Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about video games of the 2010s, part 3.
What exactly is 'Video Games of the 2010s, Part 3'?
It is the third and final volume of a community-maintained, non-commercial fan encyclopedia that documents the 2010s era of gaming. Part 3 specifically covers the 2017–2019 window, tracking how that stretch reshaped design priorities, business models, and player expectations.
Who are the most frequently discussed developers and creators in this volume?
Entries center on teams like FromSoftware, Rockstar Games, Santa Monica Studio, Tarsier Studios, and Inkle, along with individual figures such as Hidetaka Miyazaki, Amy Hennig, and Tim Schafer. Their projects anchor the volume's narrative about craft, risk-taking, and studio culture in the late 2010s.
Where should a newcomer begin reading Part 3?
The authors recommend starting with the 'Landscape Shift' overview chapter, which maps the major design and industry trends of 2017–2019 in plain language. From there, jumping into the Breath of the Wild or Hades spotlight entries gives a concrete feel for the era's creative highs.
What are the defining industry trends this volume highlights?
Part 3 emphasizes the open-world renaissance, the explosive rise of the battle-royale format, the indie renaissance on PC and Switch, and the growing expectation of meaningful narrative and player agency. It also documents the increasing tension between live-service monetization and single-player design.
Which single moment does the volume treat as the era's turning point?
The release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in March 2017 is framed as the pivotal event, because it redefined what an open world could feel like and set a new benchmark that competitors spent the following two years trying to match. The volume uses it as a structural anchor, comparing subsequent releases against its design philosophy.
How is the volume organized internally?
Entries are grouped into four sections: Year-by-Year Timeline, Genre Spotlights, Studio Profiles, and Cultural Impact. Each section cross-references the others, so a reader exploring 'Battle Royale' will be linked to the relevant studio profiles and timeline entries.
What makes Part 3 distinct from Parts 1 and 2?
Parts 1 and 2 cover 2010–2016 and focus heavily on the console-generation transition and the early indie wave. Part 3 shifts the lens toward the maturation of those trends, the consolidation of live-service models, and the way 2017–2019 games bridged into the design language of the 2020s.
Which platforms and genres receive the most coverage?
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC dominate the entries, with Switch getting particular attention for its indie catalog. Genres covered range from action-adventure and RPGs to roguelikes, narrative experiments, and competitive shooters, with lighter treatment of mobile and VR titles.
Is this encyclopedia an official or licensed publication?
No. It is entirely a fan-written, fan-hosted project with no affiliation to any publisher, platform holder, or game studio. All commentary and analysis reflect the contributors' personal perspectives, and the project explicitly disclaims any corporate endorsement.
What do contributors most often cite as the volume's most debated entry?
The Red Dead Redemption 2 profile sparks the most discussion, with contributors splitting on whether its 150-plus-hour scope represents a pinnacle of cinematic storytelling or a cautionary tale about diminishing returns in open-world design. The entry itself presents both camps' arguments side by side without resolving the debate.