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What is Gameplay?
Gameplay refers to features a player experiences in a video game, ranging from visuals to controls. It is a vague yet dynamic reference to the quality of the content that games provide and their effect on the player, including narratives, sound design, interactions, game rules, and more.
Players who often ponder the gameplay meaning will likely have experienced it without realizing it, as it is often a deciding factor for determining the quality of a video game. Questions such as are the graphics to standard, are controls well implemented, is the music pleasant to listen to, or is the story compelling enough? These questions all refer to gameplay.
Factors such as online multiplayer, a sandbox or linear experience, and even the game’s genre can establish different priorities in a gameplay definition.
Techopedia presents everything you need to know about gameplay.
Key Takeaways
- Gameplay refers to features a player encounters when interacting with a video game and their effect on the overall experience.
- Examples of gameplay include graphics, sound design, narrative, and game rules.
- Often, the factors that make up gameplay determine the quality of the end product for many players.
- Gameplay often suffers when certain factors fail to meet player expectations, such as a poorly written story or low-quality graphics.
- Gameplay varies based on whether it’s single-player or multiplayer, sandbox or linear, and the type of genre the game is.
Core Elements of Gameplay
Gameplay is a very general term referring to the content of games, and many developers still debate to this day what exactly the gaming meaning looks like. There are, however, a few common aspects to gameplay that are mostly accepted by developers, critics, and players alike.
Mechanics
Mechanics and gameplay are often mixed up but refer to two very different aspects of game design.
Most players often consider game mechanics and gameplay definition to be one and the same, but there are distinct differences between the two. Game mechanics refers to the rules and functions of a game, while gameplay refers to how well those rules have been executed and how they affect the player experience. In summary, game mechanics are often the cause, and gameplay is the effect.
For example, a game mechanic could open a door to go from one level to another in order to let players progress. Gameplay would refer to how that door looks, whether it opens or closes as you would expect a door to do, whether there is a loading screen when you step through it, and whether it leads to somewhere relevant to the player.
It’s one thing to have a solid rule for a game, but how that rule is conveyed to the player, and better yet, how they respond, is just as vital for delivering an enjoyable experience.
In Mario Kart, one of the primary game mechanics is the use of randomized power-ups, which players can collect by driving through item boxes on the track. Racing gameplay is then punctuated by the suspense of getting one of many power-ups, the thrill of getting a useful item, the frustration of getting hit, and the uncertainty of what might happen next.
Challenges & Objectives
Completing challenges in pursuit of an objective is the most common method of influencing gameplay.
Gameplay should ultimately serve to keep players engaged from start to finish or for as long as possible. Challenges and objectives are key elements that shape gameplay because they give players clear goals and obstacles, defining what they need to accomplish and what stands in their way.
The best part of these aspects is how versatile they can be in terms of form and scale. It can be as simple as traveling from one point to another, but that alone would be rather boring. Challenges can range from adding platforms to navigate or an enemy to defeat, which must be fulfilled in order to fulfill the objective. Completing these challenges in the pursuit of an objective is the most common strategy for shaping gameplay.
In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players have the ultimate objective of defeating the final boss, Calamity Ganon, to save Hyrule. However, players are free to set their own pace and path to reach this goal. The game world is open and filled with both minor and major objectives, like activating Sheikah Towers, completing shrines, and gathering resources to become stronger.
Challenges like harsh weather conditions, powerful enemies, and the need to manage resources (such as food for health and materials for crafting) make reaching objectives more complex. Players often have to adjust their approach, like crafting specific meals or finding weapons, to face these obstacles.
In this way, the objectives (what you’re trying to achieve) and the challenges (what makes achieving it difficult) create a unique experience that defines gameplay meaning in Breath of the Wild as one of exploration, problem-solving, and adaptability. These are present in both the minor objectives you can complete and the overarching goal of the game.
Player Choices
Player choice in gameplay can range from character controls to critical narrative choices.
Player choice is a powerful element that influences gameplay on multiple levels, from simple control decisions to narrative-altering actions. Choices shape the player’s experience by giving them a sense of control, personalization, and agency. Allowing players to decide what to do or play an active role is what stops a video game from becoming a movie.
At the most basic level, games give players control over their character’s movement and immediate actions, such as running, jumping, or interacting with objects in the environment. This type of choice affects how players perceive the environment and encourages them to explore hidden areas, solve environmental puzzles, or avoid hazards.
Gameplay examples often include giving players choices in how they approach combat or challenges by offering different weapons, abilities, or character classes. In games like Call of Duty, players select loadouts before a match, choosing weapons and perks that suit their preferred playstyle, whether it’s sniping from a distance or engaging enemies up close. This decision-making process creates replayability, as players might change their approach on each playthrough or adapt to new challenges.
However, when considering player choice, the first thing that comes to mind for many is the narrative. From moment-to-moment interactions with dialog options to the game’s overall plot with multiple outcomes. In Until Dawn, the gameplay is shaped by the player’s choices, which determine which characters survive and how the story concludes, with dozens of potential endings. Despite playing a less active role, giving players choices introduces a level of interaction that influences gameplay by creating consequences.
Types of Gameplay Styles
When considering what gameplay is, it’s important to recognize that the form it takes differs with each genre. Whether you’re playing a first person shooter, where you’re aim is to eliminate the opposing team, or an RPG, where you are encouraged to explore its world, gameplay takes different forms and effects.
Single-player vs Multiplayer
The number of players in a game can significantly influence gameplay.
Single-player and multiplayer modes offer distinct gameplay experiences, each appealing to different playstyles and preferences.
Single-player games often focus on immersive storytelling, character development, and narrative progression. In single-player modes, the gameplay focus is often on the player’s personal journey, with a mix of puzzles, exploration, and set objectives.
The challenges are specifically designed for a single individual, which allows for more curated experiences and tailored difficulty curves. With a beginning and end, the overall gameplay of single-player games highlights personalized challenges, player agency, and progression.
The best multiplayer games typically prioritize interaction between players over narrative depth. While some multiplayer games weave in a storyline (such as Overwatch or Destiny), the plot usually takes a backseat to the competitive or cooperative aspects of gameplay. Multiplayer gameplay is more dynamic and unpredictable, as it relies on the interactions between multiple players.
In competitive multiplayer games, the difficulty isn’t controlled by the game itself but rather by the skill level of the opponents or teammates, leading to an evolving challenge that can fluctuate in intensity depending on participants.
Sandbox vs Linear Gameplay
Gameplay can vary depending on what kind of experience developers wish to deliver for players.
Sandbox and linear titles are gameplay examples of opposite approaches to game design, with each offering a unique experience to players. They are sometimes called open world games.
Sandbox games place greater emphasis on scale, freedom of exploration and offer more player agency. Players are able to set the pace and priority of objectives as they explore, with the main gameplay payoff defined by the surprise of discovery and rewarding experimentation.
Titles like Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V exemplify sandbox gameplay, giving players creative control and opportunities to pursue various activities at their own leisure.
Linear gameplay, on the other hand, is structured and guided, with a clear sequence of objectives or levels. These games focus on delivering a cohesive story or experience, leading players through set paths or scenarios where progression is tightly controlled by the game’s design.
Games like Uncharted and The Last of Us utilize linear gameplay to create focused, narrative-driven experiences where the story and challenges unfold to create moments that resonate with the player.
Different Genres and Unique Gameplay Styles
Each genre offers a unique style of gameplay that appeals to different player interests and skills. The quality of gameplay is often determined by what kind of experience players expect from a game in this genre and, more importantly, how it compares to competition.
Gameplay Examples Span Across Numerous Genres
- RPG (Role-Playing Game): Character progression, story-driven quests, and exploration (e.g. Final Fantasy).
- FPS (First-Person Shooter): Shooting from a first-person view, quick reflexes are required (e.g. Counter-Strike).
- Battle Royale: Last-player-standing, survival-focused multiplayer (e.g. Fortnite).
- Platformer: Jumping, navigating obstacles, often side-scrolling (e.g. Super Mario Bros.).
- Puzzle: Logic and problem-solving challenges (e.g. Tetris).
- RTS (Real-Time Strategy): Base-building, resource management, tactical combat (e.g. StarCraft).
- Fighting: One-on-one combat with special moves and combos (e.g. Street Fighter).
- Simulation: Realistic experiences, often life or world-building (e.g. The Sims).
- Survival Horror: Tense atmosphere, limited resources, horror elements (e.g. Resident Evil).
- Rhythm: Music-based timing challenges (e.g. Guitar Hero).
- Interactive: Narrative, sometimes multiple choice dialogue, character (such as Detroit: Become Human).
4 Ways To Improve Gameplay Performance
You can ensure the best gameplay performance with these four steps:
Use one of the best VPNs for gaming when playing video games online to stay safe.
Enable Game Mode on your PC to avoid any distractions and optimize the gameplay.
The Bottom Line
When asking what gameplay is, it ultimately comes down to the features implemented in games and how players interact with it as a result. Often, how an idea is conveyed to a player and how they respond to it are just as important as the idea itself.
Gameplay definition ranges from the look and sound of a game to the rules that dictate how a player pursues an objective. The gameplay is what creates the strongest impression of a video game and is the most important factor relevant to a player.
