It has to be superheros. Right?

I mean Fantasy in tabletop rpgs is a Horde. And science fiction is a close 3rd place. maybe 2nd?

But superhero rpgs are plentiful. Why?

Could it be superhero comics have within it elements of science fiction , fantasy , horror , action, mystery etc and etc with more etc?

[www.rpgpub.com] a good list of hero rpgs

I'm not sure, I think it might be Sci-fi and superheroes is a solid third with some competition from horror.

I'd tend to agree with Username and award 2nd place to SF RPGs. That's particularly true if we're counting only game systems - not including accessories/adventures.

I first got into RPG games back in the 1970's, and the first superhero game I encountered was SUPERHERO 2044 (which was terrible and utterly unplayable). The genre seemed to take off a bit after the publication of CHAMPIONS in the early 1980's. My guess on the distribution of RPG genres is: Fantasy, SF, Supers, Horror and then "other".

yeah- sci fi is 2nd most.

Interesting that big comic book universes with superheroes have fantasy and sci fi elements and even separate titles focusing on fantasy and sci fi tropes.

Batman / Superman / Warlord?

Sorry, but I have to disagree. I believe Call of Cthulhu is officially the second most popular game of all time, behind D&D.

I'd say it goes Fantasy, Horror, pure Sci-fi, fantasy/sci-fi mix, then supers.

There are far less pure super-hero systems than there are pure systems of any of the others.

wasnt going for a specific game but a type of genre.

CoC with many editions is easily the 2nd most popular game, for sure , but is Cosmic horror 2nd most popular genre?

General genre of Horror may be higher than sci fi , I guess it depends if one counts space opera and planetary romance genre's as sci fi like:

1- Star Wars
2- white star
3- john Carter rpg
4- Starfinder
5- and even space opera rpg itself and many more
6- etc etc

and of course as you say the Muti-classed genre like Alien rpg ( sci fi horror ) or Mother ship .

maybe I was subliminally thinking -- if one plays a superhero comic universe RPG a player would get to play in the tropes of sci fi, hero, action, fantasy, espionage , detective- and other sub genres , that's what the X-Men did I. their comic runs.

5 Clockwork and chivalry
4 pathfinder 1
3 AD&D 2nd ed
2 hulks and horrors
1 MSH

even soap opera/ drama got at least one rpg for that genre
Dallas RPG [en.wikipedia.org])


GENRE
----------------------------
Action
(Adult content)

Adventure
Animated
Cartoon

Arty
Children's

Dramatic

Fantasy
Music
Police procedural
Detective fiction:



Religious:
Science fiction:
Serial: ??
Comedy:



Soap opera:
Sports:

Love and Drama,
Western Series:
Space Western:

Is Call of Cthulhu the second most popular RPG not counting Pathfinder? Either way, I find that believable, but Call of Cthulhu is an even greater part of the horror genre of RPGs then D&D dominates the Fantasy section, I would think. I can't name another major horror genre RPG.

I think Sci-Fi has Horror beat because of all of the other major RPGs. But that depends on how much you sub divide the sections. I mean I'd probably count anything in a future setting with major elements of technology and not apocalyptic as Sci-Fi.

was going for genre not a particular game specific

although CoC is the 2nd most popular game in RPG history and the 3rd most played right now - current

but horror is most likely 3rd place as a genre of rpg's historically behind sci fi

[www.dramadice.com]

Looks like, according to this data in 2021 pulled from Roll20, 1. Fantasy, 2. Horror, 3. Cyberpunk, 4. Sci-fi, 5. Superheroes. 6. Everything else.

Honestly, I would combine 3 & 4 together, which would make it 2nd but whatever.

funny you should mention that- just saw a list of most played/ bought/ plus pdf purchases and ....

Shadowrun was higher than Starfinder with Cyberpunk red right next to it.

sci/fantasy count as one genre for Shadowrun?

Shadowrun is weird in genre. I think of it as more Cyberpunk than anything though.