What genre would you put "Dope Wars" in?

Question

What subcategory of "games" would "Dope Wars" belong in? Does "role playing" sound accurate?

Answer 1

Apparently, it is a turn-based strategy with MMORPG influences.

According to Wikipedia:

Drugwars is a turn-based strategy computer game in which the player assumes the role of a drug dealer. The object of the game is to deal the most drugs to pay off the "loan shark" (who charges interest) by the end of the game and make a profit.

And the Zynga variation:

Zynga's rendition of Dope Wars took the basic layout of the original game and turned it into an MMORPG style game with user interaction.

Source

Answer 2

While Ragnars definition is strictly correct, I think you'll find that Dope Wars and it's ilk, more neatly fit into the category that you'll alternately find called an Economic, Mercantile, Management, or Business Simulation Game.

While it's true that games like Dope Wars, or it's more far flung cousins like Escape Velocity, Uncharted Waters, and Wall Street Kid, are turn based, and vaguely strategic in their gameplay, they lack the spatial, tactical, construction and combat elements that are the hallmark of the genre. These games are as much 'turn based strategy' as a Final Fantasy game.