Strategy video game

A strategy video game is a video game genre that emphasizes strategic or tactical planning and decision-making, often involving the indirect control of multiple units and the management of limited resources, rather than the quick reflexes typical of action games.

Strategy video games are commonly divided into two main forms: turn-based strategy (TBS), in which players act in discrete turns, and real-time strategy (RTS), in which gameplay proceeds continuously. Many also incorporate elements such as tactics, diplomacy, economics, or exploration.

Electronic strategy games developed in part from earlier non-digital board games and wargames, and scholars note that the definition of “strategy” in games is not entirely uniform across contexts.

Typical experience

A player must plan a series of actions against one or more opponents, and the reduction of enemy forces is usually a goal. Victory is achieved through superior planning, and the element of chance takes a smaller role. In most strategy video games, the player is given a godlike view of the game world, and indirectly controls game units under their command. Thus, most strategy games involve elements of warfare to varying degrees, and feature a combination of tactical and strategic considerations. In addition to combat, these games often challenge the player's ability to explore or manage an economy.

Relationship to other genres

Even though there are many action games that involve strategic thinking, they are seldom classified as strategy games.