A video game genre is a specific category of games related by similar gameplay characteristics. Video game genres are not usually defined by the setting or story of the game or its medium of play, but by the way the player interacts with the game. For example; a first-person shooter is still a first-person shooter regardless of whether it takes place in a science fiction, western, fantasy, or military setting; so long as it features a camera mimicking the perspective of the protagonist (first-person) and gameplay centered around the use of ranged weaponry. Genres may encompass a wide variety of games, leading to even more specific classifications called subgenres.

For example, an action game can be classified into many subgenres such as platform games and fighting games. Some games, most notably browser and mobile games, are commonly classified into multiple genres.

The following is a list of most commonly defined video game genres, with short descriptions for individual genres and major subgenres.