The Elusive Personality of Video Game Players: A Review of Video Game Player Classification Systems

Video games, with a player base of 3 billion, represent a global phenomenon. For many, gaming has become a central part of daily life, influencing personal experiences and directly impacting various aspects, including well-being, physical health, aggression, and cognitive functions. One of the defining features of games as a medium is their capacity to be approached and consumed in diverse ways. The same game can be played very differently based on players' motivations and personality traits. To facilitate research in this area, various classification systems and tools have been developed, commonly referred to as typological questionnaires. This article reviews the most influential player classifications and with each system offering distinct perspectives on how players engage with video games. Six major systems are examined: Bartle's Taxonomy; Yee's Gamer Motivation Profile; BrainHex; the Gamification User Types Hexad scale; the Trojan Player Typology; and the Core Game Dynamics and Gameplay Activity Inventory. This review explores their theoretical backgrounds, scientific origins, practical applications, and the persistent challenges that still accompany the development of their associated classification tools.