Genres are not boxes — they’re design traditions. Each one carries assumptions, expectations, pacing norms, and interaction patterns that shape both how players engage and how games are built.
Studying genre structure isn’t about copying formulas. It’s about learning from the constraints that others already tested — and knowing when to follow or break them.
1️⃣ What Is a Genre Structure?
A genre structure is the typical system architecture behind a category of games. It includes:
- Loop architecture (moment-to-moment and meta)
- Progression style (linear, modular, rogue, sandbox)
- Player verbs and core actions
- Input-output mapping (camera, controls, feedback)
- UX expectations (how players navigate, read, and trust the game)
Roguelikes typically use:
- Recursive loop (run → die → upgrade → run)
- Procedural content generation
- High consequence for death
- Fast iteration pacing
That structure teaches players how to interact with the game before they ever read a tooltip.
Example
An experimental horror-survival game that blends simulation, solitude, and daily routine — Voices of the Void subverts genre structure by combining:
- Slice-of-life loop (maintain base, manage energy)
- Slow discovery instead of escalating threat
- No enemies, no combat — just systems and dread
It borrows from survival sim, walking sim, and analog horror — but uses structure to disarm expectations instead of fulfilling them. And you will be really surprised when you find out what genre was not mentioned, but which appears in this game…
2️⃣ Why It Matters
Knowing genre structures helps you:
- Speak the same “design language” as your audience
- Anticipate player mental models and reduce cognitive friction
- Predict what systems must exist — and what players expect to do
- Avoid reinventing solved problems (inventory UX, level gating, etc.)
- Recognize which innovations will feel refreshing vs disorienting
Innovating without knowing the structure is like jazz without scales: technically possible, often just noise.
3️⃣ Structure Patterns Across Genres
Genre | Loop Focus | Common Structure | Example |
Action RPG | Combat + Build | Hub → Level → Upgrade → Repeat | Dark Souls, Diablo |
Metroidvania | Gated exploration | Map + abilities unlock traversal | Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge |
City Builder | Resource systems | Economy loop + risk curve | Banished, SimCity |
Turn-Based Tactics | Position + pacing | Encounter → reward → roster loop | XCOM, Into the Breach |
Deckbuilder | Draft + iterate | Run → card choice → synergy → run | Slay the Spire, Monster Train |
Each genre trains players to expect a certain rhythm, decision structure, and failure condition.
4️⃣ When to Break Structure
Genre structure is a language. To evolve it, you must first speak it fluently. Break it when:
- Player fantasy conflicts with genre pacing
- A different loop could reveal new depth in familiar verbs
- You want to reframe expectations (e.g. Inscryption, Cult of the Lamb)
But:
- Keep key affordances clear (camera, control schema, core goal loop)
- Onboard players with genre fluency before you flip the structure
Don’t subvert the structure in tutorial. Subvert it after trust is built.
✅ Genre Structure Checklist
Summary
Question | Answer |
Why study genre structure? | To build on proven systems and subvert with clarity |
Should I copy it? | No — but you should learn its logic before deviating |
What does it teach? | Loops, pacing, and player assumptions |
Genre is not constraint — it’s context. Use it to create structure players recognize — and surprise they’ll remember.
Mini-Challenge
Pick a genre you usually avoid.
- Study 3 successful games in that space.
- Break down their loop and pacing.
- What one structural choice could you apply to your game without changing its theme or content?
💡Bonus constraint: Now flip it — how would you subvert that structure without breaking usability?