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What is RPG

“rpg”
Role‑playing game
Confidence: High Checked on June 29, 2026

Summary

RPG is the standard abbreviation for “role‑playing game,” a genre that includes tabletop (pen‑and‑paper) games and video games where players control characters and make narrative choices. It encompasses both traditional tabletop formats and modern video game titles, and the industry generates billions in revenue worldwide.

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Sources 60 searched

en.wikipedia.org
  • Role-playing game - Wikipedia

    Some games are played with characters created before the game by the GM, rather than those created by the players. This type of game is typically played at gaming conventions, or in standalone games that do not form part of a campaign. Tabletop (TTRPG) and pen-and-paper (PnP) RPGs are conducted ...

  • Role-playing video game - Wikipedia

    Tactical RPGs are descendants of ... and strategic war games, such as Chainmail, which were mainly tactical in their original form. The format of a tactical CRPG is also like a traditional RPG in its appearance, pacing and rule structure. Like standard RPGs, the player controls ...

  • Dungeons & Dragons controversies - Wikipedia

    Especially during the 1980s, certain religious groups accused the game of encouraging sorcery and the veneration of demons. Throughout the history of role-playing games, many of these criticisms have been aimed not at D&D specifically, but at the whole genre of fantasy role-playing games.

dictionary.cambridge.org
gitnux.org
  • Rpg Industry Statistics: Market Data Report 2026

    The global tabletop RPG market reached $1.2 billion in revenue in 2022, driven by Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition sales exceeding 1.5 million core rulebooks ... RPG video game genre generated $18.4 billion worldwide in 2023, accounting for 12% ...

kevurugames.com
  • Game Industry Statistics 2026: Market Size, Revenue & Trends

    Here is comparison of highest revenue genres in PC/console and mobile markets (based on data from Newzoo, Sensor Tower, and Circana). This split highlights an important difference. – PC platforms are volume-driven (many games in a few genres) – Mobile is more revenue-concentrated (fewer genres dominate spending) Another useful stat comes from Newzoo: genres tied to long-term engagement – like RPGs and shooters – tend to generate higher lifetime value per player, which is why they appear more often among top-grossing titles.

globalgrowthinsights.com
gog.com
  • Is 'RPG' a meaningless genre today?, page 1 - Forum - GOG.com

    AB2012: RPG as a genre isn't meaningless. The way "RPG" gets slapped on any game as a store-front "genre" tag where you "unlock" something or your character gets "upgraded" in any mildly weak way certainly is. Almost as bad as the way "adventure" gets slapped on anything which clearly isn't ...

refereeingandreflection.wordpress.com
  • Remembering the Forge – Refereeing and Reflection

    Indeed, for much of the mid-2000s, he was working with the notion of creating, promoting and distributing his games outside of the conventional RPG community entirely, to the point where his Spione is not marketed as an RPG rulebook but a book about “Story Now, a new way to author and enjoy spy fiction”. To a large extent, Ron has done what I’ve occasionally griped that other “story games” designers should do – critically look at each and every one of the conventions of RPG play, such as the inherited assumption that players will identify with a particular individual in the fictional scenario, and only use them if the type of story game they are trying to construct really, truly demands that, rather than trying to retain vestigial RPG DNA that doesn’t seem strictly necessary.

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