Role playing is a genre of entertainment that is becoming rapidly popular on electronic systems, whether they be computer, console, calculator(the more advanced graphing calculators can still do this). Sometimes Role-playing games are limited in the actions that the main character can take(ex. Final Fantasy Series, Septerra Core, Legend of Dragoon) and thus paper-based RPGs are more popular.(ex. Dungeons and Dragons, Shadowrun, Battletech.

Often times, RPGs are classified as a form of story-telling and character development. In paper-based RPGs and some e-RPGs, the players directly assume the roles of the characters in the game or campaign, responding to the story as one person(who created it)is telling it while offering the characters pauses to execute their actions. Also, less popular, but still in existence are the Live-Action RPGs, such as Amtguard, in which players may be in costume and wield padded weapons.

The majority of modern society mocks and degrades role-playing games, although some of them may engage in it in privacy (See Everquest and The Sims). People that degrade Role-players often resort to terms like nerd, geek. For more information about a stereotypical role-player, see Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons