RPG

RPG, or role-playing game, is a game in which players assume the roles of fictional characters within a shared setting. Players typically influence the narrative and outcomes through their choices, actions, and dialogue, guided by a game master or a rules system that frames conflicts, rewards, and progression. RPGs can be played as tabletop games, computer or console video games, or online formats.

Key forms include tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs), computer or video RPGs (CRPGs or RPGs), and massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs). TRPGs rely on groups of players, a game master, and rule books, with dice and improvisation shaping events. CRPGs present the same concepts through interactive software, often featuring character progression, story-driven quests, and real-time or turn-based combat. Subgenres include Western-style RPGs, which emphasize player choice and open worlds; Japanese RPGs, often featuring linear narratives and character-driven plots; action RPGs blending hack-and-slash with character progression; and tactical RPGs focusing on grid-based combat.

Common mechanics include character creation, attributes and skills, equipment, experience points and leveling, and a core conflict system. Narrative focus, party dynamics, alignment or moral systems, and player agency are frequent design elements.

Historically, RPGs originated in tabletop games in the 1970s, led by Dungeons & Dragons, and evolved through computer adaptations in the 1980s and 1990s, into modern open-world and online formats. Notable examples include Dungeons & Dragons, The Witcher series, Final Fantasy, Dragon Age, Skyrim, and World of Warcraft.