If it were possible to place games under a microscope and look at their atomic structure you'd probably find a few particles of survival in almost every one. Staying alive and one step of ahead of the competition is a vital element of first-person-shooters, strategy games and of course survival horror, while every other role-playing game pitches your dwarf peasant farmer against some world-eating adversary. Even platformers and racing games are about avoiding cavernous gaps or crashing into concrete walls.
Despite its prevalence, this fundamental gaming theme has only been brought to the fore in the last couple of years, as several games have adopted survival as their central concept. There has been an explosion of interest in survival-themed games, from Minecraft to Tomb Raider. But what is behind this sudden surge in popularity, and how is this new genre likely to affect the course of the industry? Pack your tent and rucksack, and follow me.
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