1) One or more game-ending game states which may or may not also be win conditions for the person causing them, without any possibility for a player to be "out"

1) One or more game-ending game states which may or may not also be win conditions for the person causing them, without any possibility for a player to be "out" before that. 2) Set duration (usually in rounds played). Usually wins determined, in either case, either by "you were the first to do X so you win" or a scored resolution. It's usually possible to be de facto eliminated in these games (anyone who's played much Catan has been there, to pick a familiar example) but the best of them keep that from happening until late in the game. Quite a few, frankly, do not do a good job of that but do make it hard to tell who's winning so at least you don't know you've effectively already lost by the halfway point of the game. [EDIT] for an easy example many might be familiar with: look at most trick-taking card games, like Spades, Hearts, or Bridge. No elimination (unlike, say, poker), but you still get a winner or winning partnership at the end.