Real-time strategy game (RTS)[edit]

Main article: Real-time strategy

Early real-time strategy games often allowed multiplayer play over a modem or local network.[37] As
the Internet started to grow during the 1990s, software was developed that would allow players to
tunnel the LAN protocols used by the games over the Internet. By the late 1990s, most RTS games
had native Internet support, allowing players from all over the globe to play with each other.
[37]
 Popular RTS games with online communities have included Age of Empires, Sins of a Solar
Empire, StarCraft and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.

Massively multiplayer online game (MMO)[edit]

Main article: Massively multiplayer online game

Massively multiplayer online games were made possible with the growth of broadband Internet
access in many developed countries, using the Internet to allow hundreds of thousands of players to
play the same game together. Many different styles of massively multiplayer games are available,
such as:

 MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game)

 MMORTS (Massively multiplayer online real-time strategy)
 MMOFPS (Massively multiplayer online first-person shooter)
 MMOSG (Massively multiplayer online social game)
Multiplayer online battle arena game (MOBA)[edit]
Main article: Multiplayer online battle arena

A specific subgenre of strategy video games referred to as multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)

gained popularity in the 2010s as a form of electronic sports, encompassing games such as
the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III, League of Legends, Dota 2, Smite, and Heroes of
the Storm.[38] Major esports professional tournaments are held in venues that can hold tens of
thousands of spectators and are streamed online to millions more.[39][40][41] A strong fanbase has
opened up the opportunity for sponsorship and advertising, eventually leading the genre to become
a global cultural phenomenon.[28][42]

Battle Royale games[edit]

Main article: Battle royale game

A battle royale game is a genre that blends the survival, exploration and scavenging elements of
a survival game with last-man-standing gameplay. Dozens to hundreds of players are involved in
each match, with the winner being the last player or team alive. Some notable examples
include PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty:
Warzone, each having received tens of millions of players within months of their releases.[43][31] The
genre is designed exclusively for multiplayer gameplay over the Internet.

MUD[edit]
Main article: MUD

MUD are a class of multi-user real-time virtual worlds, usually but not exclusively text-based, with a
history extending back to the creation of MUD1 by Richard Bartle in 1978. MUD were the direct
predecessors of MMORPG.[44]

Other notable games[edit]

A social deduction game is a multiplayer online game in which players attempt to uncover each
other's hidden role or team allegiance using logic and deductive reasoning, while other players can
bluff to keep players from suspecting them. A notable example of the social deduction video game
is Among Us, which received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well-
known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it.[17] Among Us has also inspired internet
memes and achieved a very large following online.[45]

Online game governance[edit]

Online gamers must agree to an End-user license agreement (EULA) when they first install the
game application or an update. EULA is a legal contract between the producer or distributor and
the end-user of an application or software, which is to prevent the program from being copied,
redistributed or hacked.[46] The consequences of breaking the agreement vary according to the
contract. Players could receive warnings to termination, or direct termination without warning. In the
3D immersive world Second Life where a breach of contract will append the player warnings,
suspension and termination depending on the offense.[47]
Where online games supports an in-game chat feature, it is not uncommon to encounter hate
speech, sexual harassment and cyberbullying.[48][49] Players, developers, gaming companies, and
professional observers are discussing and developing tools which discourage antisocial behavior.
[50]
 There are also sometimes Moderators present, who attempt to prevent anti-Social behavior.
Recent development of gaming governance requires all video games (including online games) to
hold a rating label. The voluntary rating system was established by the Entertainment Software
Rating Board (ESRB). A scale can range from "E" (stands for Everyone) inferring games that are
suitable for both children and adults, to "M" (stands for Mature) recommending games that are
restricted to age above 17. Some explicit online games can be rated "AO" (stands for Adult Only),
identifying games that have content suitable for only adults over the age of 18. Furthermore, online
games must also carry an ESRB notice that warns that any "online interactions are not rated by the
ESRB"