When it comes to in-state entertainment, few locations have the same reach as Florida.

From professional sports endeavors like the Daytona 500 to legacy parks like Universal Studios, the state has an almost never-ending list of activities. Best of all, each city has its own outlook. Miami is a haven for racing and water sports lovers, while locations like Orlando offer a no-holds-barred take on amusement parks.

Despite its focus on live entertainment of all stripes, Florida also has a booming digital gaming market. After all, the state hasn’t been immune to the meteoric growth of eSports and casual mobile play. Both competitive gaming and relaxing titles have taken off with players statewide.

For example, Florida Polytechnic University’s eSports team has taken home multiple prizes, including the 2023 NECC Challengers Division South in Valorant. Even some major releases like Grand Theft Auto trace their origins back to Florida, having been inspired partly by the Miami Vice era.

But what about the average Floridian? What sorts of games do they gravitate towards? Let’s take a closer look at the most popular game genres in the state.

Slots

With a solid range of brick-and-mortar casinos, it’s no surprise that Floridians enjoy casino games like slots. In fact, slots are a popular choice around the state—and even around the world. These short-form titles are the most-played games in the casino genre.

Hits like Book of Dead – which covers an adventurous scholar named Rich Wilde as he explores temples and ruins – are a favorite. These familiar types of heroes harken back to the popularity of Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, and Nathan Drake from Uncharted. All players have to do is spin the reel and wait to see which mythical combinations line up.

 Spots simulations

With so many pro sports options in Florida, it’s no surprise that gamers love sports simulations of all stripes. Console classics like NBA 2K, FIFA, NFL: Madden, and EA NHL are played statewide. The same goes for golfing and racing games (more on these below).

Part of the reason why these games are so popular is thanks to the success of Florida’s sports teams. The NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers took home a title in 2020, which they nearly repeated the next year thanks to QB Tom Brady. The state’s ice hockey teams are also top-tier. The Florida Panthers won this year’s Stanley Cup, while the Tampa Bay Lightning took home the trophy in 2020 and 2021.

Open-world adventures

Open-world games include huge maps and a wide range of missions and quests. These titles are designed for players to immerse themselves in a gaming world, taking on challenges at their leisure. While there’s an overarching narrative at play, they can jump in and out of the action, so to speak.

As mentioned above, Grand Theft Auto is partly based in a fictional city called Vice City—which is loosely based on Miami from the 1980s. Unsurprisingly, this fact makes GTA a top choice for many Floridian gamers. However, it’s far from the only popular open-world adventure.

Other popular choices include Red Dead Redemption, a Wild West game with a rich storyline; Elden Ring, a fantasy realm that involves tons of combat; and Horizon Forbidden West, a post-apocalyptic thrill ride with plenty of supporting characters.

 Racing games

As outlined above, Floridians love racing games. Part of this harkens back to the state’s long-running relationship with motorsports. Along with the Daytona 500, Florida also hosts the Miami Grand Prix in Formula One and the Rally-X time trials. In other words, locals are a bit more familiar with competitive motorsports in all categories.

That makes hits like Forza Horizon, Hotshot Racing, CarX Drift Racing, and even classics like Mario Kart staples. The same is true for more developed gaming pursuits like iRacing. The iRacing platform allows remote gamers to create complex simulations on their PC setups. These might include controllers like steering wheels, gear shifters, and even pedals. The more in-depth the setup, the more realistic the simulation feels.