It’s difficult to decide on the hardest video game that exists because of how many different types of games there are. Part of the problem with defining the hardest video game ever is that there are so many different categories of video games such as strategy games, shooter games, survival games and puzzle games.
Many video games are hard because of their high skill ceiling and the advanced mechanics required to play at a high level. A good example of this is “Rocket League,” a video game in which players compete against each other in a game of soccer, but each player controls a car. In a nutshell, it is literally car soccer. Though, it goes deeper than that. In “Rocket League’s” ranked mode, the highest possible rank is “Super Sonic Legend.” With around 25,000,000 daily active players, roughly 0.1-0.05% of the active player base reach Super Sonic Legend.
Another example of an incredibly challenging game is chess. In chess, the goal is to put the opponent in checkmate using a combination of 16 pieces across an eight by eight grid. With each piece serving a different function, it can not only be challenging to understand how to attack the opponent, but one also has to defend their own king. At a professional level, pros are able to analyse and effectively predict their opponents moves. There are more possible chess positions than there are atoms in the observable universe.
I do not think there is a universally agreed upon hardest video game, but I do think there is a hardest game category. I think shooter video games are the hardest, specifically “Apex Legends” and “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.” This is because these games have many types of weapons and operators that players have to learn how to use. This combined with learning movement and positioning, those games are challenging for new players and have a high skill ceiling at a professional level.
I believe shooter games are the hardest category of game because of quick decision making, spatial awareness, reaction time and communication needed to be good or compete at a high level. Many other games require some of these skills, but none tie all of them together like shooter games do.
