The Highest Skillcap Games
Games today appeal to a wide audience, and they all require a different set of cognitive skills to do well in
Some games were made to be slow, relaxing and adventurous, while others.. not so much
The latter are the type of games we are gonna go into with this article
What Are High Skillcap Games?
High-skill cap games are competitive games, usually multiplayer where gamers can continue to evolve and progress. A high skillcap in a game means that gamers need to adapt constantly, and that new mechanics, playstyles and optimal decisionmaking are being developed all the time.
Some games have a high skill cap because of the raw mechanics. These are usually FPS games, where reaction speed and cursor precision is an indicator of skill. Gamers can continue to improve their reaction speed and cursor precision to get better – this sets a high skill cap for the game.
Other high skill-cap games might be so because they require alot of decisions. Your impact in these games are usually decided by your “APM” or Actions Per Minute. The more actions you can make in a 1 minute time-frame, the better. Granted that you make the right decisions ofcourse..
The above are somewhat closely related, but the most important factor in what makes a game “high skill-cap” is the game depth.
- How many classes/champions are there?
- How many shooting angles or special playstyles do you need to memorize and know counters for?
- Does it get meta-changing updates frequently?
- Is it a team-game or solo? Is communication a factor?
These are all valid questions that can tell us if a game has proper game-depth for it to be classified as a “High skill-cap” game.
Highest Skillcap Games Over Time
Quake
A super fast-paced FPS game that differs from other FPS titles because of it’s fast playspeed. Playing at such a fast pace requires you to make snap-decisions all the time.
Ontop of that your performance is gonna depend on how fast you can react, AIM and hit fast-moving targets before they take you out.
Have a look at two of game’s most well-known titans going head to head in the Grand Final below
Starcraft
The Starcraft series is well known for its very high APM action among pros in the game. Lots of decisions impact every part of the game, while you also need to keep your opponent in check, adapt to his decisions accordingly, and still manage to play your own game, all at the same time.
I mean, just look at Losira/Kangho’s POV in the video below
Counter-Strike
Possibly the most well-rounded FPS game ever. Performance depends on your reaction speed and decision making first of all. Ontop of that you play in a team of 5, and disciplined, strategic action is a big factor in pro games. How well does a team stick and execute to their plan, while communicating with eachother and performing their best mechanically?
Overall, there are so many factors in counter-strike that influence the outcome of a game, and 1 good or bad decision often leads to quick and impactful consequences. All of this in turn sets the game up for a high-skillcap, as CSGO players, even today after 10 years, continue to re-invent the game.
In recent time, Astralis have been one of the dominating teams. Known for their swift and disciplined playstyle that won them alot of tournaments
Final Words
When deciding whether a game is high skillcap today, there are just so many factors to take into consideration.
However, there’s a few big titles that stand out, and they’re famous because of their high skillcap.
You can even argue that games that are so dependent on cognitive processing speed, reaction speed, and communication skills will never have a true skillcap, as players can continue to improve their skillset.
I think its fair to say that, to succeed in today’s big Esport titles, gamers need a large variety of skills to perform at their best.
