also playable on the Nintendo Switch console
• Global Market: Tencent aims to make the game widely accepted in other countries and is willing to make adjustments to the heroes to suit different markets.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Arena of Valor is a complex MOBA game with a variety of roles and heroes, each with specific objectives and skills. While the game does offer a guide for new players and features straightforward controls designed for touchscreen devices, it still has a learning curve due to its complexity

Defense of the Ancients

The one that blazed a trail, perhaps one of the best MOBAs, the original Dota paved the way for all other entries on the list.

It started as a mod for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne; in which you need to team up and destroy the other team’s ‘Ancient’, or their structure in their section of the map.

This game is why I love it when creators give the players access to world editors.

Because Blizzard allowed for such creations in their WarCfrat III World Editor, a whole genre, and internet phenomenon was born. Dota was released in 2003 by designers Eul, Steve Feak, and IceFrog.

Two teams dubbed the Sentinel and the other the Scourge, must vie for control of the map and destroy the other team’s aforementioned Ancient.

Players choose their hero, one of a staggering 112 possible choices, leaving an amazing amount of replay for the players. Players gain combat gold by destroying enemy players or other creatures, giving their team an advantage in the way of resources. This game has been called ‘the ultimate RTS’, which I wholeheartedly agree with.

It’s a step up from the RTS style of gameplay, opening up avenues, literally, as the ones on the game map, and those avenues of creativity of the players given free rein with resources, time, and creative vision.

What Makes It Great

Focus on Individual Strength: Unlike traditional RTS games that require resource management and base-building, DotA focuses on strengthening individual heroes. Players earn experience points and gold by killing computer-controlled units and enemy heroes, which they can use to level up and buy items.

Game Modes: DotA offers a variety of game modes, allowing for a flexible and customizable gaming experience. The game modes can dictate the difficulty of the scenario and whether heroes are chosen or assigned randomly

Influence and Legacy: DotA has inspired other popular games in the genre, like League of Legends, and has been credited with revolutionizing the MOBA genre.

Interesting Facts

• Influence: DotA is largely attributed as being the most significant inspiration for the MOBA genre. Valve acquired the intellectual property rights to DotA in 2009 to develop Dota 2, which was released in 2013.
• Cultural Impact: The game was so popular that it inspired a song by Swedish musician Basshunter that cracked the top ten singles charts in several Northern European countries.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Defense of the Ancients (DotA) is a complex and challenging game. The game requires a deep understanding of teamwork, strategy, and game mechanics. It also demands quick reflexes and adaptability to different situations.

Mobile Legends

Bang Bang: Strictly a mobile entry, as the name states, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was released in 2016 exclusively for Android devices. Later that year it was ported to iOS devices as well. Mobile Legends was developed by Moonton and is exclusively released in China, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Sure, it follows the hallmarks of the best MOBA titles like Dota and Dota 2, but this game was the first MOBA to include a Battle Royale mode; something that is taking the gaming world by storm.

Moonton ran into a bit of trouble when Riot Games, (developers of League of Legends), claimed that Moonton not only used a logo that looked too similar to League’s, but that they had stolen elements of maps from Riot Games. Moonton lost the lawsuit and ended up having to pay $2.9 million for the offenses.

Hopefully, Moonton will recover from this setback and keep producing more content for their game, so mobile players can still have access to a mobile MOBA.

What Makes It Great

Mind Development: The game is compared to Chess for its ability to train the mind and promote strategic thinking. It encourages decision-making that leads to positive outcomes and mental growth.

Mobility and Convenience: The game is designed for handheld devices, making it convenient to play anywhere, anytime. It also has reliable and consistent servers

Teamwork and Social Interaction: Mobile Legends fosters friendship and teamwork. It offers a team-based environment that allows for easy interaction with other gamers and friends.

Interesting Facts

Longevity and Cultural Impact: With over a billion downloads, Mobile Legends has a lasting impact and is considered a part of gaming history. It has a strong online community with over a million users on its platform at any given time.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The game offers a complicated in-game environment with simple mechanics, making it easy to learn but hard to master

Battlerite

Stunlock Studios released its MOBA, Battlerite, in the Fall of 2017 for Microsoft Windows. There’s an upcoming port due for release in 2018, but it’s still a secret. In Battlerite, players are introduced to their brand of heroes—Champions. Champions are broken down into their three attributes: offense, defense, and movement abilities.

The matches are much shorter than what you’re used to, due to many of the same MOBA elements that gamers are familiar with being nonexistent in Battlerite. Gone are the objectives to destroy the other team’s structure and gone are destroying AI-controlled characters for resources. Stunlock wanted to focus on action-filled gameplay, and they’ve worked it out in a great way.

They’re going to pursue making a standalone version of Battlerite and remove its free-to-play aspect. Maybe this will lead Stunlock to make a new subset of a MOBA or hone the MOBA genre into the next form it’s going to take. The best MOBAs are no stranger to innovators, so it’s fun to speculate on the future.

What Makes It Great

Fast-Paced Matches: The game features quick 10-minute matches, making it easier for players to engage in multiple sessions without feeling drained. The fast pace keeps the adrenaline pumping throughout the game.

Champion Depth: Although the game has a relatively smaller roster of 24 champions, each champion offers a unique set of skills and abilities. Players can also customize their champions further with “Battlerites,” which are adjustments that slightly augment a champion’s existing skills.

Consequential Movement: The game places a strong emphasis on the movement and positioning of your champion. The difference between winning and losing can come down to a single frame, making every dash, spell, and key click feel consequential.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The game is skill-shot-based and requires a good understanding of mechanical skills and hero abilities. The game can be hard, especially when trying to master specific heroes.

Heroes of Newerth

2010 was the year of S2 Game’s original MOBA, Heroes of Newerth. As I said before in the list, Strife was an offshoot of this title, desiring more streamlined access for more casual players. Heroes of Newerth was transferred to Frostburn Studios when S2 pooled all their time and energy into making Strife one of the best MOBAs.

Heroes of Newerth separates the two teams in terms of ‘Legion’ or ‘Hellbourne’, and their central structure is based on their team affiliation, specifically the World Tree or the Sacrificial Shrine, respectively. The perfect mix of skills is essential for pummeling your enemy and making them surrender.

Game times can range from 25-40 minutes depending on all factors, so you could either have a quick play or a deep intensive match that tests your true skill. The eSports prize pool for the HON Pre-Season of Professional League 2015 was $236,185.14, so get out there and make some bank playing MOBAs!

Update: Heroes of Newerth shut down its operations for good on June 20, 2022. Frostburn Studios made the announcement on Facebook expressing their gratitude for all the support that they received in the past years.

Awesomenauts

The cartoonish yet loveable and addicting Awesomenauts was developed by Ronimo Games and released in 2012 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Linux, OS X, and Windows, while the newer version for the most recent console generation in 2016. The availability on all platforms is a plus. It’s a 2D style game, featuring the Awesomenauts, the heroes of the game.

Awesomenauts are vastly different from each other in skill, making matches even more fun and intense than usual for even the best MOBAs. Games are played mostly 3v3 matches where the opposing team’s Solar Collector becomes the objective to destroy. Something I like about the design of this game is that it spices up the maps.

For example, one map has a giant monster in a pit to be a pain to players trying to destroy their enemy. Matches are usually quick—about 20 minutes. It became free-to-play in 2017.

What Makes It Great

Humor and Absurdity: The game is filled with absurd and hilarious characters, like a monkey with a laser-mounted jetpack, adding a unique flavor to the MOBA genre.

Tactical Gameplay: Despite its silly nature, Awesomenauts takes its strategy seriously. It requires patience and commitment, especially when playing against high-ranked players with superior characters.

Unique Spin on MOBA: The game offers a different take on the traditional MOBA genre, making even vetted MOBA players look at the genre in a new light.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Awesomenauts is not considered an easy game for new players to get into. The game has a level system that locks certain items, putting newcomers at a disadvantage. Additionally, it features a long and unskippable tutorial that has been criticized as a barrier to entry. While the game has a passionate community, these factors make it less welcoming for those who are new to the game.

Demigod

Released back in 2009 on Windows, Demigod is a title developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Stardock. Much like Awesomenauts and Heroes of Newerth, the game’s title derives from the name of the player characters in the game—Demigods going to battle against one another.

The Demigods are classified into two different groups—the Assassins and Generals. These two categories are vastly different in terms of gameplay. Assassins are suited best for the player that wants to outright defeat their opponent in brute combat, while the Generals are much more nuanced in strategy and support.

The Generals populate the arena with minions and demigods to stop the opposing team. Overall, there are 10 demigods available to play, with the specific choices being narrowed down to whether you play Assassin or General.

I like this unique setup with the two types. It allows for a more strategic and more carefully planned action of attack, much like the standard RTS games that MOBAs derive from.

What Makes It Great

Time as a Resource: In Demigod, time is your most crucial resource. The choices you make on how to spend your time in the game can determine victory or defeat. Whether it’s retreating to heal or capturing a flag for a special bonus, every decision counts.

Tactical Choices: The game forces you to make dozens of choices that could turn the tide of battle. Whether it’s deciding which part of the battlefield you can make the most difference at, or choosing to upgrade your citadel, the game keeps you on your toes.

Online Experience: Despite initial networking issues, the game aims to offer a fantastic online multiplayer experience.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

For Demigod, the absence of tutorials and poor documentation make it particularly unwelcoming for newcomers. Unlike some other games that might offer straightforward gameplay or community support to ease the learning curve, Demigod seems to throw players into the deep end without much guidance.

Monday Night Combat

Uber Entertainment and Microsoft Game Studios released Monday Night Combat on PC and Xbox 360 in 2011. Presented in an amusing ‘Monday Night Football’ spoof of the future, Monday Night Combat is a third-person team shooter. The main goal is to destroy the other team’s Moneyball within the arena.

The teams are made of players of clone soldiers duking it out in the arena. This game blurs the lines, in a good way, of what it is. It borrows heavily from RTS games, tower defense titles, and MOBAs, creating a nice mixture of the genres. Teams of 6 players engage in ‘Crossfire’, the game’s standard mode of play. Each clone soldier has its unique look and stats.

It reminds me a lot of Team Fortress 2 in its personality and design choices.

What Makes It Great

Blend of Genres: Incorporates elements of third-person shooting, tower defense, and MOBAs, offering a unique gameplay experience.

Turrets and Bots: Includes various types of turrets and bots, providing an additional layer of tactical decision-making.

Class Diversity: Offers six unique classes, each with distinct weapons, skills, and upgrades, enhancing replayability and strategic depth.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

In the case of Monday Night Combat, the unique twist is its time-specific gameplay window. This means you’re not just learning the game; you’re racing against the clock to get your playtime in.

While the community seems to love the game, this time constraint could be a real hurdle for newcomers who need more flexible hours to get the hang of things.

Realm of the Titans

Realm of the Titans broke onto the scene in 2010 in China and 2011 in North America on Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Ningbo Shengguang Tianyi, a Shanghai-based studio. The developers had gone to Australia to study, becoming giant fans of the best MOBAs out there, igniting the fire inside them to make their title.

There are 168 heroes in the game and 5 skills that can be used by each. The developer also keeps adding more heroes to play, increasing the playability and replayability of the game.

A cool feature included in this MOBA is four bosses that lurk in the corners of the game maps. Players can kill these bosses, triggering the other bosses to turn into the ‘creep’ AI.

What Makes It Great

Phases and Adaptation: The game allows players to adapt their skills to different phases of the match, such as laning or team fights, making the gameplay dynamic.

Adaptable Skill System: The game introduces a unique Titan Skills system that allows players to choose an additional skill at the start of each match. These skills can be swapped every 3 minutes, allowing for adaptive strategies.

Skill Variety: Realm of the Titans offers a whopping 25 external abilities that can be used on any hero, providing a wide range of tactical options.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The gameplay is straightforward but offers depth in terms of strategies and mechanics.

Prime World

Prime World is a unique blend of MMO and MOBA. Released by developer Nival in 2014 on Windows, Prime World frames the MOBA gameplay through an interesting narrative. The two main nations, the Keepers of Adornia and the Dokht Imperium, are warring for dominance over the main resource in the game world: Prime.

From the comforts of their castle, players vie for victory over a map versus other players for the mysterious and godly substance of Prime. I love this fantasy story within a MOBA, something that I feel is missing. You could have the best MOBA, but for me, I need a little meat on the bones, some backstory or motivation for my actions.

You have 42 heroes in the game, with the two unique units to the nations being the Ha’ka and Da’ka. This MOBA allows for Facebook connectivity to give you the ability to battle your online friends and family. The match length is usually around 30 minutes. The game won multiple awards, including the ‘IGN Best Strategy Game 2011’.

What Makes It Great

Castle Building: The game incorporates a castle-building element where you can gather resources and build structures.

Multiple Match Types: Prime World offers a variety of match types, including standard 5v5 MOBA-style matches and unique single-player missions.

Terrain Control: The game introduces the concept of terrain control, where players receive buffs when they are on their home turf.

Deep Talent System: For more experienced players, the game offers a deep talent system that allows for a variety of hero builds.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

The game is designed to be accessible for newcomers, offering a simplified item shop and predetermined talent abilities for heroes.

Bloodline Champions

Another Stunlock Studios MOBA, this game was released in 2011, 6 years before Stunlock’s other MOBA, Battlerite. You can see where they got their practice. The standard 5v5 players apply, with teams being either on team ‘Warm’ or ‘Cold’. You have different gameplay modes, like Arena, the standard MOBA mode, and Capture the Artifact, this game’s Coat the Flag mode.

This game includes a unique feature—the fog of war. You can’t see certain enemy areas due to ‘fog’, obstructions in the players’ eye line. There are currently 29 heroes that you can play as.

What Makes It Great

Balanced Arena Combat: The game is designed to be a balanced arena combat experience. There is no character leveling, equipment, or loot, ensuring that all players are on an even playing field. All characters have their abilities available to them at all times.

Simplicity and Variance: The game features four archetypes of characters: tanks, melee damagers, ranged damagers, and healers. While the characters within each archetype are similar, they each have subtle differences in abilities, allowing players to easily switch between them without a steep learning curve.

Skill-Based Gameplay: The game relies purely on player skill for attacking and determining damage. There are no mathematical bonuses or penalties, making the game accessible to those who don’t want to delve into complex statistics.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Game is accessible for beginners who can quickly understand the basics, while also offering depth and complexity for those who wish to master it.

Paladins

A recent release, Paladins was developed by Evil Mojo Games. It was released worldwide on the main consoles and PC, and later on the Nintendo Switch. Paladins put you in the role of one of 40 champions. You and your team are locked in battle with the opposing side, relying on heavy strategizing to take home the victory.

Your team is divided into the front line, damage, support, and flank. This isn’t a game where you can just choose the character you like best for aesthetic reasons; this game makes you choose your character wisely for the most optimal gameplay experience. There are three game modes: Siege, Onslaught, and Team Deathmatch.

Siege is the standard MOBA equivalent in this game. Players must engage in an intense game filled with capture points, gaining, and losing ground, and mayhem. Onslaught is a point-based mode, where teams try to score as many points by performing certain actions like capturing a point or killing an enemy.

Team Deathmatch is your classic multiplayer bloodbath that we all know and love. You fight to 40 kills to claim your victory.

What Makes It Great

Player Choice and Customization: The game allows you to dictate your playstyle through in-depth card and item customization systems. Players can pick five out of 16 cards to create a preset loadout tailored to the champion they choose, enhancing stats and moves during a match.

Dynamic Gameplay: The game’s depth lies in its flexibility. You’re not pigeonholed into a specific role by your choice of character because of the heavy customization options. This allows you to adapt to different team compositions and maps, providing a greater sense of control.

Even after over 300 hours of gameplay, Paladins continues to offer new experiences, making it a game that players are likely to stick with for a long time.

Interesting Facts

• Competition with Overwatch: Paladins has been competing with Overwatch for over years. Despite similarities, the game’s inspiration was not Overwatch but Team Fortress 2.
• Total Players: As of December 2020, over 45 million people had played Paladins since its launch in 2015.
• Cross-Platform Features: Paladins supports cross-platform multiplayer, parties, and progression.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Paladins is generally considered accessible for newcomers, making it a welcoming gateway into the world of shooter games. However, if you’re aiming to become highly skilled, the game presents a steep learning curve.

Dark Eclipse

Last but certainly not least by any measure, Dark Eclipse is shaping up to be one of the Best MOBA Games. This MOBA was released in late September 2018 by Sunsoft, veterans of the video game industry. They have titles near and dear to my heart to their name: Batman and Lemmings on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and countless others in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

They’ve primarily shifted their focus to mobile gaming, and that makes way for more player-friendly experiences, and perhaps more competitive ones, like MOBAs. The Dark Eclipse website briefly lays out the aim of Dark Eclipse, in a pretty cool way:

“Play in VR without the boundary of a 2D screen. Control three characters, called Leaders, build towers and destroy the enemy base. Developed by a team of MOBA and RTS lovers. This is a game by MOBA gamers for MOBA gamers.”

You read that right: a VR MOBA. I was curious, and a bit skeptical. As soon as I started reading about it, however, I became intrigued.

The site states:

“You can grab and move the characters (called Leaders) directly.No need for a mini-map…you just look around and you can see the whole battlefield. Feel the game with haptic feedback on your fingers, and listen to enemy movement with 3D audio.”

It gives the player better control over their characters and truly immerses them in the game.

Fear not–you can still use your DualShock controller to play if VR isn’t your style or disorients you.

What Makes It Great

Genre Fusion: Dark Eclipse successfully combines elements of MOBA and RTS genres. You control three heroes, direct them around the map to collect resources, build structures like in an RTS, and fight random monsters to gain XP, similar to a MOBA.

VR Implementation: The game is designed for PlayStation VR and offers a unique point of view and control scheme. It simulates a tabletop experience where you look over the board and move your heroes and soldiers using a floating hand, controlled via the DualShock 4 or PS Move controllers.

Strategic Gameplay: The game is slow-paced, requiring you to think strategically. You need to collect resources, build towers, and gain levels by killing random monsters. The fog-of-war effect adds another layer of strategy, as you can only see enemies near your bases or heroes.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Dark Eclipse is a game that initially appears complex but becomes increasingly enjoyable as you understand its various elements. It’s a MOBA/RTS hybrid available on PlayStation VR, featuring a blend of base destruction, character leveling, and strategic tower building.

Heroes Evolved

I can’t wait to see the future of Dark Eclipse, and what other MOBAs will follow in its footsteps. Will the best MOBAs be in VR? Only time will tell, but this is a good step. I also like the emphasis on the development of MOBA gamers.

This happened in Dota’s case; people came together who loved WarCraft III’s world builder and created a craze that doesn’t show any signs of stopping.

What Makes It Great

Familiar Yet Fun Characters: While the characters in Heroes Evolved may seem familiar to those who have played other MOBAs, they are still fun to play. For example, the character Nosferatu is similar to Vladimir from League of Legends but offers a unique take on gameplay.

Competitive Scene: Unlike other MOBAs, Heroes Evolved doesn’t have  “placement matches.” Instead, you play through each skill catchment one by one. Winning five matches allows you to play a match for promotion, but losing at higher ranks can also demote you.

Fair Monetization: The game is described as “balanced without P2W” (Pay-to-Win). The only items purchasable with real money are cosmetic items and characters, which can also be earned through in-game currency.

Skill Ceiling/Difficulty

Heroes Evolved is a MOBA game with a variety of heroes and gameplay modes, making it a dynamic and engaging experience. While the game does offer a training session and daily tasks to help newcomers, it can initially appear overwhelming due to its complexity and variety of roles and strategies.

Sources

https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/01/smite-review
https://cometoplay.co.uk/interesting-facts/league-of-legends-facts/
https://www.redbull.com/in-en/dota-2-trivia-you-didnt-know
https://thirdcoastreview.com/2020/11/10/game-review-strife-veteran-edition-switch/
https://www.pcquest.com/vainglory-review-free-play-mobile-moba-doesnt-disappoint/
https://www.gamersdecide.com/articles/is-mobile-legends-worth-playing
https://www.pcgamer.com/battlerite-review/
https://www.gamesradar.com/demigod-review/

We know that gaming is evolving constantly. With the way things are going, it seems that the controller may become an artifact of gaming, much like the joystick from the 1970s and 1980s.

How could such a thing happen?

Controllers are essential. Well, if these virtual reality companies have anything to say about it, our bodies will be the only controllers we need.

This extends to further aspects, like apps and video technologies.

Out of these companies, who stands out? Who’s leading the way? In this list of virtual reality companies, I’ll show you who and what just might be the ‘next big thing’

Top 30 Virtual Reality Companies

Oculus VR

Oculus is a name you should know by now. Facebook purchased the company for a whopping $2 billion dollars in 2016. The team even included a famous gaming visionary of id Software and ‘Doom’, John Carmack. Carmack eventually left Oculus over legal disputes with Zenimax, but Oculus hasn’t let that stop their creative engines from working overtime.

They’ve announced a standalone VR headset called the ‘Oculus Quest’ due to release in 2019. Oculus isn’t just a recognizable name in terms of VR companies, it’s *the* name to recognize.

Interesting Facts

• Founded by Palmer Luckey in 2012, Oculus started as a Kickstarter project before being acquired by Facebook (now Meta) in 2014 for $2 billion.
• Beyond gaming, Meta envisions VR for diverse experiences, from attending live events to virtual classrooms.
• Meta has poured $36 billion into the metaverse, aiming for a VR environment for social, educational, and entertainment interactions.

Google

Yes, Google is possibly going to be one of the heavy hitters in the VR world. Gone are the simple searches for “how to tie a tie’, and ‘pie recipes’. Google is now dabbling in VR technology. Their move onto the scene was brilliant. They released the ‘Google Cardboard’, a cardboard VR headset that cost $15.

It was specifically designed to put over your phone or smart device and interact with different apps and games. This led to their release, the Google Daydream View. It’s not hard to see that Google will continue to explore the virtual reality world and possibly branch out with a larger presence.

Is it possible that Google will be known as a VR company as well as a prolific search engine? Only time will tell.

Interesting Facts

• 12 billion visual searches are conducted using Google Lens every month.
• Over 500 landmarks are currently available in Google Maps’ Immersive View.
• Google has mapped over 10 million+ miles with the Street View car, enough to circle the world more than 400 times. They’ve also used unique methods like tricycles, sheep, and camels to capture Street View imagery globally.

HTC Vive

The HTC Vive is a mix of The Matrix, Ready Player One, and the entire cyberpunk genre. HTC has released this VR headset for $799 (Current price is $599), distinguishing the professionals from the amateurs. It includes a headset, sensors for your room, and handheld devices. The thing I love about HTC is that they partnered with Valve on this project to make it more robust.

I imagine this extends to many VR Steam games as well. The reason they score so high is not only the technology in which they present but the fact that this VR company is partnering with one of my favorite companies to team up and revolutionize the VR field with tanklesslab.

With their hardware, you’re going to be moving all around the room, not just sitting in a solitary spot as you confusedly look around. Check out their Formula 1 racing software for a rush.

They’re in the running to become one of the best virtual reality companies today.

Interesting Facts

• HTC Vive introduced the groundbreaking concept of room-scale VR.
• Its unique “Chaperone” system ensures users don’t collide with real-world objects.
• Phone Integration: Vive allows users to receive and answer calls without removing the headset.

Unity

Unity is a great developer in the field of 3D animation, so it’s no surprise that they released software that is compatible with virtual reality. Maybe something people don’t think about much, but most of the existing content that has been used in VR has gone through the Unity 3D engine, making Unity an integral part of VR and a top VR company.

One visit to their site floods you with a truly impressive resume of projects, but resources to turn to in your own creative projects.

Interesting Facts

• Unity is the global frontrunner for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content, empowering creators across various industries.
• In 2022, Unity apps saw over 4 billion downloads per month, and 70% of the top 1,000 mobile games were crafted using Unity.
• Unity operates in over 45 locations worldwide, emphasizing its global influence and reach.

Microsoft

Another big name, another possible heavy hitter as a VR company. Microsoft comes onto the list, showing that VR companies can also be big existing companies as well. A big thing Microsoft is focusing on is not only virtual reality but Augmented reality (AR). We should all be familiar with this, as it’s the main thing that fueled 2016’s Pokémon Go.

You’re able to see the Pokémon against the backdrop of our world: Pikachu in your room, onyx at the bookstore, and Snorlax in the park. Microsoft is now releasing the HoloLens, which supports not only games but practical applications as well. I think that’s an important factor to consider: is it just games? Or is it a wide array of different uses?

This, I believe, sets companies apart from the innovators from the one-trick ponies.

Interesting Facts

• Microsoft’s first major deal was with IBM in 1980, naming their operating system PC DOS, for a deal worth $50,000.
• Microsoft introduced the first smartwatch in 1994, the Datalink 150, co-produced with Timex.
• The game Solitaire was included in Windows to teach users the ‘drag and drop’ function.

Samsung

Many names we already know from our everyday life are making appearances here. They do so because, luckily for them, they already have a leg-up in technology, and Samsung is no stranger to technology, and this includes VR. Samsung did something pretty smart: they developed the Samsung Gear, a VR headset with the help of Oculus.

At $129.99, it’s a more palatable purchase for more casual users than products like the Vive. It’s for your phone, and you slip your phone right into the headset. Samsung has the enormous potential here, and I believe they can even begin developing games for their projects.

Interesting Facts

• With Samsung’s vast smartphone market share, its VR headsets, compatible solely with Samsung flagship devices, are gaining rapid popularity.
• Samsung strategically partnered with Facebook’s Oculus, a leader in the VR domain, for its VR headset line.

Magic Leap

A change from the list of VR companies so far, Magic Leap is actually a startup company. Magic Leap is focusing on more AR than full VR. They place 3D objects in the world around the user, something I really dig. This opens up the potential for further expansion, as they could dominate the AR market.

With the slogan ‘Free Your Mind’, Magic Leap is promoting their ‘Magic Leap One’. They’re so far only selling their creator edition of the VR, so hopefully, the apps and games they utilize will be in full swing by the time it launches on the market fully.

Interesting Facts

• Magic Leap secured a whopping $542 million investment from Google, elevating its valuation to $2 billion.
• The company labels its technology as “cinematic reality”, aiming to replicate true visual reality, blending virtual and real-world seamlessly.

WorldViz

Another smaller company, but no small feat. WorldViz primarily makes VR apps for schools, something near and dear to my heart. As a university student myself, having professionally designed software for VR is an amazing experience. I did a psychological study in which transported me to a cityscape, which was truly groundbreaking.

They also make programs for safety training and architecture purposes. Think of how useful it’ll be for architects to not only depend on drawings and models but to actually explore the different models they make. It would change the way buildings are made, and that’s why we need more companies like WorldViz.

Interesting Facts

• With 20 years of experience, WorldViz has been at the forefront of VR, aiding numerous companies in harnessing the power of virtual reality.
• WorldViz focuses on the academic and research sector, providing tools like Vizard that enable the creation of intricate VR applications for scientific studies.

Snap Inc.

Snap is the company that developed Snapchat, so you know these people are on the top of the technological heap. They’re masters of including aspects of augmented reality into their tech, proving they could be a top VR company. You can access different aspects of AR every day, with no cost—only a phone camera.

You can place 3D models in pictures or videos of yourself or friends out on a night on the town. Namely, the famous, (or infamous), dancing hotdog model. People made a splash by placing this 3D hotdog in random places, even someone placing it at a funeral for a family member.

Other than that ghastly experience, this technology is introducing itself to the mainstream without a lengthy production and release of hundreds of dollars.

Interesting Facts

• Snap acquired Vertebrae, a company specializing in 3D and AR commerce solutions, showcasing Snap’s commitment to augmented reality.
• This acquisition complements Snap’s existing AR tools, further solidifying its position in the AR commerce space.

Wevr

Wevr is primarily based on creator content. This technology is put into the hands of ordinary people, something I like a lot. They hope to create a mainstream VR, the ‘YouTube of VR’ with their project, the Transport. They hope to have users publish their content for others to experience in VR, making it an easy and seamless process for users.

I love to think of viewing content created by other, regular users, in VR. The human race is so creative that I know, (much like real life), I’ll go down a YouTube rabbit hole and spend hours viewing videos in VR.

Interesting Facts

• Wevr has been crafting virtual experiences for over a decade.
• Beyond just production, Wevr is a trailblazer in virtual technology.
• They’ve shipped over 50 interactive projects and processed more than 10,000 game builds.

Firsthand Technology

I love this company for its aim. It’s a noble one that I think should possibly be at the forefront of the industry. They focus primarily on healthcare. The programs help those with anxiety to help ease it, something I can personally relate to. Imagine having a rough day and your nerves are fried. You pick up your headset and you can relax via VR.

They encourage users to relax while using their product, as it is based on heart rate. This crosses a great boundary in VR; the company and product actually care for its user, something I think we can all benefit from.

Interesting Facts

• Transforms users from health consumers to active health producers.
• Offers VR solutions that not only enhance wellness but also control costs, transforming individuals from mere health consumers to active health producers.

NextVR

For all of our sports fans out there, NextVR is the VR company for you. It broadcasts sports games, so you feel more connected to your favorite sport.

How cool is that? I have a friend who loves the Philadelphia Eagles—imagine if you could feel like you’re at the Eagles game, like at the past Super Bowl victory against the New England Patriots, without paying the ungodly prices for tickets.

I think right now this could be a godsend for those who either don’t want to shell out the money or can’t physically be at the game.

I’m sure that the sports companies will find a way to hobble this technology and make the user pay a fee of some sort, but for now, it has so much promise.

Interesting Facts

• Started as Next3D, a 3D TV broadcast tech company, before pivoting to VR in 2012.
• Collaborated with Live Nation for VR concert streams and with Times Inc. for 360 Video content.
• Raised $80 million in a Series B round led by Formation 8, with participants like Comcast Ventures and Time Warner Investments.

Nvidia

We all know Nvidia’s iconic dedication to top-of-the-line graphics cards that allow us to see our favorite games in the best quality possible. I myself have been using Nvidia graphics cards for as long as I’ve been gaming—a very long time.

Nvidia is another company, like Unity, who offers VR technology for creators and other VR companies to use to create better apps and games.

As a biased Nvidia user, I think this combo is a no brainer for gamers and avid followers of the VR trends. They specifically allow a more easy and seamless resolution when a player or user is in the program or app, allowing for a more realistic experience for all involved.

Interesting Facts

• NVIDIA incorporates Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) for improved visual quality, dedicated ray tracing cores for real-time graphics, and PhysX for realistic physics-based simulations in VR.
• NVIDIA offers resources for game developers to integrate DLSS, ray tracing, and PhysX into their VR titles.

Prenav

Of course, along with VR, drones have become a mainstay in technology. Prenav gives drones a more robust program to be better at exploring structures, one with simple Google Maps or other GPS technology won’t allow. These drones keep our cell service keep running smoothly, by creating 3D models of cell phone towers for drones to inspect.

The importance of everything running smoothly is the main reason that they score an important spot on the list of best VR companies.

Interesting Facts

• Technology has inspected bridges, dams, and cell towers, and even executed the first automated drone flights inside a functional nuclear reactor.
• PRENAV boasts a top-tier computer vision and software engineering team, dedicated to using AI to enhance the safety of global critical infrastructure.

Osterhout Design Group

For those of you who have played the Watch Dogs game franchise, Osterhout brings the game to life. Their technology gives you valuable information at what you’re looking at, via their headset—or more accurately their glasses. Compared to Google Glass, Osterhunt’s technology can give you the biographies of people you look at, and other useful applications.

Imagine getting a piece of furniture and being so frustrated that you don’t know how to put it together properly. Osterhout aims to help you put it together, eliminating the frustrations that come with some aspects of everyday life.

I think that’s such an important mission for a VR company. As much as I love VR gaming companies, the practical uses of it cannot be overstated.

Interesting Facts

• Founded by Ralph Osterhout, who developed high-tech devices for James Bond movies and early mobile headworn products like PVS-7 night vision goggles.
• ODG boasts the world’s lightest stereoscopic smartglasses, the first hazardous location-certified smartglasses

Marxent Labs

Marxent is a lead developer in showing detailed models of showrooms. Lowe’s hardware is their biggest client currently and uses their VR to model rooms and homes. One of my favorite parts of furniture stores, like IKEA, is walking through the displays of the rooms and viewing all of the different, beautiful layouts.

This makes you feel like you’re on a TV set, as well as in the comforts of a model home. Now imagine being able to explore these rooms and view different aspects of the structure using VR. Lowes specifically uses their products in the demonstrations, so I wonder what other big-name companies will start to jump on the VR company bandwagon.

That’s something I definitely want to check out soon, especially in the hunt for a great new home.

Interesting Facts

• They recognized the transformative shift in retail, with emerging AR and VR technologies. However, the high cost of 3D content was a barrier to adoption.
• Identifying a gap in the market for retailers without in-house 3D expertise, the Besecker brothers envisioned a comprehensive platform.

Bricks and Goggles

Another VR company that allows the user to inhabit a model is Bricks and Goggles. This company allows for creators to view, as well as edit, a structure that they’re building.

I love how the current trend is to not only take a design off of the paper, so you can better see how it’ll look when finished, but how you yourself can explore the rooms and structures as you go or see it as a finished product. This will breathe life into the design and VR companies like Bricks and Goggles are at the forefront of this revolutionary step.

Interesting Fact

• Seems like company no longer exists

AMD

Much like other graphics software, AMD is a famous brand name that is hoping to make its brand even more famous by becoming the selling of graphics cards for VR game companies. They sell the chips for our favorite game companies like Nintendo and Sony, so they’ll perhaps be the reason we can finally play the Legend of Zelda or the Uncharted series in VR.

Right now, they sell a VR capable card for what I believe is a more than reasonable price for the valuable technology—about $200.

Interesting Facts

• AMD stands as a leader in high-performance and adaptive computing, influencing the future of data centers, embedded systems, gaming, and PCs.
• AMD’s mission revolves around creating products that propel the next generation of computing experiences.

Retinad Analytics

Perhaps a more accurate company for the 21st century, Retinad focuses on users’ browsing behavior. Much like Facebook and Google, Retinad observes browsing history and the behavior of users of the program. Although perhaps a pain for regular internet users like us, I believe their aim will bring them unbelievable success.

They can map out their ad strategies more accurately, something that companies will bend over backward for.

As much as I’m hesitant about this type of technology, blurring the lines between users and the space on the internet in which they inhabit, I have to recognize a beautiful business model that will revolutionize a technology, whether I necessarily agree with it or not.

Primarily, I’m interested in the success of VR companies and the way in which it can be used in different ways.

Interesting Facts

• Retinad specializes in unraveling user behavior in 360 VR content, providing insights across mobile devices and VR headsets to enhance engagement and retention.
• Retinad collaborates with preferred ad-networks to help content creators monetize their VR content, re-target their most engaged users, and drive in-app purchases at the right moments.

Groove Jones

Groove Jones is another VR company that has made its bones working with world-famous brands like McDonald’s and NASCAR. They seemingly do everything, no exaggeration here. They deal in CGI, sound design, animation, you name it. Much like other VR companies, they’re interested in augmented reality, something that’s near and dear to my heart.

Their deals with so many different huge brand names mean that they’ll not only have all the funding they need but revolutionize the way brands are recognized throughout the world.

Interesting Facts

• Founded in 2015, Groove Jones is among the most award-winning XR studios in the U.S., boasting over 180 industry accolades.
• Diverse Expertise: Not just limited to VR, they excel in AI, AR, ML, and Web 3.0 development, catering to advertising, marketing, and enterprise training.

Merge

Okay, now this is a cool one. If I had this technology as a kid, I would’ve been in heaven. Merge develops games and apps for children over the age of 10, something I think is useful and great that they’re focusing on a specific market. They develop educational programs, which I think will be their defining success.

Imagine a school using VR headsets to educate children and keep them engaged in perhaps a less than interesting subject. One idea that I absolutely love, is exploring the universe.

A planetarium right there in front of you, from the comfort of a seat, sounds like a dream. A beautifully rendered solar system would have helped me a lot in elementary school science classes!

Interesting Facts

• They offer over 1,000 digital teaching aids, 100+ science simulations, and resources like activity plans and STEM projects.
• Merge EDU is endorsed by world-renowned educational institutions and agencies, highlighting its credibility in the educational tech space.

Virtuix

Combining a subtle way to exercise with gaming, Virtuix uses their 20+ VR games to include a treadmill of sorts to engage gamers in the VR space. They have it all: headsets, the treadmill motion, and a plethora of games already. I was surprised when reading about them and how much success they’ve already had for an independent VR gaming company.

I love this idea because you can duke it out in some of the multiplayer games they have while moving your entire body in a productive way, something I think many VR companies need to utilize more.

Interesting Facts

• Virtuix’s “Omni” is a first-of-its-kind active VR motion platform, allowing 360° movement.
• Over 3,000 Omni systems have been shipped to entertainment venues in 45 countries.
• Raised $20M from private and institutional investors, showcasing strong backing.

Survios

Survios attempts to make games work with human involvement as seamless as possible. They want to make games that are just taking place simply in the VR universe and make them work with the user. Specifically, they use their technology with the ‘Creed’ boxing game. Imagine feeling like you’re actually in the boxing ring facing down a fierce opponent.

Long gone are the days of Punch-Out and Fight Night; this VR company wants you to feel like the VR experience isn’t even VR, but an actual, human experience.

Interesting Facts

• Survios is a top-tier developer in immersive VR games, pushing boundaries since 2013.
• Pioneered groundbreaking locomotion tech, enhancing VR experiences.
• Recognized with numerous awards for their VR titles.
• From action-packed “Raw Data” to musical “Electronauts”, they cater to varied VR tastes.

SpaceVR

Finally, we go into space, the final frontier! Using SpaceVR, you get exactly that: a more comprehensive space viewing experience. You can observe from the satellites orbiting the earth, and other aspects of space. This is revolutionary for the education model.

Instead of boring diagrams of the moon or Earth, students and others can actually view real-life footage of the things they’re studying. This is invaluable for visual learnings, me being one of them. This also spices things up and might breathe life into students’ interests in this subject material.

Interesting Facts

• SpaceVR is the first platform to offer VR experiences from space.
• Utilizing their satellite, Overview 1, to capture 360-degree visuals.
• Aims to provide a transformative “Overview Effect” for users.
• Committed to democratizing space exploration for everyone.

BackLight

This French company’s motto is ‘Producing emotions, experiences in virtual reality and animated films.’ That’s something I can get behind. This company seemingly does it all. They involve themselves with 360 models of buildings, film, and a plethora of others. Go to their site and please check out their demo reel, specifically the ‘Renault Pitstop VR Project’.

In it, you’re thrust into high-octane Formula 1 racing, putting you in the role of the pit crew, with an intensity you can experience with 3 other friends as you aim to serve your racer in the fastest time.

Interesting Facts

• BackLight is a Paris-based production studio specializing in immersive experiences.
• They delve into augmented reality, virtual reality, and even “hyper-reality”, blurring the lines between the real and the virtual.

JAUNT

This one is sure to attract the attention of those who’ve been bitten by the travel bug. Inspired by trips into the American West, the team at JAUNT want to be able to bring their users a valuable travel experience, in which you can ‘Jaunt’ to anyplace whenever you desire. Their aim is ‘telling amazing stories with new media.

I would love to visit exotic locales to which I’ve never been. It would serve as an amazing tool for those who are interested in travel. Imagine scoping out a location before going, getting the overall feel of the place.

Interesting Facts

• Their technology is adept at capturing 3D stereoscopic video and sound, processing it with advanced algorithms, and providing tools for post-production editing.
• Jaunt has partnered with big names like Paul McCartney for a 360-degree concert experience and The Northface for immersive outdoor adventures.

Innerspace VR

Working with the aforementioned companies on this list like Oculus and Samsung, Innerspace is looking to become an entertainment giant. Specifically, they have a series of games called Firebird:

“FIREBIRD is an award-winning series of musical experiences, a celebration of the emotional power of classical music set in visually stunning settings. Episodes from the FIREBIRD franchise are available in English, Chinese and French.”

Imagine experiencing an immersive classical music concert in VR. Luckily there are quite a few entries, all available on Steam, so you can immerse yourself in a truly unique world.

Interesting Facts

• Innerspace VR has developed its own frameworks for Unreal Engine, focusing on narrative-driven entertainment, which allows them to produce content more efficiently.
• Their game “Another Fisherman’s Tale” is a sequel to the acclaimed “A Fisherman’s Tale”, offering players a fresh, mind-bending VR puzzle experience.

MAGNOPUS

This company is actually an Academy Award-winning company. In my opinion, that’s all the credentials you need. They tout themselves as ‘an experience company’, and have released one of my favorite Pixar movies, Coco, like a VR experience. Now I can sob in Virtual Reality! In it, you or a friend can experience the rich world presented in the film in greater detail.

If you’ve seen the film, you know the art direction is stunning and the top of the line. They’ve also worked on a Blade Runner 2049 project that immerses you in the tasty cyberpunk world of Blade Runner.

Interesting Facts

• Magnopus envisions a future where the web evolves from connected pages to a series of interconnected spaces.
• They collaborated with Expo 2020 Dubai to develop a city-scale, cross-reality connected space, offering a simultaneous digital experience for both on-site and remote visitors.

Vertebrae

Vertebrae intends to become a giant in the augmented and virtual reality field. They’re partnered up with companies like Lionsgate, and Mark Cuban owner of Dallas Mavericks to bring a better advertising and user experience. I think that augmented reality will be the first accessible step into full VR, so I think this VR company has the right mindset.

They have a mission and words of advice for companies:

“Don’t just push a message. Create a two-way conversation using 3D & AR media to personalize and strengthen your consumer relationships.”

Creating a more dynamic interaction with customers is just the ticket if future companies want to survive and actually grow a customer base.

Metagram

This unique company’s aim is to help users build a narrative experience using VR and AR. Their claim is that they offer users a ‘glasses-free’ augmented reality experience, something I think we can all be attracted to. They also advertise the ‘world’s first holographic film’, which I’m so psyched up about.

This changes film forever, and could perhaps make the viewer feel more connected to the films they watch.

Interesting Facts

• Metagram uses Augmented Reality to build narrative experiences in the real world.
• Metagram is the only company to offer a large-scale glasses-free Augmented Reality solution able to move through real-world space.

Sources

https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-oculus?op=1
https://blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/google-fun-facts-25th-birthday/
https://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/five-things-you-didn-t-know-about-the-htc-vive-1323843
https://unity.com/our-company
https://www.thefactsite.com/microsoft-facts/

Esports is still dominated by men, but women are slowly climbing the ranks.

Below we highlight the highest-earning female esports athletes.

To build our rankings we primarily relied on publically listed prize money earnings.  We also accounted for sponsorships, endorsements, and other publically available compensation.

I still remember the first time I watched an all-female CS:GO team compete—it completely changed how I thought about esports. Seeing their focus, communication, and skill made me realize that competitive gaming wasn’t just dominated by guys; the scene was way more diverse than I expected.

Please keep in mind that tournaments are always happening, so these rankings are fluid.

Without further intro, let’s count down the top 20 earning gamer girls.

The Rise of the Female Gamer

When I first started gaming, I never called myself a “gamer.” Honestly, the word felt like it belonged to dudes with giant PC rigs, LED lights everywhere, and Doritos dust on their controllers. Turns out, I wasn’t alone. A Bryter study found that only about 1 in 3 women who game regularly actually call themselves gamers—even though nearly half the world’s gamers are women.

So yeah, the numbers don’t lie. Women aren’t just “joining” gaming… we’ve been here the whole time. It’s just that esports and pro play are still catching up to that reality.

Challenges Female Gamers Face

Here’s the not-so-fun side of things: being a girl in gaming can feel like playing on “hard mode” all the time. Surveys show that 59% of women have faced harassment online, and more than three-quarters admit they hide their gender in voice chat.

I remember queuing up for a match and saying “hi” once, and suddenly the game turned into a podcast of “OMG is that a girl?” comments. Pro tip: if your teammates are more interested in your voice than the objective, you’re not winning that round.

This stuff is exactly why so many talented female players never make it to the pro stage—it’s exhausting before the game even starts.

Top Earning Female Gamers

Ailey

Gamer Name: Ailey
Real Name: Alyona Bordukova
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $22,580.00

Hailing from Russia, ‘Ailey’ is a famous Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. Ranked at #3172 globally, and #121 in her own country, Ailey is a force to be reckoned with, competing in 5 tournaments in CS: GO, winning 1st overall in 2018 CS: GO female competition.

Nast1a

Gamer Name: Nast1a
Real Name: Anastasiya Evdokina
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $23,515.47

Another pro-girl gamer from Russia, Nast1a’s specialty is also Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Nast1a is currently ranked #3086 in the world, and #117 in her country. I’m sure she and Ailey are very familiar with each other, and I guarantee that the competition between these female gamers is intense as Counter Strike gamers themselves.

FemSteph

Gamer Name: FemSteph
Real Name: Stephanie
Date of Birth: July 24, 1988
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $27,906.66

Fornite makes its first appearance on the list with the American, FemSteph. Competing in 7 tournaments, FemSteph has shot onto the scene as a prolific Fornite gamer girl, landing her at #3058 in the world, and #635 in America. FemSteph is definitely someone I’d look out for.

Annialis

Gamer Name: Annialis
Real Name: Deb
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: Indonesia
Overall Earnings: $23,950.00

Annialis is another pro gamer girl whose specialty is Fortnite. Competing in 6 tournaments, including coming in 5th overall in the Fall Skirmish Series in 2018. This ultimately lands her at #3046 worldwide and #5 in her country in Indonesia.

Candy

Gamer Name: Candy
Real Name: Alyona Kuvaeva
Date of Birth: February 6, 1995
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $31,000.52

‘Candy’ is a yet another hardcore pro gamer girl from Russia with a honed specialty in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Don’t let the innocent name fool you. Candy, along with others so far listed, namely Nast1a, and Ailey, brought home victory in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) competition.

Her skills, and participation in 9 tournaments, lands her at #2776 globally and #102 in her mother country of Russia.

I once tried grinding in CS:GO myself, and it gave me a whole new respect for pros like Candy. Just keeping my aim consistent after a few rounds was tough—so to imagine competing on a global stage feels almost unreal.

xchocobars

Gamer Name: xchocobars
Real Name: Janet Rose
Date of Birth: November 5, 1994
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $60,365

Another case of an innocent name fooling you, from the Great White North—Canada, is a professional girl gamer specializing in Fortnite. In October of 2018, she participated in the Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series, with her crew the ‘Rift Raiders’ taking 2nd place overall. In earnings, she ranks at #2679 in the world and #96 in the country of Canada.

juliano

Gamer Name: juliano
Real Name: Julia Kiran
Date of Birth: November 4, 1993
Country: Sweden
Overall Earnings: $102,894.47

juliano is a Swedish professional girl gamer with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive being her game of choice. She rose to fame when her team, ‘Druidz’, defeated the other female team of ALTERNATE in the Electronic World Sports Cup 2013 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female).

Also dabbling in DotA and other games, juliano has been competing in a staggering 26 tournaments. Now that’s dedication! That dedication lands her at #2650 in the world and #145 in her country of Sweden.

I’ve played in a few small online tournaments, and the pressure was enough to get my heart racing. Thinking about Juliano competing in more than 20 high-stakes events really puts into perspective just how much dedication it takes to thrive in esports.

missharvey

Gamer Name: missharvey
Real Name: Stephanie Harvey
Date of Birth: April 19, 1986
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $42,546.05

Canadian pro gamer girl missharvey is another enthusiastic Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. She’s been at the grind for some years now, starting to compete professionally in 2007.

Over the past 11 years, she has competed in 20 tournaments, finding her most recent victory in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) in China.

Related: The Top College Varsity Esports Programs

In the competition, missharvey and her Canadian teammates, ‘Those Damn Canadians’, came in 3rd overall—no mean feat. This earns her the spot of #2611 globally and #93 in Canada. Let’s see what missharvey has up her sleeve for the next decade.

GLHuiHui

Gamer Name: GLHuiHui
Real Name: Chen, YuYan
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: China
Overall Earnings: $30,000.00

One of our first female pro gamers from China, GLHuiHui is a famous Hearthstone player. Starting very recently, GLHuiHui has found great success in the competitive Hearthstone scene.

In March 2018, she won first place in the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Hearthstone Female), and it remains the only tournament participated in, beating out fellow compatriot Dawn Liooon and Hongkonger ‘Yon’. 1-0 isn’t a bad record, but I want to see what else GLHuiHui can do—no doubt something great and wild as her first-place finish.

Is she a ‘one and done’ competitor, proving what she wanted to prove, or is she just preparing for another glorious finish? Her rank is #2569 in the world, and #300 in China.

Find more statistics at Statista

potter

Gamer Name: potter
Real Name: Christine Chi
Date of Birth: October 31, 1986
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $35,695.25

Our first American competitor, this pro girl gamer is a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player. She won hands-down at the World Electronic Sports Games 2018 – USA Female Qualifier (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) in California in November of 2018. Like missharvey, potter has been competing professionally for over a decade.

Hard work definitely pays off, as potter has won numerous prestigious first-place titles for her amazing skills, coming in 1st in 8 of her tournaments. Those skills bring her to the globally ranked position of #2546 and #524 in America.

BaiZe

Gamer Name: BaiZe
Real Name: Wang, Xinyu
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: China
Overall Earnings: $30,312.39

Chinese pro girl gamer BaiZe focuses her skills on Hearthstone, much like her gamer compatriot, GLHuiHui. However, unlike GLHuiHui, BaiZe has been competing in tournaments for a while. While not always coming in first, BaiZe’s determination and work ethic has brought her great success.

Her biggest success in gaming was in the Gold Club World Championship 2017 (Hearthstone), in which her team ‘Royal Never Give Up’ came in third place overall. She was beaten out by ‘Planet Odd’, and ‘Team Celestial’. Despite the bronze medals, BaiZe’s work has earned her the rank of #2543 globally and #297 in China.

zAAz

Gamer Name: zAAz
Real Name: Zainab Turkie
Date of Birth: June 7, 1991
Country: Sweden
Overall Earnings: $89,265.85

Another Swede, zAAz is an expert in Counter Strike: Global Offensive. She’s competed in 30—yes, 30—tournaments. Gaming professionals in these tournaments since 2008, zAAz really shows amazing determination. Her and fellow Swede, juliano competed alongside one another in Intel Challenge Katowice in Poland, achieving a first place as team ‘Bad Monkey Gaming’.

Most recently, in March 2018, zAAz won second place in the Copenhagen Games 2018 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) division with her team ‘RES Gaming’. zAAz’s numbers speak for themselves, coming in at #2373 globally and #132 in Sweden, currently the highest-ranking pro girl gamer in Sweden on this list.

Check out the complete list here

Ant1ka

Gamer Name: Ant1ka
Real Name: Anna Ananikova
Date of Birth: March 24, 1995
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $44,268.17

Surprise, Surprise: another badass pro gamer girl from Russia specializing in Counter-Strike Global Offensive. Must be something in the water over there. Her record of accomplishment is impressive; she’s been consistently ranked at the top of her participating tournaments.

2017 was her year, winning 5 first-place finishes in tournaments like the Intel Challenge Katowice – 2017 as ‘Team Secret’, ESU Masters 2017 as ‘Dynasty Gaming’, and WESG 2017 – Europe & CIS Finals (CS: GO Female) as ‘Russian Forces’. I’m amazed by her first-place record of accomplishment, and it doesn’t really seem to show signs of stopping.

I believe that Ant1ka will continue her routine of show-stopping well into the future. She’s ranked #2292 in the world, and #84 in Russia.

Kittyplays

Gamer Name: KittyPlays
Real Name: Kristen
Date of Birth: February 16, 1992
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $38,950.00

I love these unassuming names. Maybe that makes it hurt more when the message comes up ‘You’ve been killed by Kittyplays via headshot’. Kittyplays is another Canadian gamer. Canada should be proud of its female pro gamers! We return to Fortnite, as Kittyplays does fairly well for herself in it.

She’s competed in 7 tournaments, with her highest position being 3rd place in the Fortnite Fall Skirmish Series – Clubs Standings, where she found victory alongside a slew of other gamers dubbed the ‘Fort Knights’.

Although not hitting the first-place mark, I love Kittyplays’s constant participation and determination, especially alongside hundreds of thousands of other Fortnite gamers.

I know for sure I wouldn’t ever want to see her name pop up in game, I’d probably just log off—it’s easier that way. The numbers speak for themselves: she’s #2055 in the world and #75 in Canada.

vilga

Gamer Name: vilga
Real Name: Ksenia Klyuenkova
Date of Birth: August 3, 1991
Country: Russia
Overall Earnings: $125,000-$128,000

Here we have the highest-ranked Russian gamer girl on the list. vilga, like other female gamers from Russia, has found her niche in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. She’s a real showstopper. I almost couldn’t believe the stats as I read them. She has won first place in 17 tournaments since 2015. Now that’s hard work and determination.

Do I want to know what her gaming practice looks like? Or will it be too insane for me to comprehend? Either way, her biggest victory was at the World Electronic Sports Games 2017 (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Female) category in March 2018.

Alongside the Russian female pro gamers on this list, team ‘Russian Forces’, she found her victory and a hefty payday.

With vilga at #1855 globally and #68 in Russia, vilga is the highest-ranking Russian on the list. Not only that, but we’ve officially broken into the Top 5 on the list of professional girl gamers.

Sarah Lou

Gamer Name: Sarah Lou
Real Name: Sarah Harrison
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: United Kingdom
Overall Earnings: $50,000.00

Sarah Lou is a British pro girl gamer from the United Kingdom. Something different than we’ve experienced on the list, Sara Lou specializes in fighting games. She made her bones in one tournament. That’s right, we have another GLHuiHui situation where the pro girl gamer wins big in a tournament and has yet to participate globally again.

Specifically, she competed in the 2008 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4), coming in first alongside fellow Brit, Messy, as a team ‘Birmingham Salvo’. Ten years later, where is Sarah Lou, or where are the challengers to take the 5th spot on this list?

Her absence intrigues me, and she’s a bit of a mystery. It makes for a killer story, though. Her one win in 2008 has placed her at #1684 globally and #62 in Great Britain.

Kasumi Chan

Gamer Name: Kasumi Chan
Real Name: Marjorie Bartell
Date of Birth: N/A
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $55,000.00

Kasumi Chan is the first of what I like the call the ‘Big Three’ of American female gamers. Participating in only two tournaments—yes, two—Kasumi Chan solidifies her place on this list at number 3. Way back in 2006, Kasumi Chan won second place at the Championship Gaming Invitational 2006 (Dead or Alive 4) in San Francisco, California.

She lost to fellow American ‘Master’ but turned in tables in 2007 when she won first place at the 2007 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4) in Culver City, California alongside Black Mamba as a team ‘Chicago Chimera’.

I love not only the fact that she competed twice, but she improved from the first to the second tournament. What’s the more appealing: winning consistently over the years or competing once or twice then just disappearing from the spotlight like a gaming phantom? She’s ranked #1558 in the world and #321 in her country.

Ricki Ortiz

Gamer Name: Ricki Ortiz
Real Name: Ricki Sophie Ortiz
Date of Birth: December 12, 1982
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $83,054.66

Second of the ‘Big Three’ is the powerhouse that is Ricki Ortiz. She’s been putting in consistent work since 2003 in the fighting game circuit. Ricki Ortiz is transgender, choosing to identify as female in 2014.

Competing in a truly awe-inspiring 61 tournaments, Ortiz first found prominence in 2003 in the Evolution Championship Series 2003 (Marvel vs Capcom 2) in Pomona, California.

She came in second to Justin Wong. Over the years, she has been peppering the fighting game circuits with 2nd and 1st place finishes, but truly hit the big time in 2016 at the Capcom Cup.

There, she came in second to fellow American NuckleDu, but she received her biggest monetary prize ever. Ricki Ortiz is currently ranked at #1111 in the world and #234 in America.

Mystik

Gamer Name: Mystik
Real Name: Katherine Gunn
Date of Birth: April 20, 1988
Country: United States
Overall Earnings: $122,550

Last of the ‘Big Three’ is the American Mystik. Here again, we have someone who only participated in a few tournaments compared to her contemporaries. Her years of operation were in 2007, 2008, and 2010.

In 2007, she participated in her first tournament, the 2007 Championship Gaming Series Season (Dead or Alive 4). She placed second alongside Offbeat_Ninja as ‘Carolina Core’.

In 2008, she returned but instead came in 3rd, (where previous entry Sarah Lou and Messy won first prize). She wasn’t going to give up though. In 2010, she returned with a flourish and came in first playing Halo: Reach at WCG Ultimate Gamer Season 2. She’s currently ranked at #755 globally and #156 in America.

Scarlett

Gamer Name: Scarlett
Real Name: Sasha Hostyn
Date of Birth: December 14, 1993
Country: Canada
Overall Earnings: $472,111.31

The heavy hitter herself, Canadian female gamer Scarlett is officially the highest-paid female pro gamer in the world. Unlike her predecessors on the list, Scarlett plays Starcraft II competitively, playing primarily as Zerg.

I tried StarCraft II once, and I barely survived the tutorial against AI. Watching Scarlett dominate pro-level matches makes me appreciate how much strategy, speed, and mental toughness it takes to be at the very top of this game.

As we gamers know, StraCraft is an insanely competitive game, and Scarlett just dominated whenever she competed, winning in South Korea, perhaps the most impressive accomplishment of a not just a female pro gamer, but of any gamer.

“In March 2012, Scarlett won the Playhem “Sponsor Me!” Tournament, an online event reserved for amateur players without a team or a sponsor. Winning that tournament awarded her an all-expenses paid trip to IPL 4 in Las Vegas, where she had a breakthrough performance in the open qualifiers.”

There’s something so poetic about her rising from not having a team or sponsor, then dominating the rankings. Scarlett earns the number one spot on this list and is currently ranked #294 in the world and #9 in Canada. Bravo, Canada, you make some great female pro gamers!

Updated Esports Prize Money Winners

Female Gamer Demographics & Preferences

Not all female gamers are grinding 12 hours of CS:GO like pros on this list. Most of us are somewhere in between—logging in after work, playing with friends, or grinding a mobile game while waiting for our coffee order.

Research shows:

• Most female gamers are 21–35 years old (basically, the “I game but I also pay bills” age).
• Mobile gaming leads the pack, because let’s face it—your phone is always with you.
• And genres? We lean toward RPGs and story-driven games, but a surprising number crush competitive shooters too.

It’s proof that “female gamer” isn’t a one-size-fits-all label. Whether it’s Candy Crush on the train or StarCraft II on stage, we’re all playing—just in different ways.

So, You Want to Be the Next Pro Female Gamer?

Here’s the thing: everyone on this list started small. They weren’t born with reflexes faster than Wi-Fi—they just kept showing up, playing, and pushing through the noise (sometimes literally).

If you’re looking for your way in:

Check out communities like r/GirlGamers
—it’s like the group chat you didn’t know you needed.

Stream, even if no one’s watching at first. You’ll get better, and you never know who’ll drop by.

Try a small tournament. The worst that happens? You lose. The best? You gain experience and new friends.

And who knows? Maybe in a few years, you’ll be the one on a list like this—someone scrolling on their phone will be reading your name and thinking, “Wow, I want to do that too.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous female gamer?
One of the most famous female gamers is Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn, a Canadian StarCraft II player often called the “Queen of StarCraft” for her dominance in international tournaments.

What is a female gamer called?
A female gamer is simply called a gamer, just like their male counterparts. Some communities use terms like “girl gamer” or “female pro gamer,” but many prefer to drop the gender label entirely.

Are 45% of gamers female?
Yes, studies and industry reports show that around 45% of gamers worldwide are female, reflecting the growing balance between male and female players in gaming.

Are there female pro gamers?
Yes, there are many female pro gamers who compete in major esports tournaments. Players like Scarlett, Mystik, and Kasumi Chan have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.

Who is the most demanded female gamer?
Scarlett is one of the most demanded female gamers due to her success in StarCraft II and her recognition as one of the top female esports earners globally.

Who is the oldest female gamer?
The oldest recognized female gamer is Hamako Mori from Japan, also known as “Gamer Grandma,” who has been playing video games for decades and gained worldwide attention on YouTube.

Who is the richest girl gamer?
Scarlett currently holds the title of the richest female gamer, with nearly $300,000 in esports tournament earnings.

Who is the most famous gamer?
Globally, the most famous gamer overall is Ninja (Tyler Blevins), known for Fortnite and streaming. Among women, Scarlett is often highlighted as the most famous.

Are female gamers increasing?
Yes, the number of female gamers has been steadily increasing, with more women participating in casual gaming, streaming, and professional esports competitions.

Sources Utilized

• https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/6914-mystik-katherine-gunn
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/62556-scarlet-
• https://escharts.com/players/scarlett-canada
• https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/730336-highest-earning-esports-player-female
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/omlpk7-scarlett-vs-hero
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/0e2fzf-scarlett-vs-mvp
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/dxbshs-masa-vs-scarlett
• https://esportsinsider.com/most-successful-female-esports-playershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kat_Gunn
• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasha_Hostyn
• https://playtoday.co/blog/stats/how-many-women-are-esports-gamers/
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/ogaaxi-scarlett-vs-hydra
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/t3by6l-scarlett-vs-rain
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/comparisons/gt44uu-scarlett-vs-bomber
• https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/13174/500-top-earning-female-gamers-revealed
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/female_players
• https://escharts.com/news/female-esports-2024-report
• https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/spotlighting-women-gamers-and-how-they-play-and-spend-on-video-games
• https://www.intenta.digital/gaming-industry/video-game-industry/
• https://esportsinsider.com/female-esports-stats
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/female_players
• https://escharts.com/players?female=1
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/
• https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/spotlighting-women-gamers-and-how-they-play-and-spend-on-video-games
• https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1136
• https://www.intenta.digital/gaming-industry/video-game-industry/https://sqmagazine.co.uk/esports-statistics-2/
• https://escharts.com/news/female-esports-2024-report
• https://www.rivaltech.com/women-in-gaming-report
• https://www.mintel.com/insights/sports-gaming-and-entertainment/women-in-the-gaming-industry/
• https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_video_games
• https://esportsinsider.com/female-esports-stats
• https://escharts.com/players?female=1
• https://www.esportsearnings.com/players/female_players
• https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/spotlighting-women-gamers-and-how-they-play-and-spend-on-video-games
• https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1136
• https://sqmagazine.co.uk/esports-statistics-2/
• https://escharts.com/news/female-esports-2024-report
• https://www.intenta.digital/gaming-industry/video-game-industry/

In just a few short decades, the video game industry has undergone dramatic change both technologically and culturally, and the pace of that change is only accelerating. Today, matches taking place between the best players on popular games like Fortnite and League of Legends are broadcast live to millions, while thousands fill stadiums to cheer on their favorite gamers.

The thought would’ve been unimaginable just three decades earlier when gamers would gather en masse at local arcades and the internet wouldn’t be a thing for years yet (dark days). For them, esports amounted to challenging the local high scores on arcade machines like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, to little acclaim and the loss of many quarters.

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, gaming transitioned out of the arcades and into homes, where players could enjoy longer, more complex gameplay. Many of gaming’s most enduring stars were created during this time and gaming slowly pushed into the mainstream with its first Hollywood movies.

Public Enemy #1

As gaming attracted more and more attention in the 1990s, so do the morality of its content, which included more realistic and graphic violence in games like Doom. The effect of violent video games on the mental wellbeing of players became a major talking point following the Columbine school shooting in 1999.

An endless number of studies have followed in the years since, attempting to find a possible link between violent games and increased aggression, violence, and anti-social behavior. The results have found no conclusive connection, while data shows that violent crime has actually decreased dramatically as video gaming has become more popular.

Gaming Culture Explodes Online

Gaming became a hit online in the 2000s, with persistent online worlds like EverQuest and World of Warcraft attracting (and addicting) millions of players to leave the real world for extended stays in fictional realms.

Games that required precision play were less viable during this time because of the lack of reliable high-speed internet, which hindered the early growth of competitive gaming.

The website 4chan rose to prominence among gamers towards the end of the decade, becoming a valuable repository for snarky game-based memes and esoteric discussions on the finer points of gaming (that no one ever thought to talk about or even wanted to).

Video Gamers Realize the Joys of Playing Dress Up

Cosplay was first popularized in Japan, particularly in relation to anime. Given the overlap in the audiences of Japanese games and anime, it’s unsurprising that it soon bled over into gaming as well, and not just in Japan but the West.

Painstakingly recreated costumes of popular game characters give players a way to express their passion for gaming and unleash their creative and role-playing sides. Several cosplayers have even become “professionals”, building legions of fans through social media and receiving lucrative fees for appearing at conventions.

Social Issues Rear Their Ugly Heads in Gaming’s Direction

The fact that most professional cosplayers are female isn’t all that surprising in a male-dominated gaming climate that has been criticized for being misogynistic. Despite what some sources show as a 40% female user base, game companies cater primarily to the young male demographic according to their critics, using provocative female characters to sell their games.

As esports has begun to take center stage in modern gaming culture, it’s also become glaringly apparent that the upper echelons of competitive gaming are overwhelmingly male. Whispers of sexism have been slung about, while others point to men as simply being more capable of gamers physically thanks to having more fast-twitch muscle fibers and better reaction times.

Then there’s the treatment that female players can receive from their male opponents online, which is part of a broader toxic culture that plagues many online gaming communities. Enraged players swiftly round on their opponents or teammates with fury, telling them to get cancer and die because they missed a shot.

Gamers Become Internet Superstars

Gamers, including plenty of toxic ones, started building online followings around this time from their gameplay videos, which chronicled their antics exploring games new and old. YouTube was soon dominated by young gaming stars like PewDiePie, who holds a vice-like grip over YouTube’s record for most subscribers with 78.6 million.

Popular YouTubers rapidly gained major influence in the industry, with their opinions being capable of swaying legions of gamers. Before long, gaming companies saw the value in these videos and started using them to do market research on what things gamers found fun, boring, exciting, or lame about their games.

While there have been many great success stories, the majority of gamers sharing their gaming experiences with the world do so to extremely limited segments of that world. Most toil away in anonymity on platforms like YouTube and Twitch for years, their gaming history being largely ignored by society.

The Future Looks Virtual

The next frontier for gaming and its culture appears to be the virtual realm. It’s not hard to imagine live gaming events taking place within virtual arenas that can be attended by millions of other headset-wearing people.

Those attendees could wander around the virtual arena if they so chose, trying out the new Thai restaurant during intermission, the tastes from which would be delivered to your tongue through the headset’s mouth strip.

We could also see all manner of VR worlds spring up where people not only experience fully immersive virtual worlds, but make money while doing so to pay their real-world bills, whether by watching ads, doing virtual work for another player, or winning daily cash prizes for in-game achievements.

In a possible future world where unemployment could soar due to automation and a Universal Basic Income becomes a reality, it’s rather likely that the unemployed masses with too much time on their hands will spend more and more of it playing video games, which could usher in another major shift in the gaming zeitgeist.

Whatever happens, the only thing we can expect to continue when it comes to gaming and the culture surrounding it is the unexpected.

Online gaming forums have been a staple to the Internet since its inception. Gamers could get together and talk shop, provide walkthroughs for those tough to get through sections of their favorite game, and swap tips and tricks.

Video game forums are bigger than ever, with multiple avenues for people to interact with their fellow gamers. Here’s a more comprehensive look at the most active video game forums today.

NeoGAF

https://www.neogaf.com/forum/

Launched in 1999 as Game-Age Forums, NeoGAF hosts several forums ranging from gaming to Off-Topic for those times you and those online want to goof off or address critical issues like ‘Is there intelligent life out in the universe?’ While lurking, I came across a topic about Red Dead Redemption II Online mode.

The poster endearingly addressed the community as ‘Gaffers’ and asked about Red Dead’s Online mode, (something that has been a bit controversial due to its many technical issues).

GameFAQS

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards

A personal favorite of mine, GameFAQs was and is the definitive source for detailed walkthroughs of games. Stuck in an impossible dungeon? Not sure where the final piece of the Triforce is in Zelda? GameFAQs has walkthroughs and a supportive, tight-knit community for you to talk games in general, or specific help you need with a game.

There’s a reason the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ are right in the name. Keeping a simplistic yet timeless design, the site still proves it’s going strong for 23 years.

IGN

https://www.ign.com/boards/categories/gaming.80142/

A classic and a current powerhouse in gaming, IGN’s video game forum is all quality. It’s easily organized by gaming platforms, (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, etc.), and further into more specific topics.

A quick peruse of the PC forum showed a staggering amount of topics with gamers helping other gamers by giving good PC build recommendations and great deals on games.

The community is as good as any gaming forum can hope to be.

Gamespot

https://www.gamespot.com/forums/

A very active video game forum with a teeming, passionate population. Specific topics are chosen from the larger whole and displayed on the page, while other boards, such as the controversial ‘System Wars’ and the giant ‘Retro Gaming’ populate the site.

Some interesting topics I came across were ‘What’s the oldest video game system you have?’ to which a poster unbelievably replied with ‘the original Pong’. That right there should show how dedicated these gamers are.

Reddit Gaming Subreddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming

In recent years, r/gaming has become a massive gathering place for gamers sharing knowledge, funny pictures, and other assorted gaming fun.

Around releases of big games like Red Dead Redemption II and Super Smash Brothers, r/gaming goes into a frenzy, sharing game secrets and sharing their personal stories with the games.

People are always outdoing each other with humorous pictures, relatable stories, and a love of games that keeps the site chugging with traffic. As of 2018, r/gaming has nearly 20 million subscribers.

MMORPG.com

https://forums.mmorpg.com/

Massively multiplayer online RPG’s have some of the most dedicated fans in gaming, and this forum is no exception. With helpful links to buy, play, and preorder games right from the sidebar, this forum has easy accessibility.

There’s even a forum dedicated to site suggestions, helping the web developers with suggestions from the actual users of the site. ‘The Pub’, the general MMORPG forum on the site currently has a whopping 1.3 million comments and 60.1 thousand discussions.

Minecraft Forum

https://www.minecraftforum.net/forums

Minecraft is beloved by millions of all ages, and this is the definitive place for all of those die-hard fans to gather and talk about Minecraft. Clad in the iconic design of the game it represents, the Minecraft forum hosts hundreds of topics regarding the extensive mods and skins used in the game.

Sharing is the name of the game on this forum; maps, like the breathtaking Mines of Moria, rebuild, skins of marvel heroes are shared daily. Minecraft Forum has nearly 5.1 million members and nearly 5 billion views.

The Verge

https://www.theverge.com/forums/gaming/

A stylish design, The Verge evokes a fashionable, cool, and sleek appearance for visitors. The gaming community is just as present as the design, with people creating topics like ‘STARDEW VALLEY IS LIFE (And your fav game of 2017)’ to kick off some well-meaning and fun discussions.

VGR

https://www.vgr.com/forum/

I like VGR for its approach to the community. On the site, there’s an ‘Introductions’ board to meet and greet new members and talk about favorite games. There are also two very important forums on the site: Video Game Deals and Esports & Competitive Gaming. Who doesn’t need great deals on games, especially when they can cost a fortune?

Users will create posts listing certain games that are on sale and where to get them for that price. It’s a helpful way to help out your fellow gamer. The Esports forum is going to be a huge discussion when the new Super Smash Bros. comes out.

AVForums

https://www.avforums.com/forums/general-video-gaming-chat.100/

Av deals in other forums for another tech, in fact citing themselves as ‘The No. 1 Home Entertainment Tech Company’. They go beyond to blend in all tech into one site. Along with having a solid gaming forum, they host reviews for different games and other hardware like surround sound speakers and TVs.

StudentEdge

https://studentedge.org/forums/gaming

Student edge, in their own words, ‘seeks to enrich the lives of students across the country. The company aims to do this by helping students save and manage money, prepare for the workplace, find jobs and make informed career and life decisions.’ They offer deals on tech and try to help students out, (those textbooks are highway robbery!).

Their gaming forum, although simple in setup, is filled with passionate gamers engaging with other student gamers. It’s super simple to start a discussion about games, with the text field right at the top of the screen—a real ‘grab and go’ type of situation for students and gamers to get down to business.

Videogamer

https://www.videogamer.com/forums/

Right off the bat, the minimalist, no-nonsense design appeals to me. And, of course, a Red Dead Redemption II thread is stickied at the top. People passionately discuss their thoughts on the story of the game, what they thought could be improved, and the humorous stories of a guy who can’t keep his horse alive.

Gaming Latest

https://gaminglatest.com/

I really dig this site, it boasts a ‘Content Creator Lounge’ where actual game creators can converge and share their ideas and their content to other gamers. It’s a great community where sharing content and others’ channels is key and a large part of the forum’s identity.

Steam

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/#games

Steam’s unbelievable reputation precedes itself, so when it comes to games forums, of course, Steam knocks it out of the park. Users have access to hundreds of forums for each game hosted on Steam, all framed in the iconic black/blue/white color scheme we’ve all grown familiar with. Steam forums allow others to share gaming guides, FAQs, and modding walkthroughs.

Blizzard Forums

https://us.battle.net/forums/en/

Blizzard is known for its quality games, and the forums that accompany games like Warcraft, Overwatch, and Starcraft are no strangers to that quality. Blizzard puts so much time and effort into the forums on their games, with basic forums like ‘character class’ and ‘Guild Recruitment’ to help flesh out almost every aspect of their games.

Ubisoft Forums

https://forums.ubi.com/forum.php

Like Blizzard, Ubisoft forums have quality in line with their games. The specific forums for each Ubisoft game are such a nice touch. You would never have to worry about searching endlessly through certain forums looking for a place to post something about Assassin’s Creed II when it’s all consolidated in one place.

Hundreds of thousands of users access the site daily to talk about their favorite Ubisoft titles.

Adventure Gamers

https://adventuregamers.com/forums/

Adventure games were huge in the 1990s. This place seems like a haven for all lovers of those unique and artistic titles. A hot topic ‘What’s your favorite adventure Game?’ is one of the site’s most popular topics, with adventure gaming fanatics listing titles ranging from old LucasArts games to more recent titles.

Polygon

https://www.polygon.com/forums

Famous gaming site Polygon hosts a great forum on games. The community truly cares about each other. I came across a topic in which a gamer felt lonely and asked for someone to play online with, with responders not only offering to play with him but to help him out with his personal issues.

Sometimes we need a good support system and those in the community help can really make a difference.

Rock Paper Shotgun

https://forum.rockpapershotgun.com/

Popular blog Rock Paper Shotgun hosts several forums running the gamut on games. My personal favorite is the PC Gaming thread simply named ‘The Screenshot thread’ where users post amazing images from in-game footage. Seeing the incredible details in games like Assassin’s Creed Origins and Endless Space 2 really took my breath away.

Eurogamer

https://community.eurogamer.net/

This site, although simplistic in its design, has users commenting minute to minute. A particular thread I liked was the ‘recently completed game’ thread, where people tended to complete older games, spiraling the discussion into a great nostalgia-filled party.

Giant Bomb

https://www.giantbomb.com/forums/

A good friend of mine actually pointed me in this forum’s direction, and I’m glad he did. Its sleek, black design hosts countless forum posts, with people eagerly discussing their most anticipated game releases and future speculation on different gaming franchises.

It makes sense that they know games; Giant Bomb was formed from a former staffer of GameSpot, another great site.

Escapist Magazine

https://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/

Escapist puts out great content. With productions like ‘No Punctuation’, I knew Escapist was going to be a solid forum.

Its gaming discussion says, “Talk about the games you love, from indie browser games to big-budget MMOGs.” Sometimes simpler is better. A standout to me is ‘User Reviews’ where we get to hear unpaid opinions about games, old and new.

Racketboy

https://www.racketboy.com/forum/

Racketboy advertises themselves as made for retro gamers and it shows how much effort they put into it. A particular standout to me is a forum dedicated to the philosophical, artistic, and cultural influence of games on our society. Deep discussion and gaming? Count me in!

Newgrounds

https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/

Newgrounds is a great site that dominated pop culture in gaming and animation during the early and mid-‘00s. Their forum, which I’ve actually been a member of, is a fun, sometimes wild ride into edgy gaming opinions and colorful online characters. Much like its host site, these forums are raw but loveable and absolutely hilarious.

Ars Technica

https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewforum.php?f=22

A minimalist design doesn’t take away from the content of this forum. This forum is a staggeringly impressive list of places where you could find nearly anything to talk about in games. They have countless threads about gaming setups, operating programs, and PCs. There’s so much meat to these forums, the content will never be in short supply.

Penny-Arcade

https://forums.penny-arcade.com/

Internet Comic comedians Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, AKA ‘Tycho and Gabe’, have created an iconic brand in Penny-Arcade. This extended to their forums as well. With 9.6 million posts, their gaming forum is very online-gaming heavy: Overwatch and Warframe are dominant topics.

Game Revolution

https://forums.gamerevolution.com/

Another simplistic design but rich in content. The forums for games are split into two tiers: Gaming and Retro Gaming which I think is a great method of categorizing and keeping the community orderly.

More positive questions asked of the community, “What game are you best at?’ are some things I like to see when browsing forums, things that engage the rest of the community.

Something Awful

https://forums.somethingawful.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=44

The famous website Something Awful’s forum, known for spawning the phenomenon of Slender-Man, the game forums are packed with content. My favorite topic I came across is a mega thread regarding getting a job in games. With over 3600 replies, it’s proven to be a hot topic, and I’m glad it has.

Epic Games

https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/forums

Along with forums designated to their iconic games, Epic Games also allow you to download their free software to edit content. Their game forums are much like Blizzard and Ubisoft in that they focus heavily on a single game, funneling resources into FAQs and discussion on that game.

Gearbox Software

https://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/

Gearbox focuses its forums on its games and franchises like Borderlands and Battleborn. Forums like Borderlands are wild, with people sharing stories of raids, items, and asking for help with a  particularly difficult boss. However, there is a general gaming discussion, as to not keep other, non-Gearbox games out of the discussion.

4 Bonus Gaming Forums

DoubleFine

https://forums.doublefine.com/

From the makers of classics like Psychonauts and Grim Fandango, Double Fine hosts specific forums for each of their games. Games that have been out for years still have dedicated fan bases that are posting at this exact moment. It’s a very active forum for a very dedicated fanbase.

Square Enix

https://forums.eu.square-enix.com/

Legendary developer Square Enix, no surprise, has a massive forum dedicated to their games. Final Fantasy alone could fill hundreds of thousands of internet pages, with each game and derivative having their own forum.

Bethesda Video Game Community

https://bethesda.net/community/

It’s no surprise, with the recent release of Fallout 76, that the Bethesda forums are on fire, the Fallout forums specifically have over 60,000 posts. Other Bethesda games like those in the Elder Scrolls Series and Dishonored are serviced here as well.

Pinoy Gamer Forum

https://pinoygamer.ph/forums/

Pinoy Gamer is a Filipino gaming forum proudly calling itself the dedicated gaming news forum of the Philippines. It offers spaces for gaming discussions, events, and even buying & trading software and hardware, making it a go-to hub for Filipino gamers.

Other positive aspects like the lively ‘welcome’ forum for those new to the site offer a refreshing look on online communities.

This is extremely useful, and the Filipino community is better off for its existence.

These are the heavy hitters of the online gaming community. You’ll find nowhere more teeming with love and passion for gaming than these sites.

The Best PC Gaming Communities of 2025

If you are anything like me, you like to engage with fellow gamers about your favorite game, PC build, or anything else having to do with gaming. Going it alone on PC can be fun too, but there is something so satisfying about going to a community of gamers and immersing yourself in it.

Have you ever had a serious hardware issue, or need tips to get through a tough level in a game? Chances are that there is a gaming community at your fingertips ready to help and give you tips.

Games like Team Fortress 2, Overwatch, and the Total War franchise all have amazing communities in which you can share your awesome gaming stories and make some great friends. I know I have. That’s why I am here to guide you, to find:

PC Gamer Club

PC Gamer is a famous gaming magazine dealing with, you guessed it, PC games. It was founded in 1993 and has been a tour de force in gaming ever since. I personally owe PC Gamer a lot. During a YouTube loop where I couldn’t sleep, I was cycling through videos and found one about the game Crusader Kings II.

I’ll never forget discovering the PC Gamer community after stumbling across a Crusader Kings II review late at night. Reading player stories about plotting, stealing, and marrying off characters made me feel part of something bigger. That experience pulled me into the PC Gamer community, where I started sharing my own strategies and getting feedback from fellow fans.

The Club is a community where you get some serious perks. Upon joining, (either a $4 or $5 price tag), you get in-game items, Steam keys for certain games, a subscription to their magazine, and a cool little guide to RPGs. Of course, you also get access to their vibrant community of gamers.

Granted, joining isn’t free, but for the price of a discounted Steam game, you could get some serious benefits, not to mention access to their popular Discord channel.

Patient Gamers

For gamers behind the times…: I’m absolutely in love with this community. It’s a subreddit, which we all know are great sources of info. Patient Gamers is no exception. Have you ever not gotten on the hype train for a game? Missed a popular release like Bastion and never got it but now you picked it up on sale?

This community absolutely thrives on gamers who are just now playing through games that are at least 6 months old. But they’re not just new games. Many gamers on the subreddit talk about playing GTA San Andreas and other titles like those in the Devil May Cry franchise and Shadow of the Colossus.

I remember joining the Patient Gamers subreddit and diving into a heated Final Fantasy debate. Honestly, I expected chaos—but instead, I found respectful discussions and deep analysis. It was refreshing, and it reminded me of why I love being part of gaming forums: the mix of passion and respect makes you want to come back and contribute.

These members were being completely respectful, listening to others’ opinions and deep analyses of characters and themes of both games. It was beautiful, and it sold me on the community 100%.

Regardless of your allegiance to either Final Fantasy title, the community is very active; touting nearly 275,000 subscribed members. They post reviews of games and others will reminisce about titles gone by. It’s such a unique concept to what I’m used to, I had to pass it along to you all.

Game Detectives:

Another unique community, Game Detectives dedicate themselves to solving mysteries and puzzles surrounding alternate reality games and other games. An ARG uses clues and Easter eggs in the game as well as real-life to make a more memorable, engaging gaming experience.
Being an amateur internet investigator myself, (okay, I primarily just end up watching creepy conspiracy videos on YouTube, but STILL), I was immediately drawn in by the passion that these gamers had.

I dove deep into this community, especially enjoying topics like someone trying to decode Morse code in the b. It’s stuff like this that makes you keep clicking through different topics and honestly makes you think about games differently. You’ll find yourself thinking more critically while playing and engaging with these users seems to be a real joy.

They are always on the lookout for any hidden meanings or mysteries. Right now, I’m looking at a topic where a user believes to have found some hidden message in the Borderlands Mask of Mayhem trailer. If you consider yourself a sleuth and love games, this is a match made in heaven.

PC Gaming Subreddit:

This was kind of a no-brainer here. PC Gaming subreddit boasts over 1.2 million subscribers, making it one of the largest pc gaming forums online. It should be the one-stop shop for PC gamers looking for a community. There are thousands of topics to view, constantly being updated.

It could lead you down different wormholes into different subreddits, allowing you to hone your interests more clearly and find others who feel the same. They post news, opinions, and patch updates for all to see. Some of my favorite topics are the ones like “What game blew all expectations you had going into it?” in which the users divulge some of their new favorite games.

More topics range from ‘when will the new next big MMORPG be released’ to ‘My mouse arm hurts!’. This eclectic mix of super helpful information and personal nuances makes this a community you don’t want to skip out on.

Those are some of the most highly recommended gaming communities for 2025, both in general and potentially going forward. They show no signs of stopping and have a great positive vibe to all of them. Don’t be shy, go join or lurk for some great gaming discussions! Now for a little something different…

Game-Specific Communities

Now I know that finding a broader category of community is a great thing, but I couldn’t resist adding some online gaming communities that I myself have been a part of for specific games. Sure, broad categories may help, but these communities may be right up your alley without you even knowing it. Think of them as honorable mentions of sorts to the above communities.

Total War Franchise:

I’ve made it no secret that I am a huge RPG and history fanatic, so for me, this was a slam dunk. I first played Shogun: Total War back when I was a budding PC gamer, and the subsequent releases I dutifully got and immersed myself in them. As I got older, I got into modding, and the Total War community delivers, which is how I got into the community.

Specifically, the forum twcenter.net/forums was an extreme help to me regarding mods. The community is also filled with history buffs who will simply discuss the historic periods based on the games. I remember getting pulled into a conversation about the Third Punic War between Rome and ancient Carthage.

You’ll meet some characters, people who are into history and making the game as historically accurate as possible. With the recent release of Total War: Three Kingdoms, the player is transported to the Three Kingdoms period of China, battling it out with the three major factions of that time, all while boasting in-depth diplomacy and graphical overhaul.

The time is now! If any of that sounds great to you, what are you waiting for? Some good forums are: forums.totalwar.com and www.twcenter.net/forums

Dark Souls Franchise

There’s something about the insane, blistering difficulty that will bring people together in a crisis. Maybe it’s a case of misery-loving company, but I found in my own personal experience that the Dark Souls community, specifically the official Reddit, is a great meeting place for players of the iconic series by From Software.

When I first played Dark Souls, I was stuck for days on the Four Kings boss fight. Out of frustration, I turned to the Dark Souls subreddit and posted about my struggle. To my surprise, dozens of players shared strategies, glitch tricks, and even offered to join my game to help. That experience not only got me past the fight—it showed me how supportive a gaming community can really be.

The difficulty alone makes the community more cohesive, friendly, and approachable. Spent hours on a level and finally defeated that boss that was making you pull your hair out? If you post on the subreddit, you’ll receive congratulations and encouragement. I believe that is something we need more of, especially in PC gaming. Check out their subreddit!

Ready to Join?

Those were just some of the interesting, positive communities that I found and even took part in. These communities have a robust user base that won’t slow down anytime soon and will help you through your gaming quests not only in 2025 but for a long time coming.

Video Game Community Infographic

[View Full Infographic]

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular gaming forums and communities?
Popular options include Reddit communities (e.g., r/gaming, PC Gaming subreddit), GameFAQs message boards—each game has its own board—PC Gamer forums with thousands of threads, ResetEra for news discussions, and Steam Community forums.

Are gaming forums still relevant, or are they dying out?
Forums haven’t evolved as much in usability compared to Reddit or Discord, leading some to see them as less user-friendly and possibly declining in popularity.

Which platforms are best for gaming discussions besides traditional forums?
Reddit remains one of the most active platforms with numerous niche gaming subreddits. Steam Community, Discord, and dedicated forums like IGN still provide solid discussion spaces.

What makes a forum community stand out to users?
Communities like gaming forums often thrive when users share beginner guides, post walkthroughs, or openly contribute strategies—especially in niche areas like speedrunning where members publish beginner routes and tutorials to support new players.

How many gaming forums exist, and are they widespread?
There are still quite a few active forums—for example, PC Gamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, Polygon, Destructoid, and Gamepressure—all hosting discussions on a regular basis.

Qatar

Sources Utilized

• https://academyofanimatedart.com/gaming-statistics/
• https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/studies/online-gaming-statistics/
• https://explodingtopics.com/blog/number-of-gamers
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NationStateshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexus_Mods
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProBoards
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baidu_Tieba
• https://reddit.fandom.com/wiki/Subreddit%3Agaming
• https://resourcera.com/data/social/reddit-statistics/
• https://www.socialplug.io/blog/reddit-statistics
• https://www.redditinc.com/blog/gaming-on-reddit/
• https://gameinfohub.com/exploring-the-diversity-of-gaming-communities-on-reddit/
• https://www.pluggo.ai/communities/best-online-communities-for-best-online-communities-for-gaming
• https://zipdo.co/online-gaming-industry-statistics/
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• https://www.statista.com/topics/1551/online-gaming/
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• https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.01317https://arxiv.org/abs/1112.4915

With video games becoming so ubiquitous now, and kids from the ages of 3 to 13 spend so much of their time on them, it might seem like you’re getting further away from their interests.

Don’t fret though, because we’ve compiled a list that we believe both you and your kid will love playing.

Sure, it will mostly be frustrating for you, but it will be great fun for your kid and with acceptable content. Most importantly, it will give you more time to bond with and enjoy your time with your child.

Nintendo Labo

Right off the bat, the first suggestion has to be Nintendo Labo. It’s actually a really unique and brilliant ‘game’ created by Nintendo and it’s basically just a constructor set made out of cardboard. That means you can spend lots of fun time with your kids putting the cardboard pieces together, as well as enjoying the actual games that go along with the completed sets.

Granted, you will have to dish out for a Nintendo Switch, as well as the actual Labo games. Currently, they have two versions; Toy-Con 1 Variety kit which goes for $70, and the Toy-Con 2 Robot kit which goes for $80. That’s right, you can build a cardboard robot with your kid!

The games themselves are actually pretty simple, things like fishing games, piano playing, and motorbike racing. But the games aren’t as important as the actual experience of building and spending time with your children.

One warning though, the Labo is made out of cardboard, so it’s likely that your kids will destroy it at some point.

The Lego Games

Yes! They do actually have a ton of Lego Games based on the Lego movies and other movie franchises.

Batman, Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Marvel, Star Wars, Indiana Jones. The list really does go on and on. Even more than that, there’s also Lego games specific to the Lego universe, such as Ninjago.

The majority of Lego games have a co-op mode which allows you to play along with your young loved one. Of course, quite a lot of that time is going to be spent in frustration, since there is PvP damage, and for some reason, kids just love to smash things up without a moment’s thought of cross-fire.

But, if you can get past that, you actually have a ton of games you can play with your kids.

Grow Home and Grow Up

This is actually a sweet little game about robots growing large, space-reaching plants.

It’s a platformer, and there’s no damage from falling, so you shouldn’t have any hesitation when it comes to handing them the controller.

Of course, we are talking about kids playing platformers, so it’s likely you’ll be spending most of the game time falling and climbing back up. But hey, it really is all about the fun!

Snipperclips

One of the slightly more challenging games which could help teach problem-solving skills. It’s very likely you haven’t heard of this game, since it’s massively underrated.

Most of the game involves trying to solve puzzles by ‘snipping’ or cutting out parts of your avatar to achieve the goal. Actually, it’s pretty hard to explain with just text, so check it out for yourselves, we’re sure your kids will love it!

Minecraft

In complete contrast to Snipperclips, the chances of you not having heard of Minecraft is essentially zero. One of the most popular games for kids and tweens, this game should absolutely be something you take a look at.

The great thing about Minecraft is that it can be played by essentially all ages. With smaller kids, you can play the sandbox ‘creative mode’ and just build stuff together, and with older kids, you can play the survival mode, where you’ll have to fight, dig and explore to survive. It’s actually pretty fun when you get into it.

Roblox

A more grown-up version of Minecraft, Roblox actually allows kids to create their own games, as well as play the games that other people created.

It’s actually a great way to help kids develop creative skills and general skills as well. There’s almost no need for programming, since it’s an object-oriented language, and you can import everything you need. Roblox also allows people to sell their creations, so you can buy games, or sell your own.

A word of warning though, sometimes inappropriate or adult content might not get caught by the moderators, so it’s important to supervise their playtime.

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart has been around for ages, and the latest installment is just aces. The controls are easy and the tracks are simple (but super fun!), so it’s easy for kids and adults of all ages to pick up.

There’s a Deluxe version out now on the Nintendo Switch, which should be the one you get if you have the option.

Overcooked 1 & 2

This is one of the better and critically acclaimed party games out there. The premise is simple: You have to cooperate with the other players to cook a specific type and number of dishes before the time runs out. The twist? The stages are alive!

You’ll be screaming, laughing, maybe even crying in frustration, but the truth is, this game is really fun regardless of what you’re doing.

FIFA or any other sports games

Sports games are actually great for playing with older kids and tweens. We singled out FIFA because it’s not a contact sports game (like NFL) or prone to aggression (like NHL).

That being said, if your kids are old enough and you feel comfortable with letting them play those games, then you absolutely should.

Rocket League

I mean . . . rocket-power cars playing soccer (or football if you’re not from the US).

We’re not really sure much more needs to be said.

VR

Virtual Reality used to be an optimistic, fanciful vision of the future—something that belonged in movies and the imagination of the viewer. However, with new ideas over the past decade, things like the Oculus Rift, VR is now becoming a very real, viable option for entertainment, namely gaming.

Although it’s becoming more accessible and commercial now, the first virtual reality headset was actually invented in the 1960s, by a man named Ivan Sutherland. “Sutherland’s HMD was a project he described as “the ultimate display.”

It connected to a stereoscopic display from a computer program depicting simple virtual wireframe shapes, which changed perspective as the user moved his or her head. Because these are superimposed on top of a real background, this could also be seen as the birth of “augmented reality.”” (Digital Trends).

Augmented reality is something we may all be very familiar with. The iconic Pokémon Go, launched in 2016, has a dynamic augmented reality system in which the wild Pokémon were made to look as if they inhabited your environment. This created some humorous scenarios in which Pokémon Go players would have to catch the wild animals in unique places.

“However, it never developed into more than a lab project — possibly because the device’s weight required it to be suspended from the ceiling on a mechanical arm like a periscope.”
Luckily, Sutherland is still alive to see the groundwork he laid to be developed into something truly breathtaking.

One of the first video game publishers to attempt to launch a VR headset was Sega, which planned Sega VR as an accessory for the Genesis. With development starting in 1991 and continuing for a couple years after, Sega VR was an attempt to squeeze more life out of the company’s 16-bit games console.

The visor-like look owes a lot to RoboCop and The Day The Earth Stood Still, with a sleek black plastic design that concealed LCD displays, stereo headphones, and internal “inertial sensors” for tracking head movement.

“Sega VR will create the impression that you are exploring an alternate reality,” a press release stated. “As your eyes shift focus from one object to the next, the binocular parallax constantly changes to give you the impression of a three-dimensional world.”

Unfortunately, it was never released — with one (somewhat amusing) explanation being that Sega worried the virtual effect was too realistic, and people would wind up hurting themselves while immersed. (Digital Trends).

What if Sega actually released their tech? Would they be doing better than they are now? Would they have been heralded as groundbreakers like Nintendo was with the Nintendo Wii, creating an amazing pop culture craze? What do you think?

I think they should have done it, regardless of the risk. No risk, no reward, especially in gaming. If you’re not innovating, someone else is.

Not only is VR viable as a gaming option, it works—and works well. I helped a friend with some homework he had to do in college for a psychology class. He developed a city scenario in VR to simulate a public protest. I was able to rotate my head 360 degrees and see all these little details in the cityscape.

It was disorienting only in that I was truly experiencing a different, nuanced world where I felt that anything could happen. I was like a newborn baby curiously and hesitantly becoming familiar with its surroundings.

VR has planted itself right in the mainstream, being integrated into exhibits in museums, psychological studies, and therapy.

“…the biggest use of virtual reality in clinical settings is probably in the area of exposure therapy and that is probably because the technology is well-matched to the needs of the clinical application. We see with exposure therapy the goal really is about helping a patient, whether it’s due to a simple phobia or PTSD, to engage, to confront and to process difficult traumatic memories.” (American Psychological Association).

This use of virtual reality is not only amazing but shows promise for the future.

TeslaSuit

If you’re experienced with VR, you’ve probably played it at a friend’s house, a tech store, or seen gameplay tech demos. Usually, VR is limited to a headset and possibly a handheld accessory of some sort. However, in an impressive leap forward, the TeslaSuit promises to throw you—yes, your entire body—into the fray.

I know, it sounds more sci-fi than reality. I’ll admit, reading about it had me scratching my head, thinking it wasn’t only fantasy, but a joke. However, Teslasuit is very real.

After a few years in development, Teslasuit was officially put onto Kickstarter in 2016.

Material

Strap in, because the majority of your body will be covered in something you’d see in an action movie, “The textiles used in the suit are woven with conductive thread, layers with waterproof neoprene which, somewhat amazingly, makes the suit itself water proof and fully washable.” (RoadToVR)

“The suit uses an “electro-tactile haptic feedback system” to really put you inside the games you’re playing. “It covers the entire body. Currently we have 68 channels, we’re going to expand to even more by the time we hit the consumer level…

It provides the sensations, anything from stroke to hard impact … but the hard impact we’ve specifically limited to the own wearer’s strength, not to damage any tissue or anything, to keep it safe.” (Digital Trends).

The main facet is the ‘T-belt’, much like a real belt, which is basically a giant Fitbit for the Teslasuit. It monitors haptic feedback, motion, and climate.
How cool is that? We’re eventually going to live in a world where we can hash out all our gaming grievances in real time, in front of each other, using state of the art tech.

Only a few more technological leaps and we’ll find ourselves in the Matrix or Tron.

Price

The only possible downside to this technology is the steep price. This sounds all great, but the forefront comes at a cutting-edge price. It was broken down into two different tiers on Kickstarter. You had the ‘Pioneer’ version, which was billed at about $1500 American, and the insane ‘Prodigy’ version.

‘Prodigy’ version has an astounding price of about $2750. With prices like these, is it viable to be at the forefront?

Obviously, if you can afford such a price, go for it. But if you’re me and thousands of others, this isn’t some drop in the bucket. Perhaps as time goes on and it becomes more streamlined, the price will decrease.

As of right now, the website doesn’t offer any public pricing and requires you to contact them if you’re actually interested in purchasing, I assume it’s mostly for game developers to collaborate with.

Gaming Potential

When I first read about the Teslasuit, the first thought in my mind was ‘Skyrim’. I can picture it: My Orc barbarian climbs the seven thousand steps up High Hrothgar to answer the summons of the Greybeards. Could the climate control on the suit detect I’m in below-freezing temperatures?

Wolves and Trolls on all sides. The tension would be overwhelming, but the rush would be worth it.

According to the Teslasuit, I’d be able to feel the attacks of these enemies, and the suit would immerse me further into the experience. Not enough to actually hurt you, but enough to make it different from simply sitting on your couch or chair and just simply pressing buttons.

In VR you’re actually wielding something in self-defense, and your bodily movements depend on if you pass trials and tests within the game. However, now your friends can’t use the excuse that their controller wasn’t responding to button touches; now they have to be fast enough on their feet to actually survive.

Imagine the detail in which games like those in the Call of Duty franchise or a squad-based game would have. You, along with friends, could enter an intense conflict zone, surrounded by numerous enemies, and you feel—actually feel every hit you take. I know fighting games will never be the same.

Feeling a kick or sturdy punch will make you learn from your mistakes. This could also translate to physical well-being, allowing for exercise while playing games.

Gaming tournaments will be filled with those wearing Teslasuits and playing the latest iteration of Street Fighter. It raises the stakes at the same time as immersing you safely within the framework of the game.

Along with game developers, the United States government had a hand in game development. America’s Army, developed by the Army back in 2002, was a squad-based combat simulator used to introduce American’s to the Army, how it works, and if the individual thought military would be an option for them.

I wonder if the Army will have an interest in the Teslasuit, or if they’re already working together to make a spiritual successor to America’s Army.

Whichever age you were when Virtual reality appeared on your radar, it was clear that this sci-fi fantasy was more plausible than flying cars. Now, you have the option to own and wear a full-body suit and take your gaming to the next level. Imagine playing your favorite games with the ability to feel the game interact with the suit.

I know I’ll be climbing freezing, enemy-infested mountains in Skyrim a little more carefully.

Indie games have really been knocking it out of the park, lately. But they don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

This showcase looks at five indie games of varying levels of popularity that you may have missed.

We take a look at what the game is all about, who developed it, sometimes looking at why and how these teams developed their games. You’ll hear about the gameplay, where to get the game, and any plans for new content related to the game.

Time for the fun part!

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is a game set in a dark, desolate, underground world.

As the devs put it, “beneath the fading town of Dirtmouth sleeps an ancient, forgotten kingdom. Many are drawn beneath the surface, searching for riches, or glory, or answers to old secrets. As the enigmatic Hollow Knight, you’ll traverse the depths, unravel its mysteries and conquer its evils.”

Development

Hollow Knight is beautifully animated in 2D. The environments, creatures you encounter, and action animation are all gorgeously melancholy.

Screenshots from the game feature washed-out blues, purples, and greens–excellent choices for the melancholy underground adventures of Hollow Knight.

Hollow Knight was built with Unity. And you can catch the original release trailer here.

Much of the game music is also beautiful. There are tracks you can appreciate even outside of the context of the game. The music was composed by Christopher Larkin–we recommend popping over to Bandcamp and giving a few songs a listen (Enter Hallownest, the first song on the digital album, is a fine place to start).

Who’s Behind the Game?

Team Cherry the developer team behind the game, consists of four people.

• Ari Gibson is handling game design with William (intro to come). Ari created the art for the game, and also “animates hundreds of bugs. Thanks to Hollow Knight, he now knows an awful lot about insects.”
• William Pellen is the other game designer on the squad. He handled the behavior for bosses, enemies, our dear hero Hollow Knight, and the game in general. He is also the one to blame “if an enemy seems too challenging or a gauntlet insurmountable”.
• David Kazi stood at the helm of the technical direction for Hollow Knight. “He divided his time between making the game run and fixing things that Ari and William break.”

At the very least, these guys have a good sense of humor (though, with a game like Hollow Knight under their belts, with more on the way, they make way more than comedy gold).

• Matt ‘Leth’ Griffin is the go-to guy for marketing, testing, and translating the game. He’s the PR guy. Prior to Hollow Knight he took on PR roles for Stardew Valley, Interstellaria, and Wanderlust Adventures.

Team Cherry is based out of South Australia (Adelaide, to be exact).

Gameplay

Hollow Knight is an action-adventure game that tasks players with exploring the cavernous kingdom beneath Dirthmouth.

There are traps to evade, corrupted beasts to fight, and “an ancient long-hidden mystery” to solve.

To do this, you’ll need to learn new skills and find new equipment throughout the game.

Where to Get it?

You can currently find Hollow Knight on Steam, though that’s not the only place to find it. It’s available on gog.com and at the Humble Store as well.

An Updated Version of Hollow Knight is Coming Soon!

The devs are also hard at work on a port to the Switch console. This version of Hollow Knight contains “a lot of changes to the guts of the game and a lot of tweaks to things like game balance, sound, and visual effects.”

These changes, coupled with the new content the devs added, are being released on the Switch as the newly titled Hollow Knight: Lifeblood.

Here’s a list of the new Lifeblood features, as per the Lifeblood Update website:

• One of the bosses has been “seriously upgraded. A true challenge awaits!”
• There’s a brand new boss featuring a new music track from the original composer
• Map Markers have made it into the game
• Extras were added to the Extras menu
• They’ve adjusted game balances
• They’ve squashed some bugs (not any of the insects you fight in the depths, though)
• There are more sound effects and voices
• They’ve optimized parts of the game for performance enhancement

The Beta is getting into PC players’ hands first for final rounds of playtesting. Once the game is where it needs to be, Team Cherry will give the game a proper release on GOG, the Humble Store, and Steam.

Team Cherry is giving constant updates on their Switch port progress, but ultimately they’re committed to bringing the best version of the game that they possibly can to the console.

As per their latest update: they’re going to need more time. There’s no official Switch release window at this time.

Retro Highway

Dumb Luck Games released Retro Highway in the middle of April 2018.

Retro Highway is a “return to the days of blast processing and pure arcade fun! Retro Highway is a throwback mobile game aiming to combine the accessibility of modern titles with the high-skill challenge and charming aesthetics of old.”

Development

Dumb Luck Games has been working on this idea since as early as October 2015. The team’s known influences for this mobile game are OutRun and Road Rash, a couple of classic Sega titles.

Who’s Behind the Game?

The development team consists of two people: Constantine Berg and Nicolai Danielsen. The two met on a forum and joined forces to make this game.

The idea for the game is a bit backward, but inspiration really can strike from anywhere: “Retro Highway’s soundtrack was actually made by Mikhail Rublyov a whole year before its development started and for a different game–a “manlier” Mario Kart ripoff made in a month or so…”

The programmer wasn’t going to fix the busted product, but Berg didn’t want to waste the crunchy jams or Rublyov’s efforts. So Berg “decided to so the most sensible thing with a great Road Rash inspired soundtrack: use it for a Road Rash-inspired game.”

So the game came from a soundtrack, a new forum-forged friendship, and a healthy dose of nostalgia.

Gameplay

Retro Highway gives players a real sense of speed as a motorcyclist racing down a traffic-plagued highway.

You feel every boost, every crash, and every landing as the “camera” shakes behind you down the highway.

Players score points and coins by doing tricks and navigating the challenges the Retro Highway throws at you. You can use your coins to unlock new bikes (over ten available) in between your races. You can also invest in upgrade power-ups.

After you complete enough challenges, you’ll unlock a new stage.

You can catch the release trailer on touch arcade.

Where to Get It?

Retro Highway is available for free download on your mobile device or your tablet (so check the in places like the App Store). For a couple of bucks, you can disable the ads in the free version for some uninterrupted, high-octane motorcycle racing action.

The download size is currently 73/5 MB, so free up some space on the ol’ phone hard drive if you haven’t already!

Hidden Folks

Hidden Folks is a game that’s received a lot of praise and award nominations, but you still might have missed it.

In the game, players “search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes. Unfurl tent flaps, cut through bushes, slam doors, and poke some crocodiles!”

Development and Who’s Behind the Game

Hidden Folks was created by Adriaan de John, the game designer, and Sylvain Tegroeg, the illustrator. “Everything in Hidden Folks is draw [sic] by hand, scanned in, placed, layered manually, animated, and scripted. All sounds you’ll hear originate from the developer’s mouths.”

The two met in 2014, largely by chance, and a joke about making a game together quickly turned into Hidden Figures less than three years later.

Hidden Folks also had contributions from Mirthe Venbrux, the assistant producer; Martin Kvale, the video game sound designer; Aran Koning, the assistant programmer; Bram van Dijk, the writer.

The partners continue to add and develop new content for the game and have expanded from an original 15 areas to over 20 hand-drawn areas for players to explore.

Gameplay

The game has the nostalgic feel of a Where’s Waldo book…except everything is interactive and moving! The illustrations are wonderful and really help make the game what it is.

Players will get a strip of targets on each level showing them what to look for. They can tap each target if they need a hint. Once they find enough of the targets on a specific level, they will unlock the next area.

Where to Get it?

Hidden Folks is easier to find in digital stores than some of the in-game targets you’ll be looking for. You can find it on Steam, Google Play, and the App Store.

The computer version retails for $7.99 while the mobile and tablets version retails for $3.99.

Praise from Steam players:

“Is there anyone alive who doesn’t love Where’s Waldo? I think not, ‘cause you’d have to be pretty dead inside not to adore that goofy, stylish fellow and his equally eclectic friends…aside from a few antiquated attempts those enthralling adventures never made it to the gaming world, and no one really tired to emulate the experience. At least, not until now.” – Audish

“This game brings back fond memories of childhood, only better.” – Ramon

“An incredibly charming hidden object game, like Where’s wally with dozens of objects to find across multiple maps, really nicely drawn aesthetic, amazing sound effects that make you smile every time you click on something, helpful clues if you get too stuck (but not overly obvious, just the general location or a hint). Can’t recommend it enough.” – Havok16

If a game makes Havok smile, you know it’s a light-hearted, pleasant way to pass the time. You’ll have as much fun hunting down objects as you will simply enjoying the illustrations and animations.

Claybook

Claybook is a neat looking game where everything in-game is made out of clay. “Everything acts like it’s made of real clay. Every inch of the environment can be shaped and molded. Everything has matter inside it, not just an out shell. Clay can be deformed, destroyed and frozen to solid.”

Development and Who’s Behind the Game

Claybook was designed and published by Second Order. The studio was formed in 2015 (in October, wouldn’t you know it…) by two people: Sebastian Aaltonen and Sami Saarinen. They both worked as game developers together on the Trials game series prior to starting their own studio.

Claybook is built with a technology they developed in-house, which they refer to as Clayfield. They relied on Unreal Engine 4 to build their clayfield tech. If you want more of the technical info, you can check out Sebastian Aaltonen’s tweet thread.

Gameplay

The videos make this game look like a bunch of fun. You’re using certain clay objects at your disposal (a clay ball, a clay cube, even a clay rocket?) to solve challenges in each chapter of the game.

The game is compatible with up to four local players. We always appreciate when developers include split-screen play–something that many of the AAA titles have been steering away from for years in favor of online multiplayer.

Claybook includes “a unique clay simulation and visualization technology that has been designed from ground up for user-generated content, making it easy for player to unleash their creativity.”

Player creativity can take shape through an “amazing in-game creation tool that lets you build your own books and chapters and share them with the Claybook community.” No modding, coding, or technical skills necessary in order to take advantage of these tools.

Where to Get it?

Claybook is available in its early access form on Steam, and in its game preview form on Xbox Live.

There are plans to bring Claybook to PS4 later in 2018.

The game is also available through a Humble Bundle sales widget on the game’s homepage: you’ll get a Steam key to access the game and the developers receive a greater portion of the purchase.

Remnants of Naezith

What happens when a human shares his body with the soul of an ancient thunder dragon?

You get Remnants of Naezith, a “fast-paced precision platformer oriented around grappling hook mechanics.”

Development and Who’s Behind the Game

Tolga Ay started developing Remnants of Naezith in August of 2014. He is a student at Yildiz Technical University in the Department of Computer Engineering.

He’s also a competitive FPS player for games like Overwatch, Quake, and Team Fortress 2. It’s his love of fast-paced games, quick reaction times, and finely-honed skills that led him to develop Remnants of Naezith.

He had some help on the game with level design, technical support, graphics, playtesting, etc.

Gameplay

Remnants of Naezith lets you “rush through levels and swing around obstacles, improve your skills to climb the leaderboards, or even create your own levels. The fun of swinging with grappling hooks and the amazing feel of acceleration makes a great combination during the gameplay.”

The game features four chapters, with 20 levels in each–not including the secret levels only unlocked by finding the hidden remnants.

Remnants of Naezith features leaderboards (which feature top player replays) so you can see how the best players are setting their records.

The game also features a custom level editor, which lets you build, share, and explore levels built by the community.

Where to Get it?

You can download Remnants of Naezith on Steam, where it’s available for $9.99.

Here’s what people have been saying about the game:

“I don’t usually get addicted to speedrunning games but this game really hooked me. I’ve already sunk more than a hundred hours into this as a beta tester and it still feels as fresh as day 1…I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes platformers.” – CheZ’Da

“The controls in this game are absolutely top notch. The art is very good, if a little busy. The sense of speed and the complexity of the controls based on the three jump/hook/boost buttons is amazing…if you’re looking to master a game, this is the one to master.” – Tankor Smash

“A fast paced platformer that is undeniably influenced from an old IOS game called Hook Champ…The controls are tight and responsive. Which for a platformer of this speed is a necessity. It feels completely natural after only the first few levels…I can’t wait to see what the later levels have in store.” – DrunkHobo

These are just a few comments we pulled from the 200+ reviews left on Steam.

The general consensus is: the game’s mechanics will push you to try and master the game, to do the level faster, to watch how the fastest players do it, and to emulate them.

This is a game for players who want to push their platforming skills to the limit.

Easter Eggs need no introduction! You’re not here for our eggy pandering, you just want the yolk!

Feast, dear reader. Gorge yourself on these Eggs:

The Very First Easter Egg

If you know video game history (or SPOILER ALERT recently saw Ready Player One) you’re familiar with the Easter Egg hidden in Adventure on the Atari 2600.

This egg is recognized as the first one to appear in a video game. The process of getting to the easter egg is a bit complex, which makes you wonder how anyone found it in the first place.

But, find it they did. The trick is to perform a specific sequence of events that reveal a “dot” (a hidden pixel) on the corner of one screen. Bring that dot to a specific area and you’ll be treated to the Easter egg:

“Created by…Warren Robinett…”

Yeah, it’s just the creator’s name. Which might not be as exciting as other eggs on this list, but for the time it was fantastic. Games didn’t include a whole lot of “credits” back then (if they included any at all), so Robinett hid his name in the game. Genius.

Rumor has it that this easter egg may have been the first hidden and discovered in modern media, and many credits this secret with coining the term in the first place.

Head Knock, Who’s There?

Have you played Star Wars Battlefront 2? Seen the movies? Fan of both? One? Neither?

Well, a hard-to-spot egg hides on the neck of a stormtrooper in one cutscene in the game. It comes from A New Hope, where a stormtrooper comically bumped his head on a low-hanging door.

The game’s cutscene shows two stormtroopers walking far in the background of some imperial hangar, and, as they go to walk under a staircase, the stormtrooper bumps his head.

Same guy? Who knows!? Either way, it’s an easy thing to appreciate, even if you aren’t a diehard fan of the galaxy far, far away.

Speaking of all-things-knocks…Ground Pound, anyone?

Time for some monkey business with this one…We travel back in time to a game that came out in November of 1999 on the Nintendo 64:

Donkey Kong 64.

There was a lot to like about the game, like an unforgettable rap in the beginning and a fun cast of characters.

And then there was something that went overlooked for 17 years…A rainbow coin.

The coin was hidden underground on a floating island. You had to use Donkey Kong’s ground pound move to reveal the coin, and never has a ground pound made so many so unhappy.

All of a sudden, all the speedrun records and completion records were….wrong. No one else had found this coin, and so no one else had technically hit 100% completion.

It makes you wonder…. What else have we missed?!

About that Swimming Pool…

Here’s an Easter Egg that did not take 17 years to find.

In Uncharted 2, you can go to the top of the Hotel Shangri-La in chapter 6.

If you decide to go into the pool for some R and R, Nathan will start playing the classic game Marco Polo, with his female companion. She reluctantly provides a “polo” to answer his call.

Is that You, Mr. Ratman?

Portal 2 is a fun, distance-warping jaunt where you get to use a portal gun to navigate a series of challenges.

It’s a total blast, just like its predecessor.

When you do finally decide to fire it up, be on the lookout for some peculiar graffiti (and a mug collection).

If you walk up to the walls where you see these drawings (from a character named Ratman), you can hear faint noises playing in the background. Is it chanting? Is it a song playing? Is it Doug Ratman, giving you the runaround again?

No one is sure, but it’s a fun egg to hunt nonetheless.

It Doesn’t Matter How Dark it Gets, Someone Always Find the Cheese

Perfect Dark came out for Nintendo 64 and was a real blast, especially for players itching for gameplay similar to Goldeneye.

It didn’t take long for players to find curious additions to every level in the campaign…

Yes, a piece of swiss cheese.

No one knows what the cheese is for. To this day, gamers go back and forth on why the cheese is there.

Was it supposed to do something? Did its original purpose get cut? Was it for fun? Are we the butt of the ultimate video game cheese prank?

We might never know, but we can still find dat cheez.

Yosemite Bear

January 8th, 2010 was an incredible day for…rainbows?

On that day “it was rainbowing for at least an hour…It was incredible. The camera could not capture the vivid intensity and brightness. Look into the mirror, look into your soul!”

Yes, it was on this day that the infamous double rainbow blessed the world with its appearance. YouTuber Yosemitebear 62 went on about the double rainbow for over 3 minutes: marveling at its beauty, unpacking its meaning, and enjoying the phenomenon like no one else could.

But we’re not talking about nature’s Easter Eggs, here. We’re just giving you context for a great little diddy hidden in Borderlands 2. Find a secret spot behind a Hyperion base and you’re treated to either ClapTrap or Handsome Jack recreating the original double rainbow reaction.

In Honor of Pacific Rim

With movies coming out every couple of years where giant creatures rise from the depths (as if the ocean wasn’t terrifying enough?), it’s no surprise that some of that murky madness should find its way into video games.

In Saints Row 2, it’s possible to find a giant monstrosity, deep in the ocean. What is this magnificent, terrifying beast?

It’s not Godzilla. It’s a giant pink rabbit.

Once you catch the scent of this easter egg, you just follow the arrows until you make it to the rabbit’s resting place. It will slowly rise out of the water to reward you for your perseverance.

Whatcha’ Lookin’ at, Robbie?

It turns out size isn’t everything, gang.

There’s a character in the Silent Hill series that works its way into Silent Hill 4 as a plush doll.

This doll is Robbie the Rabbit. Robbie the Rabbit is a pink bunny with a bloody face.

You can peep Robbie in a room in your neighbor Eileen’s home. Take a look through the hole in the wall, and there it sits (watch without sound, you don’t need it), slouched over. Why would Eileen have a Robbie doll?

Who knows? Everyone has their own “stuff” to work out. Leave her be.

But, it gets worse for you. If you look after Eileen has gone missing, Robbie is staring right at you, fluffy, plush, murderous finger-pointing.

Boo!

How Did This Get Here?

Nothing tickles us more than cross-IP Easter Eggs.

And X-Men Origins: Wolverine doubles down on the references.

First, there’s a cross-medium reference to a hit television series: Lost. Hidden in the jungle for Wolverine to find is the famous hatch from the show.

If that’s not enough, how about a corrupting blade imbued with a sorrowful cold?

Frostmourne, the blade of World of Warcraft fame, lies hidden in the game as well. Not that Wolverine needs any additional blades or anything corrupting his spirit…

Is that Your Heart Beating?

Do you know who has fun with their Easter Eggs? Rockstar games, that’s who.

In Grand Theft Auto IV, you can get inside the Statue of Happiness (via a helicopter and some doors).

You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a sign that says “no hidden content this way” (classic). Walk through that door and voila, you’ll be inside the statue and you’ll find the heart of the city.

Or at least the biggest heart in the city. Lady Happiness has an enormous beating heart chained up and suspended inside of her.

Where is the line, Rockstar?? And does nothing phase Niko?

Bonus: In GTA: San Andreas you can get to the top of Gant Bridge, via jetpack, and you’ll find a sign that says “there are no Easter Eggs up here. Go away.”

These are just the tip of the iceberg for GTA Easter Eggs.

Should Have Read the Obits in Orbit

Spoiler alert, gang.

If, for some reason, you haven’t beaten Dead Space…. SKIP TO #13.

But, if you don’t mind having the ending ruined for you (or if you’ve already finished the game), then read on!

You play as Isaac and you’re on a derelict space station looking for Nicole.

If you look at the chapter titles for each of the 12 chapters…

And take the first initial from each…

It spells out a foreboding message. You can learn the truth before experiencing it in the campaign:

Nicole is Dead.

A Link to Chris’s Secret Room

We always appreciate a good acknowledgment of a random kid in a video game. Who doesn’t love the thrill of someone being featured or the excitement at the thought of worming your way into a video game?

In the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, that lucky winner was Chris Houlihan. Nintendo held a competition back in 1990. The winner would get programmed into a future NES game. Chris won. So he was immortalized in the game in the form of a secret room.

As the Zelda Wiki points out, this room isn’t a normal part of the game. It exists in the game as a failsafe against the game crashing. If the game doesn’t know where to send Link (as in what room he’s supposed to go to next), the game will send him to Chris Houlihan’s secret room.

It’s not a total bust though–it has a whopping 45 blue rupees in there. What a hoard!

Who Are You Callin’ Turkey?

The assassin bloodline runs deep and wide through history in the Assassin’s Creed universe.

Sometimes the power of assassins crosses the gap into other species.

In Assassin’s Creed 3, you can get a turkey to come to you by whistling at a specific homestead.

When you find the turkey, you need to do the Konami code. The classic: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A.

Poof!

Assassin Turkey! The turkey will put on an Assassin hood and take justice into his own hands (not really). Watch out, Templar scum!

Shoulda’ Left the Flying to Turkeys

Do you know anyone who loves cross-game jabs? Us, probably everybody.

In Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, you might come across a dead man lying next to a hay bale. Geralt of Rivia lives in a dangerous time, a dangerous world. Monsters, men–they both abound, and they can be violent and ruthless.

A closer inspection of this dead man reveals that his death likely wasn’t caused by a monster or man (unless he was Lannister-ed).

No, the man, wearing a white assassin-style outfit, appears to have jumped and missed his target: the hay bale.

When you walk up, Geralt will say something like “Hm…Guess they never learn” totally ribbing Assassin’s Creed for the jump-into-hay-bales gameplay mechanic.

Don’t Forget Your Sandwiches!

You were almost a Jill sandwich!

This A+ line appeared in Resident Evil. Not only did it work its way into a meme, but it also worked its way into Dead Rising.

If you look at the names of some of the shops in the mall, you can find a restaurant named….you guessed it: Jill’s Sandwiches!

Still Better than Snakes?

There’s a scene in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull where Indy’s trapped in a nuketown as a nuclear test, is about to go off.

To save himself, he climbs into a lead-lined fridge. The explosion launches him miles and miles from town until he eventually rolls out of the fridge onto some desert.

In the movie, he lives…But in the Fallout: New Vegas universe? Well…the fedora-wearing skeleton in an old fridge seems to tell a different story.

More Nuketown, Fewer Fridges!

In Call of Duty Black Ops 3, there’s a way to bring the mannequins to life on the Nuketown map.

The goal: shoot the heads off of every mannequin in two minutes or less.

Next step: fight for your life.

The mannequins will start spawning and chasing you around, similar to the zombie play mode.

If it gets to be too much, you could always try hiding in a fridge…

Yeehaw!

What’s more fun than playing video games? Playing video games in style!

And few games let you do that better than this Gears of War 2 Easter Egg. In the chapter where you’re riding those big vehicles, there are 3 cowboy hats hidden at the beginning of the level.

If you manage to shoot all three with your pistol as you drive past, some real magic happens:

Everyone gets a cowboy hat! These hats instantly appear on everyone’s head in your unit.

It’s not just your unit that gets hats, though…The Corpse you fight has a hat, too!

Everyone could do with just a pinch more rustic charm.

From Rumor to Legend

In the original Diablo, everyone believed these rumors that there was a “low level.”

There wasn’t.

But that’s not where this story ends. When Diablo II came out, there was a cow level! Though traditionally a bit more benign than their minotaur cousins, the bovine on the cow level mean business.

They walk on their two back legs and all wield two-handed axes. And, they travel in serious herds.

Have you made it to the Secret Cow Level? Have you experienced the “bovine bliss” that can only be found in Diablo?

Southern Hospitality

In Hitman: Blood Money there’s an Easter Egg that lets you take a proper southern hootenanny from above-average get-together to “where did everyone’s pants go?”

And it only requires a single, well-placed bullet.

There’s a coin hidden near the outside of the mansion. If you find it and shoot it with your pistol, well…Some party guests figure congratulations are in order.

A bunch of male NPCs will run over to you and start clapping.

The catch? They’ve all stripped down to their underwear.

Can’t say for sure if that coin has anything to do with the titular blood money, we’ll leave that mystery for 47.

Bonus: There’s a great Easter Egg in Hitman: Absolution during a time when you have a tough decision to make.

In “End of the Road” you can either shoot your target or leave him alone to die in the middle of the desert.

But those aren’t your only two options… Five vultures are sitting around you. Walk near them until they take flight. If you shoot all five while they’re in the sky, an ice cream truck will come careening out of nowhere and drive right into the target.

I scream. You Scream.

We all scream for ice cream.

Guy Savage

Ever had a dream about vampires? What about zombies?

It was probably nothing like Snake’s from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

There is a minigame embedded in MGS3 that you can only access by saving at a very specific point in the game: at Groznyj Grad after Naked Snake is placed in the cell, right after his torture session with Volgin.

When you load that save up, you won’t be in the cell (at first). Instead, you’ll be in Snake’s dream. You’ll have two hook swords, and you’ll be chased by zombie-like, police uniform-clad characters. Oh, and they have hook-swords too.

These enemies seem zombie-like, but the conversation before and after Snake’s dream revolves around vampires.

This dream sequence doesn’t appear to work on the 3DS version or the MGS3: HD version.

Bonus: Also in MGS3: Snake Eater, there’s a character called The End. An old sniper fella’.

There are a few ways to kill him: snipe him early, sneak up and attack him, or….wait him out.

If you save your game after initiating your hunt of The End and wait one week (or adjust your console’s internal clock to reflect a week+ later), when you do find The End, he’ll have died from old age.

Such a cool way to deal with an old enemy!

Can’t Pick Just One

There are several fun Easter Egg inclusions worked into the Halo franchise over the years.

Some the game tells you about (i.e. the skulls). Others, the game does not.

Like when you stumble on two nondescript guards stationed near crates and a forklift at the beginning of chapter 6 in Halo 4. If you give it a minute, the guards will start talking. They’re voiced by Andy Richter and Conan O’Brien.

Or the “monkey” family with identical human faces in the first level of Halo 3.

If you want to see every Easter Egg from Halo: The Master Chief Collection in a condensed 22-minute video, you can do that too.

Just a Day Trip to the Lake

Ash Lake, that is…

There’s an entire zone in Dark Souls that’s easy to miss. It’s hidden behind a fake wall, where you’ll find a chest. And then behind that chest is another fake wall. Walking through will take you to Dark Hollow. From there it’s a long trip down trunks and roots and mushrooms until you reach the bottom and find Ash Lake.

There are all kinds of things to worry about: Little mushrooms. Giant mushrooms. Getting cursed. Falling off the narrow paths. And, when you do make it to Ash Lake, it turns out there’s a hydra down there.

Oh, and let’s not forget the Everlasting Dragon who calls Ash Lake home, too.

Binding of Isaac

For the penultimate Egg on our list, we wanted to pick something that took a lot of people, a lot of clever thinking, and a lot of physical, real-world searching to find.

The Binding of Isaac expansions did just that. People went on a real-life treasure hunt, decoded clues, looked for hints everywhere, and finally found what they were looking for in the real world. As a result, they unlocked a new character in the game.

The cleverness and dedication of both the game creators and the fans make you appreciate human ingenuity (and our propensity for both fun and solving problems).

You need to read the full story of the Binding of Isaac almost-goose chase.

The better title might be a lack of diversity in video games.

Historically, the video game industry has been dominated by white men. There are a number of reasons for this and every once in a while we see pieces of it in internet arguments.

Some claim the culture isn’t welcoming because it’s sexist and racist. Others say of course it’s welcoming, it’s just other genders and races aren’t as interested in it. Then there’s the counter-argument that minorities aren’t interested because they don’t see it as an option, and they aren’t encouraged to pursue it.

And then you have the counterargument to that which says they aren’t encouraged to pursue it because they aren’t interested in pursuing it.

Chicken, meet Egg. Egg, meet chicken. Which one of you came first?

We think we’ll have our answer as more people of color get into games and spur younger generations to get involved. In fact, programs like this already exist.

Despite groups like Gamergate who initiate aggressive internet-based attacks on women in the industry, more genders and people of color are getting involved with games in one form or another.

But there’s still a long way to go.

Understanding why there’s a lack of diversity is one path to trying to fix it. Endlessly arguing over why there’s a lack of diversity is not. Especially when some of the more common arguments are based in speculation.

The fact is, the video game industry is still not diverse.

But the majority of the industry is ready for that to change.

This article is going to first take a look at some numbers to show what’s going on. Then we’ll take a look at some baby steps that are walking the video game industry, slowly, (and hopefully surely) in the direction of a more complete, inclusive, and diverse version of itself.

Industry Numbers: Who’s Working on Video Games?

The following numbers come from the 2017 Developer Satisfaction Survey conducted by the International Game Developers Association, also known as IGDA.

First up: Some age numbers.

• 20% of the respondents were 25 to 29 years old
• 24% of the respondents were 30 to 34 years old
• 17% of the respondents were in their 40s
• 5% of the respondents said they were older than 50 years old
• The youngest respondent(s were/) was 18, and the oldest was/were 67

The average age of the general labor force in the United States is 42, which is clearly not the case in the video game industry.

The typical age of respondents in this sample, according to the IGDA, was 35 years old. Seven years younger than the US average.

If we had to speculate, we’d say this is more a product of the recent popularity explosion in video games. This leads to more members of the younger generation getting into games, driving the average age down.

It’s also easier than ever to start your own studio or do freelance work, which is both appealing ideas to a lot of Millennials, and perhaps less traditional or common among previous generations.

Then there’s also the burnout. The game industry, especially the AAA game industry, can often push industry veterans onto new career paths. It’s no secret that the industry loses a lot of its appeal after one too many “crunch times” (which is probably just one crunch time).

Keep in mind that these are our best guesses based on the research provided and the numbers in the industry. Although the average ages are lower than the general labor industries, this seems less a product of ageism and more a product of the industry’s boom and sometimes insane overtime practices.

Next: Gender numbers.

• 74% of respondents were male
• 21% of respondents were female
• 2% of respondents were male to female transgender
• Less than 1% of respondents were female to male transgender
• 2% of respondents were “other”

That pretty much lays it to rest. The 2016 census for the US (which only records biological sex) reported 51% women, 49% men. Not exactly reflective of the video game industry. There are 350% more men in the industry than women.

Third: Race/Ethnicity numbers.

For this part of the IGDA survey, respondents could select up to 3 options. If you see two conflicting figures that seem to say the same thing, look for the keyword “only.” If “only” isn’t present, that figure represents the number of respondents who picked that response and at least one other response.

• 68% of respondents identified as white/Caucasian/European
• 61% of respondents only identified as white/Caucasian/European
• 18% of respondents identified as East/South East Asian
• 5% of respondents identified as Hispanic or Latino
• 3% of respondents identified as Pacific Islanders
• 2% of respondents identified as Arabian or West Asian
• 2% of respondents identified as Aboriginal or Indigenous peoples
• 1% of respondents identified as Black/African American or African

The 2016 US census reports 61% of the population was white, 18% was Hispanic, 13% was black, and 6% was Asian. What do you make of that?

Meanwhile, in a PEW study looking at who plays games and identifies as a gamer, “some 19% of Hispanics self-identify as a gamer, compared with 11% of blacks and 7% of whites.” Do game developers not consider themselves gamers?

Obviously, all self-identifying gamers do not become game developers. There are other variables lurking here. Numbers paint a picture that can seem bulletproof, but you can’t forget rule number one of statistics, and all the implications it holds: Correlation does not imply causation.

Fourth: Sexual orientation numbers.

• 81% of respondents identified as heterosexual
• 5% of respondents identified as homosexual
• 11% of respondents identified as bisexual
• 3% of respondents identified as other

These numbers are actually higher than the reported US statistics, but the language is interesting. It says that an estimated 3.5% of adults identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. If this estimated number is accurate, then the video game industry is more diverse in sexual orientation than the US.

And, regarding diversity progress, Rolling Stone put it well, saying that “81 percent of developers feel that workplace diversity is either “very important” or “somewhat important”…Though developers feel a need for increased diversity in the industry, the IDGA reports only 42 percent of people polled feel its taken steps to create a more diverse workplace”. That figure is down from 47% in the IDGA 2016 survey.

The importance of diversity is being acknowledged, but less than half of respondents see any of that translating to action within the industry.

Why Isn’t the Industry Noticeably Improving?

It’s hard to say why that is.

Some people say it’s AAA games that are dominated by white men. These same people are looking to Indie developers to save the day.

Other critics say the lingering sense of game development not being a “proper job” is hurting diversity.

It’s hard to say for sure.

What About In-Game Diversity?

In-game diversity is another problem, and research points to a seriously detrimental effect for young people of color playing video games.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Cale Passmore, a Human-Computer researcher at the school, conducted a study on the effects of a lack of in-game diversity. According to the Rolling Stone interview with Passmore, he says “The same long-term effects of depression, detachment, disengagement, low self-worth are present as outcomes, as you would see in everyday, daily racism”.

As gamers, we want to play games that have characters that resonate with us, that we can identify with.

The main protagonists in video games are often white and they’re often male. Likely a result of the white male-dominated game dev workforce. The flip side of this is that any people of color characters are at risk of showing up as stereotypes in games.

A way to fix that? Hiring people from the races, cultures, lifestyles you’re trying to recreate in games.

The Push For More Diversity

Instead of simply (and vaguely) demanding change, people and organizations are out there facilitating it.

Take, for example, Girls Who Code.

Girls Who Code is a group “founded with a single mission: to close the gender gap in technology”.

They’ve already reached nearly 90,000 girls from every state in the U.S. That’s some serious progress.

Reshma, the founder, writes “We’ve reached a moment unmatched in our history, a moment as full of anger and anguish as it is promise and potential. Women and girls across the country are coming together to correct centuries-long power imbalances across lines of gender, race, sexuality, and more.”

Girls Who Code offers after-school club programs, summer campus programs, and longer summer immersion programs.

Girls Make Games hosts “a series of international summer camps, workshops and game jams designed to inspire the next generation of designers, creators, and engineers.”

They have a great video you can watch on their website, here. And they have a number of partners: Xbox, Intel, Playstation, Discord, and more.

Even PlayStation is trying to help do its part to celebrate and support everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. In 2017, they sponsored London Pride. They even included the Twitter hashtag #ForALLthePlayers.

There were plenty of negative responses to the announcement (there always are). There were likely accusations of “cash grab” or “fake support” and, yes, with big corporations you always have to wonder if they’re truly doing anything altruistically.

But in this case, PlayStation Europe has an LGBT group within the company. It was their idea, they spearheaded it, and, as people who openly identify as LGBT, they did it for the right reasons.

There’s still a ways to go.

But game developers will catch on. This is a big bus that needs turning–it won’t be fixed overnight.

Companies are starting to be more inclusive in their games. Consider Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. The hugely successful franchise features two strong female leads in their latest installment.

If big franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Star Wars, and Uncharted are willing to feature people of color, women, any protagonist that isn’t a white male, then surely the industry is listening and moving in the right direction.

Disclaimer: Speculating Cryptocurrency is risky and none of the information provided in this article should be considered financial advice.

Even if you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard about cryptocurrency, bitcoin, blockchain, or some other “latest craze” jargon.

Cryptocurrency means different things to different people. Some people love it. Other people are afraid of it. And everyone else just scratches their head.

Is there something to the crypto craze that is sweeping through investing and gaming circles alike?

This guide explores cryptocurrency (by talking about what the heck it is), blockchain, and then looks at how this technology is being adapted for use in video games. There’s a lot of action, a little bit of craziness, and a lot of interesting ideas. You don’t want to miss this.

But here’s the other thing: No one really knows what’s going on with cryptocurrencies. The ideas sound good! But they are still uncertain investments. You should be ready to lose any money you invest because that’s just how things could shake out.

What the Heck Is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency. It doesn’t exist in a physical form (despite all the fun graphics showing refreshing minted tokens). It has no intrinsic value. It’s decentralized (there is no “central authority” controlling the supply–no banks or governments can artificially inflate or deflate the value or limit how much is available).

There are also hundreds of cryptocurrencies available. Some of them are serious, others are less so.

Cryptocurrencies were a byproduct of the solution for a tangential challenge. The creator(s) of bitcoin was trying to build a digital cash system that operated in a decentralized fashion (something people didn’t think was possible). What he came up with involved blockchain and bitcoin.

Here’s (Basically) How Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin Work:

Cryptocurrencies rely on a network of peers. Every peer on the network has access to the record database. This database shows every single transaction that has ever taken place, and also shows the balance of every account.

Say Grognak gives 10 Bitcoin to Pipboy. That is a transaction. That transaction is authenticated by Grognak’s private key.

The pivotal next step after the signing is confirmation. This is where “miners” come into play. Miners confirm transactions.

The miners need to solve very complex cryptographic puzzles in order to confirm transactions, and that’s when they’re rewarded with the cryptocurrency token (hence the “Crypto”…the currency-earning process is inextricably tied to cryptography).

Once a block is added to the chain, every peer on the network then gets a record of this transaction.

There are only so many coins that can be “mined.” And each coin is harder and more complex to mine than the last, which limits how many can be mined in a given time frame.

There are several fascinating elements to cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

One: Transactions can take place on a global scale almost immediately, regardless of the location of both parties–and it takes place more or less anonymously…Your real-world identity isn’t linked to your public key.

All of your transactions occur under this string of numbers, known as a public key, but you can’t identify who the real-life person is just by looking at their public key alias.

Two: Transactions are irreversible. Once a miner confirms a transaction, that transaction is recorded permanently, forever, for all time on the blockchain. There is no “undo” button. This permanence is both powerful and intimidating.

No government, for example, could stop you from making a transaction in the cryptocurrency space, or restrict you from accepting a payment (beyond regulating your access to cryptocurrencies by blocking or restricting access to wallet software. A “wallet” is a program designed to let you hold your crypto coins in a safe, private digital space.

With fiat currency (like the US dollar) the control over the supply and value of the currency is controlled by banks and governments. Even how you use your money within the system is controlled by banks and governments: frozen accounts, rejected payments, etc.

They can lower the value by printing more money. They can adjust interest rates. All of these and more influence what your US dollar is worth. Cryptocurrencies are not impacted by governments or banks unless members of either body purchase large quantities or sell their coins and impact the market price.

But, the cool thing about blockchain technology is…if they do sell it or buy it, there is a public, permanent record of that transaction in the blockchain history of those coins. Let’s talk a little about Blockchain.

(P.S. There are more in-depth explanations of the cryptocurrency process if you’re interested or want a deeper understanding of the process works. )

Why Should You Care About Blockchain?

Blockchain is different and exciting because the database it creates isn’t stored in a single, central location. Blockchain is completely decentralized, with the database distributed to every peer in the network.

Every transaction is recorded in a new “block.” Blocks cannot be altered. Every transaction on the blockchain is permanent, public, and protected from manipulation because of decentralization.

Every transaction is stored everywhere at once, so hackers can’t target a single point and corrupt the data. To successfully manipulate the system, you would need enough computing power to override millions of machines hosting the database at the same time.

And, every transaction is available to anyone with an internet connection. You can see “who” partook in which transactions.

It’s easy to see how this is helpful in cryptocurrency.

But what about other applications?

People are excited because blockchain could have a place in voting and politics. It could eliminate or mitigate voter fraud and election rigging. It could change the way companies, cities, states, or countries are run by building blockchain into the decision-making processes for these entities (and turning it into a more transparent collaborative process).

And, of course, there’s the use of blockchain (and cryptocurrencies) in video games.

This element is especially interesting to us, so we’ll spend the rest of this guide looking at those potential applications, the video game-based cryptocurrencies that are emerging, and how coin creators, developers, and players could change the video game industry with this technology.

Cryptocurrency and Video Games–What Are the Potential Implications?

Before we get into specific video game currencies and platforms, we should look at the general ideas behind the push.

First of all, there’s a big crossover between the gaming audience and the cryptocurrency enthusiasts. This swollen-center Venn diagram has likely helped fuel the push for new incorporating cryptocurrencies into video games.

Right now, some game devs are losing profits when players sell their unique skins or game items outside of the game on the grey market.

To solve this issue, game developers and cryptocurrency builders are looking at creating assets you purchase in-game with crypto coins.

This would mean digital assets that you actually own. You really want this sword cosmetic? Buy it with your Swordcoin* (*not a real coin…at the time of writing, anyway…) and voila, now you own that sword. It is yours.

Picture the marketplace being similar to Steam. You buy a game with money, then you own it and it’s yours forever.

With Coins, you’d pay for items with the specific currency and then you’d own it. You could sell it. You could use it. Or you could hang onto it as a memento.

Here’s where the concept gets even cooler…

Developers could make games in the same universe and allow for items to crossover between the games. You could own a weapon and use it in multiple games. It’s kind of like the crossover from one game, like Mass Effect, where you can bring your character into the next installment. But instead of the same series, it’d be a completely different game.

Enjin, the popular platform, is developing Enjin Coin as a way to tokenize in-game purchases.

They pitch a really interesting example of the cross-game item compatibility we mentioned above.

Say a developer creates two MMORPGs, one set in a futuristic sci-fi world, the other in a fantasy landscape.

You would be able to play each game without the other. But, developers could create compound items that would need material from both games in order for players to craft them.

The blood of a dragon and a mythril shard combined with a nova battery and a tractor beam lens could create some kind of impressive magic-meets-science weapon (oh, hello Asgard!). Then you could use the weapon in either game. And maybe in other games made by the same developer.

And it would be yours. As a player, you could use it. You could hang onto it in your “wallet” as a relic of some of your best gaming memories, or you could sell it (or rent it!) for tokens to players who haven’t completed the challenge yet.

There are even more possibilities: quests, stories, etc. that start you on a spaceship and end with you as a slayer of dragons.

The ideas are still rolling in as developers and cryptocurrency inventors get more creative in realizing the full potential of cryptocurrencies and blockchain. Let’s talk about four of the more popular gaming-based cryptocurrencies. We’ll start with Enjin Coin.

Enjin Coin

One of the biggest cryptocurrencies to see the light of day is Enjin Coin.

Enjin coin is offered by Enjin, which is “the largest social gaming website platform in the world” with 19 million gamers, over 250,000 gaming communities, and reaching a ballpark of 60 million views per month globally.

Enjin Coin is “An ERC-20 token supported by a powerful framework of open-source smart contracts and software development kits (SDKs)”.

You may have heard about Enjin coin–they partnered with NRG eSports as a way to help spread the word about blockchain and crypto in gaming. And, the partnership is using ENJ coin technology to “reward’ their fans for participating in the technology.

These custom-branded (since Enjin coins are customizable) NRG tokens can be redeemed by entering raffles and winning prizes.

The coin itself follows an ERC-20 framework. That just means the coin uses Ethereum blockchain (an established cryptocurrency, largely regarded as the second biggest currency after Bitcoin).

The ERC-20 Framework is a set of immutable “laws” that anyone looking to use the Ethereum Blockchain must follow.

Enjin Coin is also a platform that lets developers and players “create, manage, distribute, and trade virtual goods. Giving game developers and content creators a new model of virtual ownership.”

Enjin Coin provides the open-source SDKs for wallets and payment platforms for devs to incorporate the currency into their games.

Players will be able to “bring or trade their assets from game to game, community to community, growing their digital wallet with real value as they play.”

Enjin Coin is the platform with a vision for the cross-game item creation (magic-science weapon) but they have other interesting ideas, too.

Ideas from Enjin Coin on Crowdfunding and Character Rentals:

Enjin Coin talks about offering crowdfunding incentives in the form of digital assets so that studios can cut back on overhead costs for physical items.

Crowdfunding rewards for bigger donors tend to be shirts, mugs, maybe an action figure or a collectible edition. Enjin Coin posits that digital assets could save the studio money.

It seems like it could actually drive more engagement, too…Enjin Coin points to in-game items, currency, a plot of land, or extra character accounts as in-game rewards that could boost donor engagement.

And, in some cases, these assets could work beyond that particular game, or have real-life value in the form of Enjin Coins on the marketplace. With blockchain the item wouldn’t just appear in your inventory, or locked on one saved game of one of your characters: it would be an accessible, transferable digital asset.

The other idea Enjin Coin discusses with the power of blockchain is renting your character. If you have a high-end character in a game like an FPS, or really unique skins, or a rare weapon, you could rent this item out to other players for X amount of Enjin Coin per day.

The other users could try it out (or use it to make their noob clan jealous), it keeps the item transactions in-game (as opposed to on the grey market), and the owner of the weapon gets to benefit from their hard work/long hours in the game.

These are all interesting ideas…But they’re largely just ideas.

The Cons of Enjin Coin

The problem with Enjin Coin (and most budding cryptocurrencies) is that people don’t really know what to do with it yet.

It’s in the early adoption stage.

If and when this catches on, we could see really interesting crossovers of in-game items, lucrative rentals, players benefiting from the marketplace both in-game and fiscally, etc.

But, for now, no one is doing this. No one knows for sure if cryptocurrencies will catch on, or if blockchain technology will work its way into video games officially.

The other issue is if crypto and blockchain do catch on in video games, which one will win out? Will we have one universal cryptocurrency for gaming?

Or will we always have as many as we do now?

What about dips in value? How do devs and players determine the price of items? Both in cash and in Enjin Coin?

There are a lot of unanswered questions that don’t just plague Enjin Coin, but all cryptocurrency creators in the video game sphere.

That being said, Enjin Coin has 756,192,535 coins circulating at the time of this guide, with a USD market cap of $86,277,787.

How to Purchase Enjin Coin

You can purchase Enjin Coin via Okex and Binance, both of which are linked from the Enjin Coin website.

The current price in USD was $0.114095 per coin, with a BTC price of 0.00001420 (for those paying with Bitcoin) and 0.00022467 ETH price (for those paying with Ethereum).

These prices will fluctuate all the time, so check back here for the latest numbers.

GTCoin

The GTCoin is another coin on the ethereum blockchain. It’s run by Game Tester, which is designed to facilitate collaboration between games devs and players by, you guessed it, testing games.

Here’s the vision for GTCoin, as laid out on their website:

“GTCoin is built for Gamers to buy game titles, hardware and in game content. Gamers are renowned as the worlds early adopters of all things tech and Crypto Currency is no exception. And best of all, Gamers can earth GTCoins by simply testing games when they register on GameTester.co. With the Global game market to grow from $108.9 billion in 2017 to $128.5 billion in 2020 (VentureBeat) the demand for GTCoin is growing. Gamers often transact across borders and crypto currency is the most effective means of currency transaction without the ridiculous costs or delays of currency exchange.”

Through blockchain, Game Tester users will be able to assign specific access to games via GTKeys.

The keys will limit the in-game playability to hone in on what the devs are hoping to test and limit the timeframe in which the game can be tested. These keys also make it easy for players to buy the games they test as soon as they come out.

As a player, the Game Tester platform will actually reward your time with GTCoins. You’ll get “first” access to new games, and you’ll also have the opportunity to earn prizes and rewards if you engage with the platform regularly.

Developers can get valuable feedback for their games, they can build excitement for their games, and they can release their games confidently knowing these factors are in place.

The Cons of GTCoin

GTCoin suffers from the same pains as all cryptocurrencies: there’s no way to guarantee success or value.

If GTCoins end up being worth fractions of a cent, the player appeal for testing games plummets–where’s the incentive?

But, if GTCoin takes off, they have a strong case for recruiting players and game developers alike.

How to Purchase GTCoin

At the time of this guide, GTCoin is valued at $1.10 USD.

You can purchase coins from your GTCoin wallet after creating an account. They have options for volume bonuses and extra bonuses for those who HODL their GTCoins.

HODL is used a lot in the cryptocurrency world and just means holding your coins instead of selling them.

Game Credits

GameCredits does not beat around the bush when it comes to their aspirations: they want to be the universal blockchain-based digital currency for video games.

GameCredits plans to offer extra value for players when they use the currency to make in-game purchases. Any credits earned in one game would also be transferable to another.

For developers, GameCredits is offering 90% revenue margins through its mobile gaming store, GPlay. That’s a 20% increase over the 70% percent offered by the other stores in the industry.

They recently partnered with Unity Technologies, “the world’s number one game-development platform, with 770 million titles made using its engine.” They also boast that 340 of the top 1000 free mobile games used Unity tools. The second most popular platform has 180 on the list.

The partnership with Unity makes this a digital currency to watch.

The Cons of GameCredits

Their goal is ambitious and they mention it several times. They want to be the universal gaming currency.

So what happens if they fail in that endeavor? What happens to the value of the coin?

Aside from being subject to the same cons as the other currencies, GameCredits say they’re going for total dominance in the video game world.

What could the losing conditions look like?

How to Purchase GameCredits

You can purchase GameCredits through the G Wallet. At the time of writing the currency was worth $1.62 USD per coin. There were 64,355,352 GameCredit coins in circulation.

And, if you’re so inclined, they also have options for mining through their GShare BETA app.

Crycash

Crycash currency is being built with the help of Crytek. And they’ve “already confirmed integration into the renowned bestsellers from Crytek, with more partners to come.”

The idea behind Crycash is that gamers can earn the currency by completing challenges in the game. Instead of unlocking an “achievement” for satisfying certain in-game criteria, you’ll be rewarded with an actual currency that could be used for in-game purchases and more.

The creators hope this will incentivize gamers to play more games and ultimately lead to bigger audiences for developers. Crycash will soon be integrated with Warface, a free-to-play first-person shooter.

The Cons of Crycash

Crycash shares the same cons as the other coins. There’s just no way to tell how it will perform, but the idea of rewarding players for in-game challenges is an interesting idea.

How to Purchase Crycash

You can purchase Crycash (CRC) on sites like YObit.net, LIVECOIN.net, and IDEX.

They’re looking to add more purchasing platforms, soon (Binance, Okex, etc.).

Pocketful of Quarters

We included Pocketful of Quarters to show you how cryptocurrency really can be for anyone.

This company, founded by a father and son, has the son, a 12-year-old, for a CEO. It was the son’s idea, stemming from frustrations based around losing all his coins when quitting out of games.

Unlike other cryptos, Quarters is not looking for investors. Quarters are used purely for playing games.

They’re an ERC-20 coin, they have 10+ games and 100+ players using their for-games-only cryptocurrency.

The Future of Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies in Video Games

It’s hard to say where this will go. The world is still adjusting to cryptocurrencies. It’s very different from any trading system we’ve had up until this point. People are still feeling it out.

But the clever ideas are starting.

We talked about mixed-world items, quests, and stories, which might have your mind buzzing with interesting Ready Player One possibilities.

Then there are ideas like Decentraland. Decentraland is “a virtual world that runs on open standards.”

You can buy property on this virtual reality platform that relies on the Ethereum blockchain for record-keeping.

You can do anything you want with your plot of land in the virtual space… According to the website, “Your imagination is the limit: go to a casino, watch live music, attend a workshop, shop with friends, start a business, test drive a car, visit an underwater resort, and much, much more–all within a 360-degree, virtual world.”

Because land is purchased through blockchain, you have full, permanent, public ownership of your virtual plot. And the world lets you build upwards with no limit (that’s right, no zoning restrictions!).

It’s a pretty wild concept. It’s hard to predict if or when this will catch on…Or how this kind of immutable ownership of property could transfer into other games, like an MMORPG.

What if players could buy a shop in a game for coins/tokens and then “run” that shop in game by selling their own in-game assets? Or even assets for other games that take the currency?

How long until we’re all living in virtual reality? Our very own Oasis?

Or are we already in one?

Has your system been compromised?

Yes. You…

Your computer is hacked. You are being used. You are BOTNET.

Shutting down.

Just kidding! Your computer clearly isn’t shutting down, and we can’t say for sure whether or not your computer is actually hacked…

It’s the kind of thing most people don’t worry about on a daily basis–the security of their computer. Just like you probably don’t think about the security of your video game accounts. Hopefully, the game’s developers are.

Gaming Industry is a Big Target for Theft and Fraud

Everywhere you go on the internet to read about games, you’ll find mention of how it’s a $100 billion dollar industry. That’s an impressive amount of money. That kind of loot hoard draws the nefarious types out from their gloomy caverns and twisty, conniving towers.

See, that money doesn’t just come from game purchases. It also comes from in-game purchases.

And, in order to make purchases in a game, you need to pay with money. This means you’re connecting some kind of payment account, like a credit or debit card. It also means you’re verifying your identity by providing identifying information:

• Home address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Your name

You’re also setting up a username and a password. And who knows how many places you use the same password?

If a fraudster gets his or her hands on that information, it could be game over for you and your credit card limit.

That information can be used to make purchases or sold out to other nefarious companies for who knows what.

If you’re a game developer and you’re incorporating an in-game store, that uses real money, you need to think about security.

If you’re a game developer that simply requires players to log in (say, through Facebook or Google), then you still need to think about security. Identifying personal information and account credentials is still valuable to those who would do evil.

The Big BOTNET Threat

One of the most common attacks made against online games is DDOS attacks.

DDOS stands for distributed denial of service.

Apparently, these attacks are really easy to perform. That’s part of the reason why you’ve probably heard of them before–they’re fairly common.

In order to perform a DDOS attack, the villains need a BOTNET. A BOTNET is a group of networked computers.

Hackers will send virus downloads (like email spam) and wait for users to open the virus on their computers. Once that happens, the malware is installed on the computer and essentially makes the computer a robot slave.

Any hacked system becomes a remote-controllable minion of the DDOS army. Most of the time, users won’t even notice they’ve been hacked.

Once the hacker (known as a BOT herder) amasses a big enough computer slave army, they can initiate an attack.

The attack consists of ordering the BOTNET to access a specific IP or website, all at once. This enormous wave of requests is too much for the target site to handle. First, traffic to the site slows down. Then the site starts dropping connections.

Finally, the site is so overloaded it cracks under the pressure and shuts down.

BOTNETS average around 20,000 computer slaves. The largest one had 30 million.

DDOS attacks are pretty easy. Because, unfortunately, the insidious few who want to use BOTNETS don’t even need to set up their own. There are allegedly websites that make it easy for any user with an account to take advantage of existing BOTNETs. All they need is the coding, which these websites deliver.

In a funny twist, DDOS attacks aren’t always malicious (or even attacks). Sometimes the content is so good that people overload the servers innocently as they all try to access the page around the same time. It’s good-intentioned server overload.

The Real Threat

The DDOS attacks in and of themselves aren’t totally harmful. Eventually, the system can recover.

Usually, these attacks are a distraction, so that hackers can enter the system while tech support deals with the downed servers.

While everyone is distracted, the hackers scrape information (credit cards, home addresses, login credentials, users’ names, etc.) and get out before anyone notices.

This kind of hack can take weeks of investigation before the hacked company realizes data has been compromised.

Case and point: Sony

Sony’s Battle With PSN Hacks

2011 was a dark year for all gamers with an account on the PlayStation Network and finally proved the superiority of XBL (JK, Xbox Live gets hacked too).

What happened? The personal data of over 77 million PSN users, logged in Sony’s database, was compromised by hackers.

It was significant for a few reasons.

One: 77 million people is a huge breach. It was the biggest security hack to hit consoles at the time…and it might still hold that title.

Two: The PSN service was pulled offline for 3 weeks…which is a huge amount of downtime. Three weeks without online capabilities!

Three: It was a targeted attack–an act of retribution from Anonymous.

Four: It took days for Sony to discover that information had been stolen and alert their user base: names of users, email addresses, birth dates, home addresses, PSN passwords–it was all swiped.

PSN: Hack at it Again

In 2017, Sony had another attack on their PSN, allegedly. The culprit was a group called “OurMine” who admitted their involvement (and broke the news) via Sony’s PlayStation Brasil twitter account. To quote OurMine’s tweet, they “are a security group.”

Their shtick is hacking into big businesses and exposing those weaknesses to land a job. OurMine tweeted “if you works [sic] at Playstation then please go to our website ourmine.org -> Contact”.

The group alleged they stole information from the PSn database, but they claimed they were never going to share the information. They were only going to show it to Sony to prove they did it.

It doesn’t seem to have worked and didn’t have the same kind of backlash that the 2011 hack had.

The Effects of Security Breaches

Sony estimated that it would lose about $171 million USD after the hack and the PSN’s extended offline period. While they returned online functionality after a few weeks, the PlayStation store stayed offline for months.

With a breach like this, a few things happen:

• Consumer trust erodes
• The company brand is damaged
• Players leave (or can’t play)
• Players stop buying (or can’t buy)

These outcomes go hand-in-hand with lacking security.

They aren’t always crippling–none of the breaches/hacks stick around for long, consider the success of the PS4.

In an effort to earn back consumer trust and operate in good faith, Sony doled out some free games to players after the incident was cleared up. They also implemented extra security measures, encouraged users to change their passwords, and even offered security monitoring.

All these remedies netted Sony that estimated a $171 million dollar price tag.

That is an expensive fix. But it seemed to work, and Sony’s PlayStation is still popular today, surviving a few more episodes of turmoil on the security front.

My Account is Stolen!

Stealing accounts is another way nefarious types can undermine the fun of gaming and also turn a substantial profit.

Weapon skins in games like Counter-Strike have real-world value. Weapons and gear in games like World of Warcraft have real-world value, as does the currency in those games.

There are rules in most of these games that prohibit selling items or the currency outside of the game. But, people do it anyway. And it’s lucrative.

Instead of setting up farming bots (which is something people do when they’re looking to profit from selling in-game resources outside of the game), hackers will actually steal player accounts.

They steal the account info through malware, then lock the player out of the account by changing the password. From there, the player’s top-tier gear is sold or moved to another account owned by the hacker to sell later.

If the original user does regain control of their account, they’ll usually log in to find everything gone. Accruing top-tier gear in a game like World of Warcraft can take hundreds of hours and a healthy dose of luck during loot drops.

All of that time and effort can be undone in minutes if hackers get into player accounts.

Then it falls to the developer to conduct an investigation and determine if the player’s account really was hacked, and decide how to restore the player’s old gear.

Account hacking isn’t affecting 70 million players in a single afternoon, but the players that do get hacked have it pretty bad. That’s without considering that credit cards could be tied to the account for in-game purchases, which the hacker now has access to.

The more accounts that are hacked, the less you have real players playing the game. How you handle a stolen account will determine whether or not you retain a high-level player in your game. The accounts that hackers go after are the ones with hundreds of hours of game time and all the best gear–aka some of the game’s “best” players.

Not from a skill standpoint (though that may be the case), but from a valuable-to-the-studio standpoint. These players are part of the reason devs made the game in the first place.

Protecting against hacking preserves the integrity of the game. Players don’t want to play an MMO with a bunch of hacked farming characters. And they don’t want to have to worry about their own account being hacked.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t even take a hack to get to these accounts. Some players will just leave themselves logged in on a public computer, without even thinking about it. Bye-bye, loot!

Fraud so Big the Feds Had to Handle It

Time for another real-life story.

FIFA coins, fraud, four arrests, and a death.

Four men used modified Xbox One consoles and some clever code to trick the FIFA game into thinking they had played thousands of games on their accounts.

The more games you play, the more FIFA coins you earn. The more coins you earn, the more football players you have access to the water heater.

But these guys weren’t using the coins themselves…

They were mining these coins and selling them to willing buyers. They made around $16 million dollars before the FBI stepped in and shut it down.

This is an interesting case because the four men who got in trouble (three pled guilty, one went to court and was convicted, and then passed away around his 27th birthday before he could appeal the ruling) weren’t trying to use the coins to give themselves an unfair advantage (in the game, anyway…maybe in life!).

But, they did change the game by bringing so many coins to market and making them available. And they used pirated code to pull off the whole money-making scheme.

You’ll always have players who are willing to cheat, and these four men gave the cheaters the opportunity to do so. FIFA can’t have that in the game because it will put the players who don’t buy coins (the ones playing by the rules) at a disadvantage.

It wasn’t a game-ruining hack. It didn’t involve stealing other accounts, or hacking information. But it’s still fraud.

Protect Your Game Against Fraud and Theft

Unfortunately, writing good code won’t cut it.

It doesn’t matter what genre your game is, or the audience you cater to. Any popular game is at risk. Popularity means the money-making potential for the swindlers.

The first step to prevent it is to be aware of it. Understand the threats, where they could come from, and what they look like when they unfold.

If you have a bigger project, consider looking into customized security solutions from a third party.

It’s good to have a plan in place. It’s also good to know that your plan might not work. Be ready to adapt.

If you do have a breach, be open and honest with your user base. Let them know as soon as possible if their information has been compromised.

You’re in this business to make games, not protect the world from villains…Sometimes, you’ll have to do both!

Copyright is a mysterious, scary zone.

You don’t want to steal someone else’s game and get whacked with a lawsuit. And you don’t want anybody to steal your game, either. (learn about the rise in stolen indie games and video game theft)

A quick preface here–we’re not lawyers. If you have actual, pressing legal concerns, you should seek out the appropriate professional help.

This guide is intended to give you a better idea of what goes on in the world of copyright laws, particularly as it relates to game design.

And, as you’re about to find out, copyright law is a bubbly swamp of convolution, misunderstanding, and information that can be (and is) interpreted and reinterpreted all the time. Copyright law (along with much of the law system in general) works by leaning on precedence.

Precedence is the decisions and rulings formed in prior trials. Previous rulings factor into new rulings all the time. So, in a way, every new case shapes future cases and copyright law as a whole.

Welcome to the whirlwind. Please strap yourself in.

Copyright laws can be tricky regardless of the medium you’re working in.

You’ve likely read about the lawsuits in music–there was a big one with Robin Thicke, Pharrell, and Blurred Lines, where the Marvin Gaye estate sued for infringement. There was a more recent plagiarism claim against Lana Del Rey, and there have been many others.

You have it in the TV industry. Stranger Things creators are getting sued for stealing an idea for the show after allegedly meeting the claimant (the one doing the suing) at a party a few years ago.

Years ago, Universal Studios even sued Nintendo over Donkey Kong, claiming that it was a rip-off of King Kong. Nintendo won the case, though.

It’s everywhere!

Sometimes the claims seem legitimate, and the thieves should be penalized. Other times the suits seem more like money-grabs, the kind that makes your blood boil. But it happens (“don’t know why that is, greed, probably”– Name that game*!).

It’s tricky territory to navigate because the rules surrounding copyright protection are changing, and they’re always open to interpretation by the judge(s) involved.
The thing about video games is…there’s not a whole lot you can copyright.

What Can a Game Copyright Protect?

You can copyright your finished game.

As soon as you publish a work in a fixed, tangible form, you are the copyright owner. You do not technically have to do anything, you are automatically granted copyright ownership (you might want to register your work anyway, and we’ll get into why in a bit).

Once published, here’s what’s protected (mostly) by copyright:

• Your specific art choices
• Your specific characters, to a degree (remember that King Kong and Donkey Kong were ruled separate, but if you put Master Chief into your game, it wouldn’t fly)
• Parts of your code (though there’s some argument over what should and should not qualify for protection)
• Your original music
• Your specific story (not general things, like a hero saving a princess from a dragon, but specific things, like an almost-orphaned Harry Potter going to a wizard school called Hogwarts)
• Your finished game

These elements are yours and protected by law.

You can protect your logos, characters, and game titles with trademarks (a little different from copyright protection, and simply using the logo only ensures local protection. Registering a federal trademark will grant protection regardless of geographic location).

Your specific code is protected, like your original rendering of the Beach of Normandy for your WWII game. But the Beach of Normandy itself cannot be copyrighted.

If someone ripped your code or copied your exact beach layout, you could potentially claim infringement. But if another game featured the Beach of Normandy in their way, they would be completely within their rights.

Simple.

What a Game Copyright Can’t Protect?

You can’t copyright what’s called scenes a fair. This French phrase refers to the elements that are needed to realize a specific idea.

A racing game, for example, needs race cars, tracks, drivers, steering wheels, speedometers, etc. Those elements cannot be copyrighted, because a racing game cannot exist without them.

A planetary exploration game needs spaceships, aliens, planets, and space suits. You can’t copyright those, either.

It’s the same with castles, dragons, wizards, potions, etc. In general, you can’t copyright them.

If you build a six-spire castle, stable on the east wing, alchemy tower on the west wing, kitchen on the south wing, name it Crachwall Castle, and paint the whole thing blue and write a story around the castle for your game…only to see an identical Crachwall Castle pop up in a dungeon explorer game that comes out after your game, you could potentially file a lawsuit.

If another blue castle shows up, you don’t have a lawsuit.

Scenes faire cover movies and books, too.

Here’s another thing you can’t copyright: game mechanics.

A good example to illustrate that point: PUBG and Fortnite.

PUBG was the biggest name in the “new” style of battle royale games. It was the game console players were salivating over. They watched for hours on twitch and youtube as PC players parachuted into Pochinki.

The PUBG team announced console release dates…

And then, all of a sudden, a free-to-play battle royale game hit the scene: Fortnite.

Fortnite blew up. And, from a purely technical standpoint, Fortnite is the superior console game. PUBG, even 4+ months after its release, is still plagued with rendering issues, disconnects, and more.

The concept is the same. You load into a flying vehicle with up to 99 other players.

You pick a landing zone and parachute down. You land with nothing and race to collect weapons before your opponents. Then a “safe zone” is outlined, and a blue forcefield begins closing in, pushing you into smaller and smaller play zones, until only one player (or team) is left standing.

The weapons are similar: assault rifles, SMGs, grenades, crossbows, pistols, etc.

But there’s no threat of a copyright lawsuit. The mechanics of a battle royale game cannot be copyrighted.

Now, Fortnite did add the building element, which certainly changes things. The games don’t play the same way. But the concept is the same, and the damaging force fields are even similar colors.

But PUBG had no claim to the mechanics of the game. It’s the same reason why Call of Duty and Medal of Honor can coexist. It’s why there is so many Clash of Clans games available on mobile.

Here’s the official scoop from the US copyright office:

“Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game.”

Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.

The second to last line is the most important and relevant to the point we’re discussing, here: “Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles.”

That’s why PUBG and Fortnite can co-exist, even though the idea for Fortnite’s free-to-play battle royale mode comes from PUBG. And that’s why, if you come up with a revolutionary new game mechanic, other games using the same idea might follow shortly after.

How Do You Copyright a Video Game?

Technically you automatically own the copyright to any original work, including a video game, as soon as it’s published in a fixed, tangible (which includes digital, now) form.

The day you make your game available to the public, the day you own the copyright.

But, for extra protection, you need to register your work with the US copyright office. Registering your work has a few advantages.

One, you have certified, government-backed proof that you created said game, and when you created said game. You have an official record. That makes any future legal battles easier for you.

Without the certificate of registration with the copyright office, it is up to you to prove in court that you authored the word and that you published it when you said you did. It’s not the end of the world if you have to prove those things, but registering your work will save you time and effort.

Registering your work has the added benefit of putting the fear into any evildoers and game thieves. Your “cease and desist” letters have that much more weight (knock on wood that you never have to send one). And, if you do have to move to trial for infringement, you have the advantage.

There is a fee for registering your work. It’s usually a one-time charge in the $50+, which is a pretty reasonable price for extra peace of mind.

When Should You Register Your Game?

You only need to register your game one time, and you should. That will protect the work for your lifetime and then some.

Should You Worry About Game Copyright Laws?

The long and short of it is, you likely don’t need to worry about copyright laws right now. One, people have already come up with all the good ideas (Simpsons did it. Also, just kidding!). Two, it can be human nature to be a little overprotective of our ideas.

You may have great ideas and create great games that people want to steal a line of code for a line of code.

But living in constant fear of someone stealing your creations is no way to live (especially if you overestimate the appeal of your games to copycats).

Plus, there’s no plateau of protection. For as long as you are alive and have a game published, there is a chance someone could steal it. It’s just not worth over-worrying about.

Take the steps to protect yourself as best you can (i.e. registering your work with the US copyright office). And then get started on your next project!

The good thing about copycats is…they can only ever catch up! If you keep making, they’ll always be one step behind.

Another thing to consider: court battles can be time-consuming and expensive. You’ve seen how much room for interpretation copyright law leaves to judges.

But this flexibility has been great for the game industry. Without it, game dev studios could copyright things like weapons, game mechanics, or even whole genres. You could have one studio in control of all FPS games. Or all battle royale games. That means no Fortnite. No Halo. No Call of Duty.

We’d be stuck with one lame iteration after another of the same type of game from the same studio, with no option for other devs to take a stab! It can seem unfair sometimes, but copyright law does have its moments.

Is it ok for people to steal your game? Nope! There are times when it makes sense to fight for your rights. But it’s never going to be an easy fight. And worrying about it before you need to doesn’t help anything.

Focus on creating great content. Register your works as you publish them. And stay locked in on what matters: your passion for games.

And, of course, always seek professional legal help should the need arise.

You might be here for inspiration. You might be here for empowerment. You might be here for…something else. In any case, we’re bringing the heat on some top-notch games and apps.

Aside from being great, they have one more thing in common—they were designed by women.

Why is that awesome?

Because…According to the 2014/2015 Diversity Report from the International Game Developers Association:

• 75% of the respondents were male
• 22% of the respondents were female
• 1.5% of the respondents were Transgender
• 1% of the respondents were other
• 6% of the respondents declined to answer

Less than a quarter of game makers in the industry are women. About 50 years ago…there was one woman designing games.

It’s amazing to think there was a time when only one woman was working in the industry—but it’s also amazing to think about how less than 25% of the industry workforce is female after half a century.

The margin is even greater in the app creation industry. Globally, only 6% of app developers are female. In North America, it’s 11%. (You might need to provide an email address to access this State of App Developers report)

As we continue to fight the good fight for equality, liberty, and video game-induced happiness for all, it’s worth taking a look at some of the great games and apps that have come out over the years—specifically games and apps designed by women.

This is a history lesson, an education session, a celebration of achievement (against extra adversity), and empowerment of all people to stand up for what’s right and to follow their dreams, no matter the roadblocks.

We want to be clear, here:

They’re not great for games and apps designed by women. They’re great games and apps period—And they’re designed by women.

Time to learn a thing or two about game design!

Speedway—Tag

That’s right, the first “best” game is actually a two-for-one deal.

It’s a twofer because Speedway didn’t take up all the room on the cartridge, and Tag didn’t warrant its own cartridge.

A twofer is born. Synergy.

This game combo gets recognition because its designer was a real trailblazer—for women and the industry.

These games were created by Joyce Weisbecker back in the late 1960s (1967 to be exact).

Joyce’s father worked for RCA at the time. At a time when computers could cost $6,000-$25,000 dollars, Joyce’s father managed to build his own computer, called FRED, in his basement.

Long story short, RCA pulled from the FRED design and built their own version of the home computer—for which they wanted some games.

Enter: Joyce.

She’d been encouraged by her father to program on the family computer from a young age. While she was home on break from college, he asked her if she wanted to make a game for RCA.

One thing led to another, and Joyce put together these two games. But she wasn’t an employee of RCA—she was contracted to do this work.

This means she was the first woman to design games, and also the first female indie game developer (the first female video game designer credit is widely misattributed to Carol Shaw with her 3D Tic-Tac-Toe release for the Atari 2600—also impressive, just inaccurate, as that came after Speedway—Tag).

Speedway is a racing game, where player one controls a white rectangle, and player two controls a white rectangle with a black dot in the middle. You raced each other around a simple track. Graphics have come a long way.

The Tag was simply two dots. Whoever was “it” had to get their square dot to touch the other player’s square dot. Every tag was worth 10 points.

Centipede

Centipede was a smash-hit arcade game that debuted in 1980.

If you haven’t played it, you basically dodge and shoot bugs (gamers are spoiled these days).

But it’s true. The titular centipede winds its way down from the top of the screen, and it’s up to you to shoot away all its body segments. The whole time you’re dodging spiders, scorpions, and other bugs.

The character you control is stuck at the bottom of the screen. It might not seem like much now, but Centipede “was one of the most commercially successful games from the video arcade’s golden age.”

Dona Bailey designed this winner of a game (along with Ed Logg), but left the industry for 26 years after its release—”it was the pressure and criticism from her male counterparts which drove her from the business.” But not before she could leave her mark by inspiring future games for decades to come.

Gravity Ghost

Gravity Ghost is a game where you “Run, jump, and soar around planets, using gravity to glide through the air” and “explore a shattered galaxy and rescue its survivors, armed with power-ups and mysterious terraforming powers.”

You can grab it for $14.99 on Steam (where it has received very positive reviews).

It’s a game that doesn’t have the typical challenges of issuing death unto others while avoiding it yourself—it’s “just hours of blissing out to buttery-smooth gravity goodness.” Which sounds like a nice break from a crazy world.

Ivy Games is the indie game label behind Gravity Ghost. And Erin Robinson is the indie video game developer behind Ivy Games. She’s been developing games since 2005 and teaches and speaks publicly as well. Her games can be innovative, introspective, and influential.

Talkspace

This list is game-heavy, but we do want to mention this app.

Talkspace has changed the way that half a million people get therapy—”With Talkspace online therapy, anyone can get therapy without traveling to an office – and for significantly less money than traditional therapy.”

Roni Frank (and her husband Oren) are the masterminds behind this app. You start by chatting with a “matching therapist to identify your therapy needs.” Plans start for as low as $32 per week—once you select your plan, Talkspace will match you with the therapist that best fits your needs.

The app guarantees 1-2 responses per day from your therapist (and you can message them at any time)—there’s also the option to schedule a video chat for longer talks.

In a crazy world where it’s easy to lose hope or even just feel overwhelmed, having anytime-access to professional, judgment-free help can be life-changing.

Portal

Portal is a super fun puzzle game from Valve…but the idea for Portal started as a different game: Narbacular Drop.

Kim Swift designed Narbacular Drop with help from fellow DigiPen graduates. The Narbacular Drop gameplay mechanics are based on portals. And, if you watch the Narbacular Drop gameplay, the similarities between it and Portal are very apparent (even the portal colors are similar).

After getting wind of Narbacular Drop, Valve hired Swift and co. to bring Portal to life—and they certainly did, with great success.

Even if you haven’t played Portal, you can probably guess the unique element driving the gameplay…

Portal involves solving a number of puzzles using—you guessed it—portals! Your character has a portal gun that can create and sustain two portals at one time. You just aim at a solid surface and shoot. This leads to some trippy puzzles that involve everything from capitalizing on gravity to calling on companion cubes.

*SPOILER ALERT*:

If you win, there might be cake

*OK SPOILER OVER*

The industry goes crazy over Swift, and Forbes named her a top 30 under 30 in the games and apps industry.

Bonus: Loopin’ Louie

OK, that’s right, Loopin’ Louie is your bonus.

It’s a board game, you see.

There’s a crazy man (named Louie) who flies his airplane in a circle (Louie’s plane is attached to an arm that is attached to a motorized base).

The problem here is, your chicken farm is directly in Louie’s flight path!

You and three other players have to use your paddle to knock Louie and his plane up and over your chickens. If he hits your chickens three times, you lose.

Carol Wiseley is the mastermind behind this game. Without her, my childhood, my friendships, and my plane paddling skills would be profoundly different.

Go play some games!