Glossary of video game terms

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Since the origin of video games in the early 1970s, the video game industry, the players, and surrounding culture have spawned a wide range of technical and slang terms. Template:Compact TOC

## Contents

* 1 0–9
* 2 A
* 3 B
* 4 C
* 5 D
* 6 E
* 7 F
* 8 G
* 9 H
* 10 I
* 11 J
* 12 K
* 13 L
* 14 M
* 15 N
* 16 O
* 17 P
* 18 Q
* 19 R
* 20 S
* 21 T
* 22 U
* 23 V
* 24 W
* 25 X
* 26 Y
* 27 Z
* 28 See also
* 29 References

## 0–9

1CC
Abbreviation of one-credit completion or one-coin clear. To complete an arcade (or arcade-style) game without using continues.[1]
1-up
An object that gives the player an extra life (or attempt) in games where the player has a limited number of chances to complete a game or level.[2]
100%
To collect all collectibles or to also obtain all achievements (see below) within a game, either indicated within games as a percentage counter or determined by player community consensus.[3]
1v1
An abbreviation of 1 versus 1, denoting two players battling against each other. Can be extended to any player versus player grouping, such as '2v2' to mean two teams of two battling each other, or "1v4" to refer to a team of four players against one (as seen in asymmetrical gameplay).
2D graphics
Graphic rendering technique in a two-dimensional perspective, often using sprites.
2.5D graphics

Also isometric graphics.

Graphic rendering technique of three-dimensional objects set in a two-dimensional plane of movement. Often includes games where some objects are still rendered as sprites.
360 no-scope
A 360 no-scope usually refers to a trick shot in a first or third-person shooter video game in which one player kills another with a sniper rifle by first spinning a full circle and then quickly shooting without looking through the scope.
3D graphics
Graphic rendering technique featuring three-dimensional objects.
4K resolution
An aspect ratio of digital display devices such as televisions and monitors, supporting up to 3840 × 2160 pixel (roughly 4 kilopixels wide) resolutions.

A genre of strategic video games, short for "eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate". Such games are usually complicated, involving extensive diplomacy, technology trees, and win conditions.
8-bit
A descriptor for hardware or software that arose during the third generation of video game consoles, targeting 8-bit computer architecture.
8K resolution
An aspect ratio of digital display devices such as televisions and monitors, supporting up to 7680 × 4320 pixel (roughly 8 kilopixels wide) resolutions.
16-bit
A descriptor for hardware or software that arose during the fourth generation of video game consoles, targeting 16-bit computer architecture.
32-bit
A descriptor for hardware or software that arose during the fifth generation of video game consoles, targeting 32-bit computer architecture.
64-bit
A descriptor for hardware or software that arose during the fifth generation of video game consoles, targeting 64-bit computer architecture.

## A

AAA

Also triple A.

A high-budget game with a large development team. AAA games are usually multiplatform or are first-party, have multimillion-dollar budgets, and expect to sell millions of copies.[4][5]
abandonware
A game that is forgotten about or abandoned by its developers for any number of reasons, including copyright issues.[6][7]
ace
Usually used within first-person shooters, where a single player manages to eliminate the entire opposing team by themselves while their teammates are alive. Can also be used to describe situations where a player manages to complete a possibly difficult section of game flawlessly. Comparable to pentakill in competitive games with teams made up of 5 players, such as MOBAs. Not to be confused with Team Ace.[8]
achievement

Also badge, trophy, medal, cheevo.

Meta-goals defined outside a game's parameters. May be external achievements such as those on Xbox Live or Steam.
achievement hunter
A player who attempts to collect all achievements in a game. Achievement hunters tend to be completionists.
act
Sometimes used to refer to individual levels or groups of levels that make up a larger world or storyline. Rarely refers to a downloadable game intended to be part of a larger series which functions as a single game series and gameplay-wise.
action game
A game genre emphasizing hand–eye coordination, reflexes, timing, and other physical skills. It includes fighting games, shooters, and platformers.
action point (AP)
A subunit of a player's turn. For example, a game may allow an action to occur only so long as the player has sufficient 'action points' to complete the action.[9][10]
action role-playing game (ARPG)
A genre of role-playing video game where battle actions are performed in real-time instead of a turn-based mechanic.
actions per minute (APM)
The total number of actions that a player can perform in a minute.
adaptive music
Game music which changes and reacts to the actions of the player and state of the game in an attempt to better reflect the game atmosphere.[11]
adaptive AI
A form of artificial intelligence which takes data based on how the player performs and uses it to learn to better counter the player.
add-on
See downloadable content.
adds
A term used commonly in role-playing video games, MMORPGs and beat-'em-ups, referring to the "additional enemies" called in by bosses during encounters.
advance and secure (AAS)
A player versus player team-based game mode used in tactical first-person shooter games where the players on opposing teams must capture certain predefined points of interest in a game environment in a certain preset order.
adventure game
A game genre which emphasizes puzzles, exploration and narrative.
AFK
Meaning "away from keyboard". Generally said through a chat function in online multiplayer games when a player intends to be temporarily unavailable.[12]
agency
Related to the psychological term of agency, agency or player agency in video games refers to means used by developers to implement the game to make it feel like the player is in control of the game with the game reacting to the player's actions, even though the game itself is fixed in its approach.[13]
aggro
An abbreviation of 'aggravation' or 'aggression'. 'Causing aggro' or 'aggroing' in a video game means to attract hostile attention from NPCs or enemies to attack the player-character. 'Managing aggro' involves keeping aggressive NPCs from overwhelming the player or party.[14] The term may be facetiously used in reference to irritated bystanders ('wife aggro', 'mother aggro', etc). Also see hate and rushdown.
aim assist
See auto-aim
aimbot
A first-person shooter cheat that allows a player's weapon to automatically aim at a target. In most cases, the aiming reticle locks onto a target within the player's line of sight and the player only has to pull the trigger. Aimbots are one of the most popular cheats in multiplayer FPS, used since 1996's Quake.[15]: 119 Compare to the feature auto-aim.
aiming down sights (ADS)

Also aim down sights.

Refers to the common alternate method of firing a gun in a first-person shooter (FPS) game, typically activated by the right mouse button. The real-life analogue is when a person raises a rifle up and places the stock just inside the shoulder area, and leans their head down so they can see in a straight line along the top of the rifle, through both of the iron sights or a scope, if equipped. In most games, this greatly increases accuracy, but can limit vision, situational awareness, mobility, and require a small amount of time to change the weapon position.
alpha release
An initial, incomplete version of a game. Alpha versions are usually released early in the development process to test a game's most critical functionality and prototype design concepts. Compare with beta release.
alt
Short for 'alternate', the focus on gameplay/progression/development of other available characters (or classes) in a game after one has completed the development of a favored 'main' character. Compare with main.
always-on DRM
A type of digital rights management (DRM) that typically requires a connection to the Internet while playing the game.
analog stick

Also control stick and thumbstick.

A small variation of a joystick, usually placed on a game controller to allow a player more fluent 2-dimensional input than is possible with a D-pad.[16]
animatic
A partially animated storyboard with sound effects used during early game development.[17]
animation priority
A type of gameplay mechanic in which the playable character's animations have priority over the player's input; in other words, if the player begins an action with a long animation, the animation must play out first before the player can then enter a new command, and attempting to enter a new command will have no effect. Games like the Dark Souls and Monster Hunter series are based on gameplay using animation priority.[18]
Anti-Aim
A type of cheat commonly found in first-person shooter games that makes it difficult or impossible for the user's hitboxes to be hit. This can be achieved many ways, but the most common ones are rapidly moving the user's hitboxes, flipping hitboxes (usually backwards or sideways), and sending false packets to the server.
anti-RPG
A role-playing video game that subverts the typical elements of such games.[19] The term was coined by the video game Software:Moon: Remix RPG Adventure.[20]
any%
A type of speedrun in which the player's objective is to reach the end of the game as quickly as possible without any qualifiers or limitations, including using known bugs and glitches in the game to do so. Compare to 100%.
AoE
1. See area of effect
2. Abbreviation of Age of Empires
arcade game
A coin-operated ("coin-op") video game usually contained in an upright, tabletop (cocktail or candy cabinet) or semi-enclosed sit-down cabinet. Popular primarily during the late 1970s to 1990s in the West, and still popular in the East to the present day, arcade machines continue to be manufactured and sold worldwide.
area
See level.
area of effect (AoE)
Screenshot from FreedroidRPG showing an "area of effect", or AoE

A term used in many role-playing and strategy games to describe attacks or other effects that affect multiple targets within a specified area. For example, in the role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, a fireball spell will deal damage to anyone within a certain radius of where it strikes. In most tactical strategy games artillery weapons have an area of effect that will damage anyone within a radius of the strike zone. Often the effect is stronger on the target than on anything else hit. See also: Splash damage

Area of effect can also refer to spells and abilities that are non-damaging. For example, a powerful healing spell may affect anyone within a certain range of the caster (often only if they are a member of the caster's party). Some games also have what are referred to as "aura" abilities that will affect anyone in the area around the person with the ability. For example, many strategy games have hero or officer units that can improve the morale and combat performance of friendly units around them. The inclusion of AoE elements in game mechanics can increase the role of strategy, especially in turn-based games. The player has to place units wisely to mitigate the possibly devastating effects of a hostile area of effect attack; however, placing units in a dense formation could result in gains that outweigh the increased AoE damage received.

Point-blank area of effect (PBAoE) is a less-used term for when the affected region is centered on the character performing the ability, rather than at a location of the player's choosing.
ARPG
See action role-playing game.
arena mode
A side game mode, mostly found in some action-adventure games, in which a player-controlled character is placed in a closed area and challenged to defeat enemies using combat abilities.
arena FPS
Arena shooters that use the first-person perspective.
arena shooter
Shooting games that are typically based on fast-paced gameplay and in a limited map or level space.
artificial intelligence (AI)
Algorithms used to generate responsive, adaptive or intelligent game behavior, primarily in non-player characters. Distinct from the computing science concept of 'artificial intelligence'.
assault mode
A game mode in which one team tries to attack (or capture) specific areas and the other team tries to defend those points.
asset flipping
The practice of creating a game using 'free' art and audio assets, either from an online marketplace or the default stock of assets included with many game engines. Asset-flips are often of very poor quality designed to catch onto a currently popular theme to turn a quick profit. It mimics the practice of flipping in real estate markets.
asymmetric gameplay
Cooperative or competitive multiplayer games in which each player will have a different experience arising from differences in gameplay, controls, or in-game character options that are part of the game. This is in contrast to symmetric gameplay where each player will have the same experience, such as in the game Pong. Asymmetric gameplay often arises in competitive games where one player's character is far overpowered but outnumbered by other players who are all competing against them, such as in Pac-Man Vs. Asymmetric gameplay can also arise in multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and hero shooters, where each player selects a different hero or character class with different gameplay abilities from others.[21]
asynchronous gameplay
Competitive multiplayer games where the players do not have to be participating at the same time. Such games are usually turn-based, with each player planning a strategy for the upcoming turn, and then having the game resolve all actions of that turn once each player has submitted their strategies.
attract mode
The attract mode for the arcade game San Francisco Rush: The Rock showcasing one of the racetracks available to play in the game

Also display mode and show mode.

A pre-recorded demonstration of a video game that is displayed when the game is not being played.[22]

Originally built into arcade games, the main purpose of the attract mode is to entice passers-by to play the game.[22] It usually displays the game's title screen, the game's story (if it has one), its high score list, sweepstakes (on some games) and the message "Game Over" or "Insert Coin" over or in addition to a computer-controlled demonstration of gameplay. In the Atari 8-bit computers of the late 1970s and 1980s, the term attract mode was sometimes used to denote a simple screensaver that slowly cycled the display colors to prevent phosphor burn-in when no input had been received for several minutes.[23] Attract modes demonstrating gameplay are common in current home video games.

Attract mode is not only found in arcade video games, but in most coin-operated games like pinball machines, stacker machines and other games. Cocktail arcade machines on which the screen flips its orientation for each player's turn in two-player games traditionally have the screen's orientation in player 1's favour for the attract mode.
augmented reality (AR)

Main article: Augmented reality

Supplementing a real-world environment with computer-generated perceptual information with matching alignment to the real world, which may add to or mask the physical environment. Augmented reality alters the perception of a physical environment, whereas virtual reality replaces the physical environment with a simulated one.
auto battler
Also known as "auto chess", a subgenre of strategy games that feature chess-like elements where players place characters on a grid-shaped battlefield during a preparation phase, who then fight the opposing team's characters without any further direct input from the player. It was created and popularized by Dota Auto Chess in early 2019.
auto-aim

Also aim-assist.

A game mechanic built into some games to decrease the level of difficulty by locking onto or near targets for faster aiming. Games utilize "hard" or "soft" aim settings to respectively either lock directly onto an enemy or assist the player's aim towards the enemy while giving some freedom of precision. Not to be confused with aimbot.
auto-run
A system in video games that causes the player-character to move forward without input from the user. The system is predominantly used in platform games, as well as being a toggleable feature in some open world and MMO games where users may need to travel long distances without the assistance of fast travel systems.
autosave
A saving function in many video games that saves the current progress without the player's input, often after completing a mission, level, or winning a match. These points are called save points.
avatar
The player's representation in the game world. See also player-character.

## B

B2P
Buy-to-play, see games as a product.
B-hopping

Also bunny hopping.

Repeated use of the jump button while moving, which increases the character's momentum in some games. Originally a glitch in Quake engine games, a large portion of games have implemented it as a feature and gamers have taken into doing this.
backfill

Also backfilling.

A system of many competitive team-based multiplayer games that automatically finds a new player based on their skill level in an already existing game in case of one player leaving it. Usually only seen in casual modes to keep competitive integrity in ranked games.
badge

Also achievement.

An indicator of accomplishment or skill, showing that the player has performed some particular action within the game.
balance
Aspects of a multi-player game that keep it fair for all players. This usually refers to balance between characters (or any other choices made before battle) and options (which occur in battle). Balance between choices made before battle usually means that no character is likely to dominate another opponent, while balance between options usually refers to every option having a viable counter, preventing gameplay from degenerating to using a single option with minor variations. The issue of balanced gameplay is a heavily debated matter among most games' player communities.
ban

Also banhammer.

In online games, the act of kicking a player from the server, and then employing means of preventing them from returning. This is usually accomplished using a blacklist. In some games, done in "ban waves" against cheaters to obfuscate how they were recognized as cheating in the game.
ban wave
See above.
banner
An opportunity in a gacha game where players can spend their resources for a chance to obtain a given character or item etc., that belongs to a specific group, or a character or item, etc. in particular. Depending on the game, it can be available indefinitely or have a time limit. The latter kind most often increases the probability of getting specific characters or items.[24]
battle pass
A type of in-game monetization that provides additional content for a game through a tiered system, rewarding the player with in-game items by playing the game and completing specific challenges.
battle royale game
A video game genre that blends elements of survival games with last-man-standing gameplay. Players search for equipment while eliminating competitors in a shrinking safe zone. Usually there are many more players involved than in other kinds of multi-player games.
best-in-slot
Any item or ability that can be considered the best possible option in a given slot. This can vary between players and playstyles, but commonly, any specific playstyle is likely to have either a single or a small set of items considered to be the best. This may be due to favorable effects, good match-ups against most opponents, or high stats. Typically abbreviated as BiS.
beta release

Also beta testing.

An early release of a video game, following its alpha release, where the game developer seeks feedback from players and testers to remove bugs prior to the product's commercial release. Games are usually almost finished at the beta stage.[25] See also closed beta and open beta.
blacklist
In online games, a list of player information (such as player ID or IP address) that the server checks for when admitting a player. By default, players are allowed to enter, but if they match information on the blacklist, they are barred from entry. The opposite is a whitelist, where the server bars players by default but allows players matching the whitelist. Blacklists and whitelists can be used in tandem, barring even whitelisted players if they try to log in via a blacklisted IP address, for example.
blockstun
A period of time between a character blocking an attack and returning to their idle stance.
See also hitstun. BM
"Bad Manners"; conduct that is not considered 'cheating' but may be seen as unsportsmanlike or disrespectful.[26] Some games may elect to punish badly behaved players by assessing game penalties, temporarily blocking them from re-entering play, or banishing them to a playing environment populated solely by other badly behaved players. What constitutes bad manners is subjective and may be hard to gather a consensus on.
board
See level.
boomer shooter
A first-person shooter designed to resemble older games in the genre such as Doom and Quake. The name is derived from the baby boomer generation, often shortened to simply boomer, which in turn is used to describe things that are old in general.
booster pack
A random assortment of cards in digital collectible card games that players can buy or earn to add to their deck. See also lootbox.
boosting
In online multiplayer games that include ranked competitive play, boosting is where a player with a low-ranked level has a more-skilled player use their account to improve the low-ranked character to higher levels, or other improvements and benefits for their account.[27][28]
bonus stage
A special level in which the player has a chance to earn extra points or power-ups, often in the form of a mini-game. Compare with secret level.
borderless fullscreen windowed
An option featured in many modern PC games and moddable into others in which a game appears fullscreen but is actually running in a maximized window. Since the game does not take full control of the output device, it confers benefits such as seamless task switching and automatic vertical synchronization.
boss
A significantly powerful opponent non-player character and computer-controlled enemy in a video game that is typically much more difficult to defeat compared to normal enemies, often at the end of a level or a game.
bot
Short for robot. A non-playable character which is controlled by an artificial intelligence (AI). The player may compete against or work with a bot to complete objectives. Is also a derogatory term that implies a player is less effective than an AI-controlled character.
bottomless pit
A hazard common in platform and action games, which consists of a deep hole or void with no visible bottom, presumably leading to a fatal drop. The player-character falling into this void typically results in an instant death (and the loss of a life) for the player, regardless of how much health the character had; although some games may instead take away a percentage of the character's health before respawning them nearby. Bottomless pits can also serve as obstacles that can be overcome by using abilities or finding alternate routes.
buff
1. An effect placed on a video game character that beneficially increases one or more of their statistics or characteristics for a temporary period. Compare to debuff.
2. A change intended to strengthen a particular item, tactic, ability, or character, ostensibly for balancing purposes. Compare to nerf.
Buildcrafting
The ability in games to define the player-characters abilities by selecting appropriate gear, equipment, and accessories to optimize and maximize the character's performance in the game. The end results, known as builds, then are frequently shared to other players through various means.
build order

Also build-order.

An optimal sequence of player actions in a building-based strategy game, dictating what option should be constructed in what order.
bullet hell
A type of shoot 'em up where the player must generally dodge a large or overwhelming bombardment of projectiles.
bullet sponge
Any enemy that appears to require more firepower than would be considered realistic or reasonable to defeat. This is an allusion to how the enemy can absorb bullets much like a sponge absorbs liquids. For example, an enemy soldier in a first-person shooter that requires several full magazines of ammunition to defeat, in comparison to other soldier types that are defeated in a handful of shots, would be a bullet sponge.
bullshot
A portmanteau of bullshit and screenshot, referring to the misrepresentation of a final product's technical or artistic quality by artificially enhancing promotional images or video footage.[29]
button mashing
1. The pressing of different button combinations in rapid succession to perform or attempt to perform special moves, typically with little rhyme or reason. This technique is most often encountered in fighting games, especially among weaker players.[30]
2. The rapid pressing of a single button to accomplish a task, especially in minigames. Sometimes, this requires the rapid pressing of two buttons simultaneously, or rapidly pressing any button.
breach
Common name for the value that dictates how much stun a weapon deals.

## C

campaign mode

Also story mode and campaign.

A series of game levels intended to tell a linear story; some campaigns feature multiple 'paths', with the player's actions deciding which path the story will follow and affecting which choices are available to the player at a later point.
camping
1. Where a player stays in one place – typically a fortified high-traffic location – for an extended period of time and waits to ambush other players. Many players consider camping a form of cheating or, at best, griefing.[31] It is most common in first-person shooter games,[32] but is also frequent in fighting games with projectile-heavy characters.
2. The act of waiting around a rare mob or player's spawn point, usually in MMOs. This may be known as spawn-camping or spawn-trapping.
Camping a player's spawn point for an easy kill is deeply frowned upon and in many games is considered a bannable offense. capture the flag (CTF)
A common game mode in multiplayer video games, where the goal is to capture and retrieve a flag from the opposing side's territory while defending the flag in one's own territory.
career mode
A mode of gameplay that involves taking control of a single character and guiding the character through a structured career.[33] The mode is commonly used in sports games, where it is referred to by various names such as "Be a Pro", "superstar mode",[34] "My Player",[35] and "Road to the Show",[36] in which a player controls the career of a single athlete.[37]
carry
In team-based video games, when a player disproportionately contributes to the success of their team. For example, Team A's sole remaining player defeating the rest of Team B, thus saving Team A from a close defeat, would be considered carrying, as would one player on Team A having the most kills among the rest of their team. The term is usually but not always interpreted as indirect slander towards the rest of the team, though the term may also be used generally. Carrying may also be a method experienced players use to win rounds when the rest of their team are less experienced or less efficient at completing tasks; this may entail taking on enemy combatants alone, or using teammates as a distraction while completing objectives for the round.
cartridge tilting
Deliberately inducing glitches and other strange behaviour in cartridge-based games by tilting the cartridge slightly in its slot in the console, enough for the connection to be altered but not completely severed. Cartridge tilting creates similar effects to using a corruptor, and may include such glitches as character models becoming distorted, extremely loud noises and in particularly severe cases, both the game and the console itself may crash.
casual gaming
Playing video games on an infrequent and spontaneous basis without a long-term commitment. Casual video games are distinguished by a low learning curve and ease of access, often web-based for mobile phones or personal computers. Most casual games have simplified controls, with one or two buttons dominating play. Casual games can normally be played in small periods of time, and may not have a save feature.[38]
challenge mode
A game mode offered beyond the game's normal play mode that tasks the player(s) to replay parts of the game or special levels under specific conditions that are not normally present or required in the main game, such as finishing a level within a specific time, or using only one type of weapon. If a game doesn't feature a 'challenge mode', players will often create self-imposed challenges by forbidding or restricting the use of certain game mechanics.
character
See player-character and non-player character
character class
A job or profession that comes with a set of abilities as well as positive and negative attributes.[39] Most common in role-playing games, a character's class helps to define their playstyle as well as the role the character plays in a team based game. Often as players gain experience with a class they learn new abilities related to their chosen profession and some games allow players to change their character's class or become proficient in multiple classes. Some examples of archetypal character classes include warrior (strength and defense), thief (speed and stealth), wizard (magic and intelligence), and priest or healer (healing and buffing allies).[40][41] A popular example of a class-changing system is the Job System in the Final Fantasy series.
character creator
An ingame method to customize a character to the player's preferred appearance and abilities before starting the game, most commonly used in role-playing games.
character select screen

Also character select.

A concept in games with multiple characters, a screen with names or pictures of all playable (and secret) characters with the possibility of stat listings.
charge shot
A shot that can be charged up so that a stronger attack can be dealt, but requiring more time. Usually performed by holding the shot button.
cheat
A game code that allows the player to beat the game or acquire benefits without earning them. Cheats are used by designers to test the game during development and are often left in the release version.[17] See god mode, aimbot, ESP cheats, noclip mode, wallhack, and Konami Code.
cheating
To play the game unfairly; giving an unfair advantage via illegitimate means.
checkpoint
An area in a level from which the player will start the level from next time they die, rather than having to start the level over. Checkpoints typically remain in place until the player completes the level or gets a Game Over.
cheese (or cheesing)
Cheese(ing) refers to a tactic in a video game that may be considered cheap, unfair, or overly easy, requiring no skill by others as to otherwise complete a difficult task. What may account as cheese depends on the type of game. Its origin traces back to players of Street Fighter II who would frequently use the same combo move over and over again to defeat their opponent. In multiplayer games like MOBAs or hero shooters, certain team compositions of heroes are considered cheese compositions for how easily they can defeat most other team compositions. In other games, cheese can refer to exploiting glitches and other bugs to make difficult gameplay sections easy.[42]
cheevo
See achievement.
chiptune
Music composed for the microchip-based audio hardware of early home computers and gaming consoles. Due to the technical limitations of earlier video game hardware, chiptune came to define a style of its own, known for its "soaring flutelike melodies, buzzing square wave bass, rapid arpeggios, and noisy gated percussion".[43]
choke
1. When a player/team that is currently winning or otherwise playing well performs unexpectedly poorly.[26]
2. A feature of a playable map that funnels players and might restrict mechanics like movement (chokepoint).
cinematic
See cutscene.
circle strafing
An advanced method of movement in many first-person shooter (FPS) games where the user utilizes both thumb sticks (console) or mouse and keyboard controls (PC) to maintain a constant circular motion around an enemy, while maintaining a relatively steady aim on that target. This practice minimizes incoming fire from the target's teammates, as any misses are likely to hit and harm their teammate.
clapped
A slang term referring to someone who was swiftly defeated in a multiplayer video game, especially first-person shooter games.
clan

Also guild

An organized group of players who regularly play multiplayer video games.
clicker game
A game genre where clicking (or tapping, on smart devices) the screen repeatedly is the fundamental gameplay mechanic. Clicker games typically award the player in-game currency or points for their clicks, which can be used to upgrade their abilities, such as automating their clicking, allowing them to score more points. Games such as Cookie Clicker popularized the genre. See also idle game.
clipping
1. Programming used to ensure that the player stays within the physical boundaries of the game world,[15]: 119 bypassing collision detection. See also noclip, a cheat where clipping is disabled.
2. A 3D graphics process which determines if an object is visible and "clips" any obscured parts before drawing it. See also clipping (computer graphics).
clock/clocked
To achieve a score so high it resets the in-game score counter back to 0, often used in older arcade games. More commonly used nowadays to express the (absolute) 100% completion of a game. Also see rolling the score.
clone
A game that is similar in design to another game in its genre (e.g., a Doom clone or a Grand Theft Auto clone). Sometimes used in a derogatory fashion to refer to an inferior 'ripoff' of a more successful title.
closed beta
A beta testing period where only specific people have access to the game.
cloud gaming
A cloud gaming server runs the game, receiving controller input actions from and streaming audio and video to the player's thin client.
cloud save
The player's saved game is stored at a remote server. This may provide a backup, or enable access from a different game system. See also cross-save.
clutch

Also clutching the game and coming in clutch.

Being able to perform exceptionally well in a high-stakes situation, or have certain events occur at the right time in a very important or critical moment, in particular in a way that changes the outcome of the game; scoring a victory for your team when it was on the verge of defeat.[44]
CMS
See also construction and management simulation.
coin-op
See also arcade game.
collateral

Also collat.

Also collat.

In a shooter, a shot which passes through one target and hits one or more others. Typically possible only with certain weapons, such as sniper rifles.
collectible
An item that can be collected by a player, which may or may not confer a positive benefit, such as increasing their character's maximum health. Typically found in games with a campaign mode, collectibles may increase such game's replay value by placing collectibles in areas that are hidden or can only be accessed with special abilities, encouraging the player to inquisitively comb through and revisit levels to find them all, as part of 100% completion.
collision detection
The computational task of detecting the intersection of two or more game objects.
combo
A series of attacks strung together in quick succession, typically while an opponent is in their "getting hit" animation from the previous attack and is helpless to defend themselves. Combos are a staple of fighting games, introduced in beat-'em-ups such as Renegade and Double Dragon, and becoming more dynamic in Final Fight and Street Fighter II.[45]
competitive gaming
See electronic sports.
completionist
A particular kind of video game player who focuses on achieving 100% completion in the games they play.
compulsion loop
A cycle of gameplay elements designed to keep the player invested in the game, typically through a feedback system involving in-game rewards that open up more gameplay opportunities.
console
A video game hardware unit that typically connects to a video screen and controllers, along with other hardware. Unlike personal computers, a console typically has a fixed hardware configuration defined by its manufacturer and cannot be customized. Sometimes includes handheld consoles, to differentiate them from computers, arcade machines, and cell phones.
console generations

See also: Home video game console generations

A set of video game consoles in direct competition for market share in a given era. The set, as a generation, is obsoleted at the introduction of the "next generation" or "next gen".[46][47]
console wars

Main article: Console war

Refers to competition for video game console market dominance and, in specific, to the rivalry between Sega and Nintendo throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. The analogy also extends to competition in later console generations, particularly the PlayStation and Xbox brands.[48]
construction and management simulation (CMS)
A video game genre that involves planning and managing a population of citizens in towns, cities, or other population centers. In such games, the player rarely has direct control of the computer-controlled citizens and can only influence them through planning.
content rating
Classifying video games according to suitability-related factors such as violent or sexual content contained within a game. Some countries use industry self-regulation models to accomplish this, while others have government rating boards. Certain content ratings result in products being legally or de facto banned from sale, such as the AO (adults only) rating in the United States. While legal, such titles are not stocked by retailers and will not be certified for release by major console makers such as Sony and Microsoft.
continue
A7Xpg gives the player the opportunity to continue playing after losing their last life.

The option to keep playing the game after all of the player's lives have been lost, rather than ending the game and restarting from the very beginning. There may or may not be a penalty for doing this, such as losing a certain number of points or being unable to access bonus stages.

In arcade games, when a player loses or fails an objective, they will generally be shown a "continue countdown" screen, in which the player has a limited amount of time (usually 10, 15, or 20 seconds) to insert additional coins in order to continue the game from the point where it had ended; deciding not to continue will result in the displaying of a game over screen.[49]

The continue feature was added to arcade games in the early 1980s as a way to earn more money from players.[49] The first arcade game to have a continue feature was Fantasy,[49] and the first home console cartridge to have this feature was the Atari 2600 version of Vanguard.[50]: 26 As a result of the continue feature, games started to have stories and definite endings; however, those games were designed so that it would be nearly impossible to get to the end of the game without continuing.[49] Salen and Zimmerman argue that the continue feature in games such as Gauntlet was an outlet for conspicuous consumption.[51]

In more modern times, continues have also been used in a number of free-to-play games, especially mobile games, where the player is offered a chance to pay a certain amount of premium currency to continue after failing or losing. One example is Temple Run 2, where the price of a continue doubles after each failure, with an on-the-fly in-app purchase of the game's premium currency if required.
control pad
See D-pad.
control point (CP)
A game mode which involves the team capturing each required "capture point" in order to win the round or level.
control stick
See analog stick.
controller
A means of control over the console or computer on which the game is played. Specialized game controllers include the joystick, light gun, paddle, and trackball.
conversation tree
See dialog tree.
conversion kit
Special equipment that can be installed into an arcade machine that changes the current game it plays into another one. For example, a conversion kit can be used to reconfigure an arcade machine designed to play one game so that it would play its sequel or update instead, such as from Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back, or from Software:Street Fighter II: Champion Edition to Street Fighter II Turbo.
cooldown
The minimum length of time that the player needs to wait after using an ability before they can use it again. This is commonly done for game balance so less powerful abilities remain relevant.[52]
co-op
See cooperative gameplay.
cooperative gameplay (co-op)
Multiplayer gameplay where the players work together on the same team against computer-controlled opponents or challenges.[17]
corruptor
A computer program used either as or in conjunction with an emulator to corrupt certain data within a ROM or ISO by a user-desired amount, causing varied effects, both visually and audibly, to a video game and its data, usually as a humorous diversion or for the sake of seeking out and documenting interesting examples, hereafter referred to as corruptions. The effects of a corruption may include: displaced or misdirected pixels in a spritemap; never-ending levels; bizarre or unexpected changes to the colour palette of characters and levels; artifacts; distorted or entirely incorrect sprites, polygons, textures, or character models; unpredictable and outlandish animations; incorrect text or dialogue trees; flickering graphics or lights; incorrect or distorted audio; inconvenient invisible walls; lack of collision detection; and other forced glitches. Corruptions often result in the game becoming unwinnable, and may also result in unusual crashes and softlocks. See also real-time corruptor and ROM hacking.
couch co-op
A local cooperative video game that is designed to be played by multiple players on the same display screen, using split-screen.
cover system
A game mechanic which allows the player to use walls or other features of the game's environment to take cover from oncoming ranged attacks, such as gunfire in first-person shooters. Many cover systems also allow the character to use ranged attacks in return while in cover although with an accuracy penalty.[53]
coyote time
A game mechanic that grants players the ability to jump for a brief period of time (typically just a few frames or fractions of a second) after leaving solid ground. Used predominantly in platform games, the mechanic is designed to give players the impression of having jumped at the last possible moment, and as a method of forgiving players who would have otherwise missed the jump. The mechanic derives its name from the Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote who, after running off a cliff, is well known for briefly hanging in mid-air before plummeting to the earth below. This term is also used in rhythm games for the grace period given when hitting a note late.[54][55]
CPU
1. Central processing unit; the part of the computer or video game which executes the games' program.
2. A personal computer.
3. A non-player character controlled by the game software using artificial intelligence, usually serving as an opponent to the player or players.
CPU versus CPU
See zero-player game.
cracked
1. Software that has had its anti-piracy protections removed prior to being illegally distributed. See: Software cracking
2. Being extremely good at something.
crafting
A game mechanic that allows the player-character to construct game items, such as armor, weapons or medicine from combinations of other items. Most MMOGs feature a crafting system.
credit-feeding
To complete an arcade game by using as many continues as possible. Prevalent in action games or shooters where the player is revived at the exact moment their character died during their previous credit. Some home conversions (such as AES versions of Neo Geo games) tend to limit the number of credits each player is allowed to use in a playthrough as a way of preserving the challenge, while other conversions (such as the ports in the Namco Museum series) impose no such limits in order to reproduce the original version as faithfully as possible. Compare with 1CC.
critical hit

Also crit.

A type of strike that does more damage than usual. Normally a rare occurrence, this may indicate a special attack or a hit on the target's weak point.
cross-buy
Ownership of a game on multiple platforms granted through a single purchase.
cross-generation
A game released across multiple console generations.
cross-platform
See multiplatform.
cross-platform play
Multi-platform versions of the same online games may be played together.
cross-progression
Similar to cross-save, when multi-platform games may share the player's current account details, including earned and purchased items, via a server.
cross-save
Multi-platform games may share the player's current state via a server.
Crowd control
A technique used primarily in massively multiplayer online games to limit or control how many enemies are hostile to the players so they can be picked off more easily.[56] Also see aggro.
CRPG
Abbreviation of computer role-playing game. It has the connotation of referring to "classic" games.[57]
crunch
A controversial but common labor practice in the video game industry where game developers have to work compulsory overtime, often uncompensated, in order to meet deadlines.[58]
CTF
See capture the flag.
cut-in
A phase within a character's super move where the game briefly pauses the character's attack and shows their face (or full body) before proceeding to complete the attack. In fighting games, this move can be blocked.
cutscene

Also cinematic.

A game segment that exists solely to provide detail and exposition to the story. They are used extensively in MMOs and RPGs in order to progress the plot. Cutscenes are more likely to be generated by the in-game engine while cinematics are pre-recorded.[17]
cybersport
See esports.

## D

D-pad

Also control pad and directional pad.

A 4-directional rocker button that allows the player to direct game action in eight different directions: up, down, left, right, and their diagonals. Invented by Gunpei Yokoi for the Game & Watch series of handheld consoles, Nintendo used the "directional pad" (or "cross-key" in Japan) for their Nintendo Entertainment System controller and it has been used on nearly every console controller since.[16]
damage over time (DoT)
An effect, such as poison or catching on fire, that reduces a player's health over the course of time or turns.
damage per minute (DPM)
Used as a metric in some games to allow the player to determine their offensive power.
damage per second (DPS)
1. Used as a metric in some games to allow the player to determine their offensive power, particularly in games where the player's attacks are performed automatically when a target is in range.
2. A character archetype in team or party-based games, specifically a character or class that is designed purely to deal as much damage as possible to enemies, as opposed to a tank or healer, who have other primary duties. Specific characters or classes may be considered "sub-types" of DPS, such as a "magic-DPS" as opposed to a "melee-DPS".
day one

Also day zero.

The day of release for a video game; often accompanied by a 'day-one patch' to repair issues that could not be addressed in time for the game's distribution, or 'day-one DLC', where the developer offers content for a price. 'Day-one DLC' is often associated with on-disc DLC, where the content is already a part of the game's data, but the player must pay to access it.
day zero

Also day one.

Before the day of release for a video game; often accompanied by a 'day-zero dlc' to allow early play time that users paid for the game before launch, or maybe extra cosmetics. or the purchaser gets things like the 'day-one DLC' on launch day, or some in game currency, where the developer offers content bundled in for buying the game "pre-launch". the 'Day-one DLC' is often associated with on-disc DLC, where the content is already a part of the game's data, but the player must pay to access it.
dead zone
1. A region of the screen in video games in which the camera is controlled via free look where the mouse cursor can be positioned to lock the camera in place. Can be adjusted in some games.
2. A deadzone setting for the analog stick that lets players configure how sensitive they want their analog sticks to be, popular in console FPS games, and in racing games where it appears as Steering Deadzone.
deathmatch

Also free-for-all

A game mode in many shooter and real-time strategy games in which the objective is to kill as many other characters as possible until a time limit or kill limit is reached. Compare to last man standing.
Debug mode
A feature left in a game that the development team would use to test the game and check for bugs. There are many ways that they could have been implemented, such as a menu with selectable options, button combinations or a room with stuff useful for testing. Debug modes will tend to have many useful features for testing, such as being able to make the player invulnerable to damage, giving the tester every single weapon available, being able to warp to any part of the game as needed, being able to defeat any enemy in a single hit, and so on. There may also be the ability to modify the camera placement, such as for the purpose of taking screenshots to use for advertising purposes. Typically, these will be removed or hidden before the game is released to the public. Some games may leave them available to the player still, such as by making them be an unlockable option, or requiring a code to unlock it. In other cases, they may be entirely unavailable through normal gameplay and glitches or external hacking would be required to access them. This can also be referred to as a debug menu or a debug room.
Degrees of freedom
The number of vectors of player-character movement that the player has control over, which are often a criterion associated with the game's genre.

* Side-scrollers typically have 2-DoF: left/right (run along X-axis), and up/down (jump/fall along Y-axis).
* Top-down, isometric graphics-based, and 3D graphics-based games may have 3-DoF or 4-DoF: aim left/right (rotate around Z-axis), move left/right (strafe along X-axis) & move forward/backward (run along Y-axis), and move up/down (jump/fall/crouch along Z-axis).
* 3D flying games may have up to 6-DoF: movement along the X, Y, or Z axes as left/right (along X-axis), forward/backward (along Y-axis), and up/down (along Z-axis), and rotation around X, Y, or Z axes as pitch (around X-axis), roll (around Y-axis), and yaw (around Z-axis)

In addition, special features of games may manipulate other dimensions not associated with the X, Y, & Z axes of 3D space as DoF, such as time, player state, macro-location (fast travel), map state, NPC visibility or other game parameters.
debuff
1. The opposite of a buff, an effect placed on a character that negatively impacts their statistics and characteristics. Compare with nerf.
2. Effects that nullify or cancel the effects of buffs.
demake
A type of video game remake for (or emulating the style of) older generation hardware.
destructible environment
A game level in which walls and other surfaces can be damaged and destroyed.[17]
developer
The production company which makes a video game.[17]
development hell
An unofficial, indefinite "waiting period" during which a project is effectively stalled and unable to proceed. Projects that enter development hell are often delayed by several years, but are not usually considered to be formally cancelled by the publisher.
devolution
The act of running games and applications from storage media not originally supported for this use. For example, external hard disk drives or USB flash drives can be used on consoles that only officially support running games and applications from CD or DVD disks. Usually can only be done in modded game consoles.
dialog tree

Also conversation tree.

Found primarily in adventure games, a means of providing a menu of dialog choices to the player when interacting with a non-player character so as to learn more from that character, influence the character's actions, and otherwise progress the game's story. The tree nature comes from typically having multiple branching levels of questions and replies that can be explored.
dialog wheel
Like the dialog tree, it presents various dialog choices to players. However, the choices imply an emotional tone rather than showing the exact dialog that will be spoken.[59]
difficulty
The level of difficulty that a player wishes to face while playing a game. At higher difficulty levels, the player usually faces stronger NPCs, limited resources, or tighter time-limits.
digital rights management (DRM)
Software tools for copyright protection. Often criticized, particularly if the DRM tool is overly restrictive or badly-designed.
directional pad
See D-pad.
display mode
See attract mode.
DLC
See downloadable content.
dolphin
In free-to-play games, a user who occasionally spends real-world money on in-game items or spends a modest amount, but not enough to be considered a whale.
Doom clone
An early term for first-person shooters, based on gameplay that mimicked that from Doom.
double jump
The action, when game mechanics allow, of a game character being able to execute two successive jumps, the second jump occurring in mid-air without coming into contact with anything. The player must then typically touch the ground before being able to jump again.[60]
down-but-not-out (DBNO)

Also downed

A term for near-death state, typically found in team battle royale games, in which a player becomes incapacitated instead of dying after losing health points. Players in this state can be revived by teammates as long as they still have health, and in certain games such as Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, players can self-revive, or "self-rez".[61][62]
downloadable content (DLC)
Additional content for a video game that is acquired through a digital delivery system.
DPM
See damage per minute.
DPS
See damage per second.
draft
A game mode associated with collectible card games including digital variants. A draft mode enables a player to create a deck of cards in such games by selecting one card of a number of randomly selected cards at a time. The player then uses the completed deck to play in matches against other players or computer opponents until they meet a certain win or loss record. Draft games contrast with constructed deck games, where players draw on their personal collections of cards.
dragon kill points (DKP)
A semi-formal score-keeping system used by guilds in massively multiplayer online games that is redeemed after killing bosses or completing other challenges.
drift

Also stick drift.

A typical malfunction that affects the analog stick(s) of a gamepad, in which its neutral position is set somewhere on its fringe, instead of the central position that it default maintains when the analog stick is unmoved. This can cause undesired gameplay effects, such as causing a character to constantly move or the game camera to constantly be locked to one skewed angle while the analog stick(s) is/are unmoved, depending on which stick is affected or the game's controls.
DRM
See digital rights management.
drop rate
The probability of obtaining a particular item from a loot box or booster pack in certain video games, particularly in games with microtransactions.
drop-in, drop-out
A type of competitive or cooperative multiplayer game that enables a player to join the game at any time without waiting and leave without any penalty, and without affecting the game for other players.
Dummied out
Refers to content that existed in a game during development and is in the code, but is not actually present in typical gameplay. Lots of aspects in a game can be this, such as cutscenes, weapons, characters (playable or not), items, missions or levels. There are many reasons why content may be subject to this, like if it was too buggy, if it was too unbalanced, if it was never intended to be released (like a weapon that's overpowered on purpose so the developers can get through the story easily), copyright issues (such as if a license to use a copyrighted character expired), if programming it couldn't be finished in time (such as to meet a release date), or any other reason.
dungeon

See also level

In an open world game such as an RPG, an enclosed area filled with complex puzzles to solve and hostile NPCs where the player is likely to come under attack. In this sense, it can be used to refer to literal "dungeons" or include any number of other places, such as caves, ships, forests, sewers or buildings. Dungeons may be maze-like or contain puzzles that the player must solve and often hide valuable items within to encourage player exploration.
dungeon crawl
A genre of video game that is based on exploring dungeons or similar setting, defeating monsters and collecting loot.
duping
Derived from the word "duplicating", the practice of using a bug to illegitimately create duplicates of unique items or currency in a persistent online game, such as an MMO. Duping can vastly destabilize a virtual economy or even the gameplay itself.
dynamic game difficulty balancing
The automatic change in parameters, scenarios, and behaviors in a video game in real-time, based on the player's ability, with the aim of avoiding player boredom or frustration.
dynamic music
See adaptive music.[17][63]

## E

early access

Also software testing and Software release life cycle.

A development model where players are able to purchase and play a game as it currently stands, be it early in development or close to a full release. On the developer's end, early access allows them to gather player feedback and further the game's development with the money made from these sales. See also open beta.
Elo hell
The phenomenon of being stuck at a lower rank than is reflective of the player's true skill level in competitive video games that utilize the Elo rating system which may occur for various reasons, usually due to unbalanced matchmaking (where the player may happen to have teammate/s of inferior skill). Quite often, Elo hell is not real, and used as a scapegoat when gamers don't want to admit their flaws, or cannot find them. The term is quite frequent in games like Counter-Strike 2, where low-ranking players with high mechanical skill claim that they 'aught to be Global Elite' (the highest rank in the game), but fail to prepare for fights, manage their in-game money, or communicate strategies to their teammates.
emergent gameplay
Gameplay that develops as a result of player creativity, rather than the game's programmed structure.[17] EVE Online is well-known for its emergent gameplay, which allows player-formed alliances to fight extended 'wars' over valuable territory and resources, or simply become 'space pirates' and prey on other player-operated vessels.
emulator
A software program that is designed to replicate the software and hardware of a video game console on more modern computers and other devices. Emulators typically include the ability to load software images of cartridges and other similar hardware-based game distribution methods from the earlier hardware generations, in addition to more-traditional software images.
end game
The gameplay of a given title at the climax of its storyline or campaign, and is followed by the postgame.
end game loop
The gameplay available in a massively multiplayer online game for characters that have completed all of the currently-available content. Repeatable content after the climax of the storyline or campaign.
endless mode
A game mode in which players are challenged to last as long as possible against a continuing threat with limited resources or player-character lives, with their performance ranked on how long they survive before succumbing to the threat (such as the death of the player-character) or on score. This mode is typically offered in games that otherwise have normal endings that can be reached, providing an additional challenge to the players once the main game is completed.
endless runner

Also infinite runner.

A subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible.[64]
enemy
A non-player character that tries to harm the player.
energy
1. A game mechanic using a character resource-pool which governs how often the character is allowed to use a special ability.
2. How often a player is allowed to play a particular free-to-play game; energy can be replenished instantly with an in-app purchase, or replenished slowly by waiting and not playing the game.
3. (Usually in futuristic games) The player's health.
engine
See game engine.
environmental storytelling
Story that is conveyed via the physical design or set dressing of a game's world, rather than cutscenes or dialogue.[65]
ESP cheats (extra-sensory perception cheats)
A package of multiple cheats. e.g., "distance ESP" shows the distance between the enemy and the player, "player ESP" makes enemies highly visible, and "weapon ESP" shows enemy weapons.[15]: 120
esports

Also electronic sports, e-sports, eSports, competitive gaming, cybersports and professional gaming.

Organized competitions around competitive video games, often played for prize money and recognition.
experience point (XP, EXP)
In games that feature the ability for the player-character to gain levels, such as role-playing video games, experience points are used to denote progress towards the next character level.
expansion pack (Add-on)
An addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game or collectible card game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters, or an extended storyline to an already-released game.

## F

Shorthand for an expression of sympathy when an unfortunate event occurs. The term originates from an internet meme based on a quicktime event from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.[66] The expression is often used in a sarcastic or mocking manner.
face button
A usually circular button on the right side of a traditional gamepad that is pressed very frequently in normal gameplay. Modern gamepads usually have four arranged in a diamond formation.
fangame
A video game made by fans, based on one or more established video games. Retrogamers may clone early video games to take advantage of more advanced hardware and game engines.
farming
Repeating a battle, quest, or other part of a game in order to receive more or duplicates of specific reward items that can be gained through that battle or quest, such as experience points, game money, or specific reward items. Gold farming is a type of farming done for in-game currency. See grinding.
fast travel
Common in role-playing games, a means by which to have the player-character(s) teleport between already-discovered portions of the game's world without having to actually interactively move that distance.[67]
fear of missing out (FOMO)
A term used around ongoing games with rotating content, the "fear of missing out" is an expression related to the psychological and social anxiety effect for players concerned about missing the opportunity to obtain limited-time characters, items or events while they are available and thus devote more time and resources into the game as to obtain those items. This can include additional expenditures for microtransactions for free-to-play or freemium games.[68]
feed
In MOBAs, to consistently die to an enemy team or player (either intentionally or due to inexperience), providing them with experience, gold, map pressure, or other advantages.
field of view (FOV)

Also field of vision.

A measurement reflecting how much of the game world is visible in a first-person perspective on the display screen, typically represented as an angle. May also refer to the general amount of the game world that is visible on the screen, typically in games where being able to see a lot at once is important, such as strategy games and platformers.
final boss
See boss.
first-party developer
A developer that is either owned directly by a console maker or has special arrangements with the console maker; such developers have greater access to internal details about a console compared to traditional developers. A developer that isn't owned by a console maker but have special arrangements with them may be referred to as a second-party developer, instead. Games developed by a first-party developer are often referred to as 'first-party games.'
first-person
A graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player-character.
first-person shooter (FPS)
A genre of video game where the player experiences the game from the first-person perspective, where the primary mechanic is the use of guns and other ranged weapons to defeat enemies.
flashing invulnerability

Also invincibility frames, invulnerability period, mercy invincibility.

An invincibility or immunity to damage that occurs after the player takes damage for a short time, indicated by the player-character blinking or buffering.
flip-screen
A game environment divided into single-screen portions, similar to individual tiles in a maze. Players see only one such screen at a time, and they transfer between screens by moving the player-character to the current screen's edge. The picture then abruptly "flips" to the next screen, hence the technique's name.[69][70] UK magazines also refer to this as flick-screen.[71]
fog of war
The player cannot see enemy activity beneath the greyed-out fog of war. Common in strategy games, a 'fog' covers unobservable areas of the map and hides any enemy units in that area.
footsies
A term used in fighting games to describe players using their basic back and forth movement in order to position themselves to avoid attacks or setup combos.[72]
foozle
A cliché final boss that exists only to act as the final problem before players can complete the game.[73][74]
FotM
Acronym for "Flavor of the Month", referring to a new meta that emerges after an update making certain classes or builds more desirable, that will only last a short amount of time. The phrase originated in the World of Warcraft community, but is also used in MOBAs.[75]
FOV
See field of view.
FPS
1. An abbreviation for first-person shooter.
2. An abbreviation for frames per second. See frame rate.
frag
To kill or achieve a kill in a game against a player or non-player opponent.[76] See also gibs.
frame advantage
In fighting games, the difference (in frames) between how quickly the characters can perform another action after attacking or defending.
frame rate
A measure of the rendering speed of a video game's graphics, typically in frames per second (FPS).
frame-perfect
An action that must be performed within a single frame for perfect execution.
free look
1. To be able to look around the map freely, usually limited by typical mechanics of the game such as the boundaries of the game world. This is usually an ability that is disabled to common users, but left in the game coding as a developer's tool and is unlockable if the proper code is known. May also be allowed by a non-player in a multiplayer game to allow seeing every player's progress, especially in e-sports. Typically eliminates fog of war in relevant games.
2. Also called mouselook, a method of control where the player uses the computer mouse to indicate the direction they desire the player-character to look.
freemium
A pricing strategy by which a product or service (typically a digital offering or an application such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but money (premium) is charged for additional features, services, or virtual (online) or physical (offline) goods.
free-to-play (F2P or FtP)
Games that do not require purchase from a retailer, either physical or digital, to play. Highly prevalent on smartphones, free-to-play games may also provide additional gameplay-enhancing purchases via an in-app purchase. Games that require in-app purchases in order to remain competitive, or gamers who engage in said purchases, are known as pay to win (P2W). Compared to the P2W players, F2P players are often looked down upon. (Compare 'freemium', a free-to-play game that follows such a model.)
friendslop
An ironic term for cooperative multiplayer games, especially those following in the wake of Lethal Company, typically with minimal gameplay structure that can lead to chaotic and humorous interactions between the players and the game that often can go viral on social media sites.[77] Coined after the rise of the term AI slop which inspired a social media meme where the "-slop" suffix is combined with a common game element, overly reducing a genre for comedic effect. Another example is "rollslop", as a moniker for Soulslikes. "Friendslop" has seen some use as a genuine term, in the absence of a genre descriptor for Lethal Company-inspired games.[78][79]
full combo (FC)

Also full perfect combo (FPC).

A term used most commonly in rhythm games, when the player hits every note in a song with no mistakes, therefore never breaking a combo.[80] Often results in the highest possible score on said song.

## G

GaaS
See games as a service.
gacha game
A genre of video game that implements the gacha (toy vending machine) mechanic. Similar to loot boxes, gacha games induce players to spend in-game or real-world currency to receive random in-game items or characters. The gacha mechanic is considered integral to the gameplay or player progression of gacha games, whereas loot boxes would not change the gameplay of the games they're attached to in a significant way if they were removed or replaced with a different reward system.
gambling
Playing games of chance for real money or in-game currency. In video games, loot boxes are commonly associated with gambling.[81][82]
game design
The use of design and aesthetics to create a game. Compare with video game design.
game engine
The codebase on which a game runs. There are different subsets of engines, such as specialized ones for physics and graphics.[17] Often the game engine is only middleware which game specific behaviours are built upon, though end-users do not tend to make this distinction.
game jam
An event where participants try to develop a game from scratch in a very short amount of time, often with a theme determined by the organiser of the jam.[83]
Game launcher
An application program for personal computers use to launch one or more games, rather than launching the game directly. Launchers typically include additional services from the software developer to provide middleware such as friends and matchmaking services, content updating, digital-rights management, and cloud saving. A game launcher may also provide features of a digital storefront to purchase and download games. Launchers include those designed by publishers specifically for their games, such as Battle.net or Ubisoft Connect, or may be a general platform to support first- and third-party games like Steam and the Epic Games Store.
game localization
See localization.
game mechanics

Also gameplay mechanics.

An overarching term that describes how a particular game functions and what is possible within the game's environment; the rules of the game. Typical game mechanics include points, turns or lives. An unanticipated and novel use of game mechanics may lead to emergent gameplay.
game mode

Also gameplay mode.

A distinct configuration that varies game mechanics and affects gameplay, such as a single-player mode vs a multiplayer mode, campaign mode, endless mode, or god mode.
game over
1. The end of the game.
2. The losing screen shown when a loss condition is met.
game port
When a game is ported from one platform to another. Cross-platform ports are often criticized for their quality, particularly if platform-specific design elements (such as input methods) are not updated for the target platform.
Games as a Product

Also Buy-to-play.

A type of business model where games are bought and sold once as a finished product that receives few to no further content updates, as opposed to games as a service where games receive content updates in the long-term on a continuing revenue model.
Games as a Service (GaaS)

Also Live Service Games.

A type of business model where games receive content updates in the long-term on a continuing revenue model, as opposed to games as a product, where a game is bought and sold once as a finished product that receives few to no further content updates.
game save
See saved game.
Game sense
Situational and environmental awareness in a game, and the decision-making based on this awareness.[84][85]
game studies
A field of social sciences that attempts to quantify or predict human behavior in various game-based scenarios, often where there is a reward or risk in taking certain actions.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">game worldLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The location in which a game's action takes place. May refer specifically to the game's environmental components, i.e., its constituent rooms, levels, worlds, and overworld,[86] or more broadly also encompass the game's mechanics and setting.[87]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gameplayLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A player's interaction with a video game, defined through game rules, player-game interface, challenges, plot, and the player's connection with the game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gamer rage     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gamethrowing     Losing a game on purpose, or losing a game badly. Mostly used in competitive, team-based games.[26]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gank     To use the element of surprise to flank and attack an enemy. More common in multiplayer games, where 'ganking' usually indicates an unwelcome attack on an unwilling or unsuspecting participant.[88]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gating     Part of a game's design that regulates how new gameplay elements, levels, weapons, abilities, or the like are introduced to the player.[89]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gear fear     Generally associated with extraction shooters, "gear fear" refers to a player's anxiety in selecting better gear they have earned in a game into a combat situation where that gear can be lost if the player loses the combat. This is a core mechanic and risk of most extract shooters, that one keeps only the gear that they extract safely with, but better gear is needed to be able to defeat other players or high-value targets for the opportunity for further gear improvement.[90]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">GGLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Abbreviation meaning "good game". Typically exchanged as parting words at the end of a competitive game or match as a gesture of good sportsmanship. The variantions "GGWP" ("good game, well played") and "GF" ("good fight") are also occasionally used. Due to the near exclusive use of "GG" at the end of a game or match, it is sometimes said by spectators to denote a situation, action, or move which suggests that a particular player's or team's victory appears inevitable (e.g. "This attack just wiped all the blue player's forces, that's a GG"). It can also be used to taunt players while a game is still in progress as an implication that their win is assured. Insulting variations, such as "GGEZ" ("good game, easy") can similarly be used to imply the opposing player is unskilled.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ghostLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A feature included in time attack or time trial modes in video games allowing the player to review their previous rounds. In racing games, for example, a "ghost car" may follow the last or fastest path a player took around the track. In fighting games, the ghost is an opponent that the computer AI player can train against outside of normal player versus player or story mode.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Ghost cars in racing games generally appear as translucent or flashing versions of the player's vehicle. Based on previously recorded lap times, they serve only to represent the fastest lap time and do not interact dynamically with other competitors. A skilled player will use the ghost to improve their time, matching the ghost's racing line as it travels the course. Many racing games, including Gran Turismo, F-Zero, and Mario Kart offer a ghost function. Some also have ghosts set by staff members and developers, often showing perfect routes and lap times. A variation of the feature, dubbed by Firemonkeys Studios as "Time-Shifted Multiplayer", was implemented in the mobile racing game Real Racing 3.[91] It works by recording the lap times of players in each race, and uses statistics from other players to recreate their lap times for the player to beat. These ghost cars can collide with the player and other vehicles, and are fully visible to the player. In some rhythm games, such as the Elite Beat Agents and Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, saved replay data can be used in one of the player slots in a multiplayer game.
Gibs in OpenQuartz <dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gibsLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Or "giblets", gore and body chunks which fly from a game opponent when hit with such force that they rupture.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gimp     1. A character, character class, or character ability that is so underpowered as to make using the gimp a severe handicap in the context of the game.
2. A design choice that has this effect.
3. In multiplayer games, killing a character much earlier than would be expected, such as by relentlessly pursuing them until they die in the early game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Git gud     Slang rendering of "get good", often used to dismiss complaints about difficulty, especially within the soulslike genre, by implying the addressee has not yet learned the game's mechanics. While it can be used in a positive and encouraging manner, it has been accused of fostering patronization or hostility towards non-gamers when used to insult struggling players.[92]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">glass cannon     A character with abilities or equipment aimed at maximizing its damage output to the detriment of its damage mitigation. Common in MMORPGs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">GLHFLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Abbreviation meaning "good luck, have fun". Used as words exchanged at the beginning of a competitive game or match as a gesture of good sportsmanship.[93]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">GOATLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Acronym for Greatest Of All Time.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">GOTYLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Acronym for Game Of The Year, a game award given out annually by events and media publications to the games that they consider the best of that particular year. Game of the Year-awards are often divided in subcategories and an overall winner.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">god modeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A cheat that makes player-characters invulnerable.[15]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Occasionally adds invincibility, where the player can hurt enemies by touching them (e.g., the Super Mario Super Star).[94]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". The effect may be temporary.[95] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">god roll     In games that generate randomized loot, the "god roll" is loot that has the subjectively best selection of possible random attributes such as perks and bonuses that could be generated for that particular piece of equipment.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gold farming     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gold sink     In-game activities that receive currency (gold) from players; in online multiplayer games, this functionally reduces the overall money supply[96]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">gone goldLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The point in the software-development cycle where the software is considered final and ready to be shipped. The term traditionally related to the production of games on CD-ROM, where the final version of the game, the master copy, would be written to a gold film-based writable CD and sent to be replicated for retail.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">graphic content filterLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A setting that controls whether the game displays graphic violence.[97]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">grappler     A fighting game character who primarily uses grabbing and throwing attacks.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">grieferLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A player in a multiplayer video game who deliberately irritates and harasses other players within the game, such as camping spawn points.[25][98] Griefers typically use actions permitted in-game; griefers who do not use intended or permitted actions are usually cheating or hacking. Many online multiplayer games enforce rules that forbid griefing.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">grindingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Performing a repetitive and time-consuming action in a video game before being able to advance. Prevalent in online games, where it is alternately considered an annoying waste of time or an enjoyable necessity, depending on the player's attitude. Many online games have taken steps to reduce the 'grind', including doing away with traditional 'leveling' systems or allowing the player to temporarily 'boost' themselves to match the difficulty of NPCs in a given area.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">guild     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

## H

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Hack vs Hack     Hack vs Hack (HvH) refers to using cheats to compete against other players using cheats.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">handheld console     A portable gaming console; i.e. one that is not connected to a TV or other peripheral device. Nintendo's Game Boy is the most recognizable example.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hate     A mechanism by which non-player characters prioritize which player(s) to attack.[14] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">head bob     In first-person view games, the up-and-down (and sometimes left-and-right) motion of the player's camera to simulate the bobbing of the player-character's head when walking or running. It is often an option that can be disabled as it may induce motion sickness in players.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">headshot     An attack that strikes the head of its target, causing extra (often fatal) damage. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">head swap     An animation technique in which a new head is put on an existing character model, to save memory or animation effort.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">heal over time (HoT)     An effect that restores health over a period of time; antonym of DoT.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">healthLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

An attribute showing how much damage a character can sustain before being incapacitated. Getting hurt lowers this meter and if it reaches zero that character can no longer continue. Depending on the game this can mean many different things (i.e. death, serious injury, knockout, or exhaustion).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">heat map     In video games, an overhead representation of a game level showing, through background game data collection, a statistic such as where player characters died or which route players took the most. Brighter spots or highly concentrated areas show where these events occurred the most. Such maps may be used by developers to help refine map design.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hero ban     In multi-player game genres that feature unique hero characters, like MOBAs and hero shooters, a mechanism that bans the selection of certain heroes. This may be set by the game developer on a schedule, or a per-game voting mechanism by players.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hidden object game     A subgenre of puzzle video games in which the player must find items from a list that are hidden within a scene.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">high score

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

The highest logged score in a video game. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hit marker

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A visual effect that occurs every time the player-character lands a hit on the opponent; commonly seen in first-person shooter games like Call of Duty.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hit points (HP)     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hitbox     1. The area or areas that can inflict damage or other effects to a character (usually not the one which created the hitbox).
2. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hitscan     Commonly seen in first-person shooters, hitscan is used to determine hits along a path with no travel time. Some games use this technique to detect hits with firearms in contrast to physics-based projectiles which have noticeable travel time.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hitstun     In fighting games, a short period of time during which one character is unable to move after being hit by another character's attack.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">HOPA     Acronym for Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">horde mode     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hub

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

An area in a video game from which individual levels are accessed. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">hurtbox     The area describing precisely where the game will register any hits on a game target. The term hitbox is sometimes used as another term for this when the distinction between hitbox and hurtbox is unimportant.

## I

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">idle animation     An animation that occurs when the player character is not performing any actions.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">idle game     A type of game where player progression happens without the player's input, and often even while the game is closed. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">iframes

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">in-app purchaseLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". (IAP)     A microtransaction in a mobile game (or regular app), usually for virtual goods in free or cheap games.[5]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">indie gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Loosely defined as a game made by a single person or a small studio without any financial, development, marketing, or distribution support from a large publisher, though there are exceptions.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">infinite health     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">infinite life     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">infinite runner     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">item level     A number attached to a game item – e.g.: weapon, armor, or clothing – which roughly indicates the item's power, commonly seen in MMORPGs. A character who does not meet the required level of the item would be unable to equip it.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">instance     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">interface

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Graphic elements that communicate information to the player and aid interaction with the game, such as health bars, ammo meters, and maps.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">inting     Intentionally feeding.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">inventoryLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A menu or area of the screen where items collected by the player-character during the game can be selected.[17] This interface allows the player to retrieve single-use items for an instant effect or to equip the player-character with the item.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">inventory managementLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Preparations a player makes with their character's inventory, such as storing or retrieving items, repairing weapons, etc. Failure to manage an inventory properly may result in losing rare items or being less powerful in combat. Common in hardcore games with limited resources like RPGs and survival horror, while uncommon in more casual titles, which may have an infinite inventory or manage it automatically.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">invincibility     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">invincibility framesLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A brief period of time where a player can't take damage from attacks. Invincibility frames are most commonly triggered by a player action (such as dodging or rolling), by taking damage or as a short period of safety after respawning. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">invisible wall     An obstruction in a video game that halts movement in a specific direction, even though terrain and features can be seen beyond the boundary.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">invulnerability     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">item     An object in the game that a character can collect/pick up/take

## J

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">joke character     A character included in a game for humorous reasons, such as having weak stats or an atypical appearance or personality. They may also function as an additional challenge or handicap for skilled players.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">johning      The action of making excuses for losing (eg. Poor connection or joystick drift) other variants include pre-johning.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">joystick     An input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Modern gaming joysticks have several buttons and may include a thumb-operated analog stick on top.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">JRPG     Japanese role-playing video game, typically referring to a subgenre of RPGs that originate from Japan.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">juggernaut     Refers to a game mode where many players face one overpowered enemy (called the Juggernaut) and try to defeat it. The player who kills it often becomes the next Juggernaut.[99][100]

## K

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kick     In online games, the ability of the server or the host of a game to remove a player from the server, thereby ‘kicking’ them out of the game. This can be to prevent undesirable player behavior such as griefing (where it is usually a precursory measure to banning); to reduce issues like lag, where one player's lag problems may affect other players’ enjoyment of the game; or to prevent server crashes when communication errors occur between the server and client.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kill–death ratioLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". (K/D ratio or KDR)     A statistic typically found in player-versus-player video games, gauging the ratio between the number of opponents the player defeated and the number of deaths the player suffered at the hands of opponents. More skilled players typically have higher kill–death ratios.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">KDALua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Abbreviation of Kills Deaths Assists, a ratio used by MOBA players to evaluate their in-game performance. Used in a similar manner to the kill–death ratio.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kill farming     When players are stationed near their opponent's spawn point and kill them the moment they respawn.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kill feed     In multiplayer games, a portion of the game's user interface that shows the last few events (generally, when other players are killed) from the last few seconds, like a news feed.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kill screenLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".      Level 256 in Pac-Man is a kill screen, unbeatable due to a bug associated with an integer overflow in the game's code. A stage or level in a video game (often an arcade game) that stops the player's progress due to a software bug.[101] Not to be mistaken for a game over screen, kill screens can result in unpredictable gameplay and bizarre glitches.[102]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kill stealing     Defeating an enemy that someone else was about to defeat, usually to receive the reward or credit without doing most of the work. Considered 'bad form' in many online communities.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">King of the Hill Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(KOTH)     A game mode where opposing teams try to occupy a single point on the map for a certain amount of time, or for as long as possible until the end of the match.[103][104]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kit     The set of skills and abilities given to a pre-defined playable character in games featuring many such characters to choose from, such as many MOBAs or hero shooters.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">kiting     1. A maneuver in which a player-character gets an enemy NPC to chase after them so as to lead them somewhere else (like a kite on a string). This can be used to separate groups of enemies to prevent the player from becoming overwhelmed or in team-based or cooperative games to allow the player's teammates to attack the opponent, or to lure the opponent into a trap.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">knock-backLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game mechanic in many types of games where a character is thrown backwards from the force of an attack. During knock-back, the character is unable to change their direction until a short recovery animation is finished.[105] Knock-back sometimes results in falling down pits if the character is standing close to the edge when hit with a knock-back attack.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Konami CodeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The Konami Code A fixed series of controller button presses used across numerous Konami games to unlock special cheats (such as gaining a large number of lives in Contra), and subsequently used by other developers to enable cheats or added functions in these games. The term applies to variations on this sequence but nearly all begin with "up up down down left right left right".

## L

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">lagLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     In video games, an unintentional or unexpected delay between the start and end of a process, usually to a detrimental effect on gameplay. Lag can occur in any of the many different processes in a video game, to vastly differing effects depending on the source:

* Frame lag: A direct delay in the rate at which a frame is processed. This is usually the result of having too many objects active at once - the physics, rendering and other processes of which must each be calculated on every frame. In turn, this results in choppy movement, and depending on how the code is handled, either slowed gameplay compared to real-time (when the lag is not accounted for) or a loss of player control precision (when it is accounted for). In multiplayer games, this is often called client-side lag, as opposed to server-side lag.
* Rendering lag: A delay in the rate at which an otherwise-processed frame is rendered, usually due to a very large number of polygons or visual effects on screen at once. This can have similar visual effects as frame lag, but can alternatively result in frames being rendered incompletely - missing visual details, textures, particle effects or occasionally entire objects. Occasionally, a similar effect can be seen with layered audio cues.
* Server-side lag: A delay appearing only in online multiplayer games, between the client (the player's device) or the server sending information across the internet, and the counterpart receiving said information. This rarely looks like frame lag or rendering lag, and can instead cause a variety of effects such as dropped player inputs, desynchronisation between the player and server's versions of events, rubber-banding (where entities appear to ‘snap’ between different positions), or in worst-case scenarios, the player being removed from the server entirely, or kicked.

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">lanerLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A player role in MOBA games that focuses on one of the typically three lanes on the map.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">LAN party     A gathering of people who play multiplayer games together over a local network, often bringing their own computers or game systems with them. LAN is an acronym for Local Area Network.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">last hittingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The action of getting the killing blow on an NPC, receiving gold and experience points that would have been reduced or awarded to someone else. MOBA games, such as League of Legends and Dota 2 use this term and most other games use "Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">last man standingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A multiplayer deathmatch mode in which the objective is not to achieve the most kills but to survive the longest, or alternatively to have the fewest character deaths in a given period of time.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">launch gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game released simultaneously with its respective platform, or during its near-term launch window.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">leaderboardLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A list or table logging the highest scores achieved in a particular game. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Let's PlayLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". (LP)     A type of video game walkthrough done by players, through screenshots or video, where the player provides commentary about the game as they work through it.[106]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">levelLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. A location in a game. Also area, map, stage, dungeon. Several levels may be grouped into a world. Some games include special bonus stages or secret levels.
2. A character's experience level in a role-playing game, which increases through playing the game to train a character's abilities. It serves as a rough indicator of that character's overall proficiency.
3. A round or wave in a single-location game with increasing difficulty.
Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">level design     A sub-discipline of game design with a focus on levels (in this case referring to the design of in-game areas).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">level editor     A program, either provided within the game software or as separate software product, that allows players to place objects or create new levels for a video game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">level scaling     A game mechanic in games where the player advances in level, which alters the attributes of a player character or opponents so that there is a similar challenge in combat. If the player character is several levels higher, either the enemy would be buffed or the player's abilities nerfed so that the challenge would be similar. The player would still gain added benefits with higher levels, such as additional abilities, better equipment with unique properties, and access to higher-level quests or areas. Examples of games with level scaling include World of Warcraft and Destiny.[107]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">LFG     Abbreviation of Looking For Group. Used by players looking to team up with others, the acronym is usually accompanied by a set of criteria or a player's specs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">LFM     Abbreviation of Looking For More. Used by players who have an incomplete team and are looking for players to fill the remaining spots, the acronym is usually accompanied by a set of criteria (such as a level or class requirement).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">life     One of multiple chances that a player has to retry a task after failing. Losing all of one's lives is usually a loss condition and may force the player to start over. It is common in action games for the player-character to have multiple lives and chances to earn more during the game. This way, a player can recover from making a disastrous mistake. Role-playing games and adventure games usually give the player only one life, but allow them to reload a saved game if they fail.[108][109] A life may similarly be defined as the period between the start and end of play for any character, from creation to destruction.[110]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">lifesteal (or "life steal")     The ability of a character in game to steal the HP of an opponent, typically by attacking.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">light gun     A specialized type of game controller that the player points at their television screen or monitor to interact with the game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">live service games     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">loadout     A specific set of in-game equipment, abilities, power-ups, and other items that a player sets for their character prior to the start of a game's match, round, or mission. Games that feature such loadouts typically allow players to store, recall, and adjust two or more loadouts so they can switch between them quickly.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">lobby     An in-game area or menu in which players connect, congregate and/or plan before entering the game proper, for instance before beginning a match or embarking on a raid.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">localizationLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     During publishing, the process of editing a game for audiences in another region or country, primarily by translating the text and dialog of a video game. Localization can also involve changing content of the game to reflect different cultural values and censoring material that is against local law, or in some cases self-censoring in an effort to obtain a more commercially favorable content rating.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">LOD     Abbreviation for "level of detail". Refers to a graphical trick where more distant objects are rendered in a lower fidelity (e.g. lower poly, lower resolution textures) than closer objects in order to improve performance. When a change in LOD is noticeable, it is called pop-in.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">longplay     A recorded playthrough of a game from the beginning to the end without any interruptions or commentary, often made as video walkthrough guides in case players get stuck on some parts of the game. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">local co-op     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">local multiplayer     A multiplayer game that can be played over a local network, such as LAN or WLAN, without needing to be connected to the wider internet.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">loot boxLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Loot boxes (and other name variants, such as booster packs for online collectible card games) are awarded to players for completing a match, gaining an experience level, or other in-game achievement. The box contains random items, typically cosmetic-only but may include gameplay-impacting items, often awarded based on a rarity system. In many cases, additional loot boxes can be obtained through microtransactions.[111]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">loot system     Methods used in multiplayer games to distribute treasure among cooperating players for finishing a quest. While early MMOs distributed loot on a 'first come, first served' basis, it was quickly discovered that such a system was easily abused, and later games instead used a 'need-or-greed' system, in which the participating players roll virtual dice, and the loot is distributed according to the results.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">low%     Finishing or completing the end objectives of the game while having the lowest possible score/using the least number of items.[112]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">low poly     A graphical style defined by a small number of polygons used for each model. In the early days of 3D graphics, this style was used by necessity, as the hardware games ran on could not handle a high polygon count without a significant drop in performance. Nowadays, the style is used by many indie games who use it either to evoke the style of early 3D games or as a way to create a unique style at a low development cost.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">LTE     Abbreviation for Limited Time Event. An event that requires players to complete a set of goals within a deadline to obtain a reward. Prizes often range from exclusive characters and skins, to items and currencies. Some games allow for goals to be skipped using premium currency. LTEs are most commonly found in gacha games.

## M

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">macroLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. The handling of larger scale decisions, primarily in real-time strategy games. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
2. A usermade algorithm made-up of series of different actions such as spells or abilities made in order to save the player time and gain an advantage in PvP or just quickly shout certain cliché phrases, especially popular in MMORPGs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">magicLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Any of a variety of game mechanics to render fantastical or otherwise unnatural effects, though accessories (scrolls, potions, artifacts) or a pool of resources inherent to the character (mana, magic points, etc).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mainLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     To focus on playing a certain character in a game, sometimes exclusively.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">main questLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A chain of quests that compose a game's storyline which must be completed to finish the game. In comparison, side quests offer rewards but don't advance the main quest.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">map     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mana

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A pool of resources inherent to a character that determines the amount of magical abilities they are able to use.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">masocoreLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A portmanteau of masochist and hardcore, referring to a genre of punishingly difficult games, particularly the Dark Souls series and related Soulslikes as well as indie games such as I Wanna Be the Guy and Super Meat Boy.[113] The genre is popular among hardcore gamers. See also Nintendo hard.[114][115]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">massively multiplayer online game (MMO)     A game that involves a large community of players co-existing in an online world, in cooperation or competition with one another.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG)     An MMO that incorporates traditional role-playing game mechanics. Games such as EverQuest and Dark Age of Camelot were progenitors of the genre. The most popular and most well-known game of this type is World of Warcraft.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">match-3 game     A popular subgenre of the tile-matching video game genre, where the number of tiles matches a player must make is three. Well-known match-3 games include Bejeweled and Candy Crush Saga.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">matchmakingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game system that automatically sorts players with similar playing styles, desires, objectives, or skill levels into a team or a group. In competitive games or modes, a matchmaking rating (MMR) is a number assigned to each player based on skill and is the basis for matching players. This rating goes up or down based on individual or team performance.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">maxed outLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. Reaching the maximum level that a character (or in some cases, a weapon or other game item) can have.
2. Raising a character's statistics to the maximum value.
3. In real-time strategy games, recruiting units until the maximum number is reached.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">metaLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A common slang term for metagame or dominant strategy. Clipping of metagame. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">metagameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. In games that encourage repeated playthroughs and match-based multiplayer games, the gameplay elements that are typically not part of the main game but can be invoked by the player to alter future playthroughs of the main game.
2. A dominant strategy or set of strategies, often in the context of a competitive game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">metastoryLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The sum total of all known or implied stories of every character in the game, every branching storyline, and all potential outcomes and backstory.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MetroidbrainiaLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A genre of games, where progress is limited by the player's current comprehension of the game world, rather than in-game ability.[116] Where revisiting previous areas re-contextualizes perceived physical barriers into puzzles and riddles to be solved.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MetroidvaniaLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A genre of exploration-focused games, usually featuring a large, interconnected world. Access to certain areas and defeating certain enemies requires items found elsewhere, necessitating exploration and defeating enemies to obtain them. These games are usually side-scrolling platformers or viewed from the top-down, although they can be found in 3D as well. Many borrow features from Roguelike games, such as permanent death. Named for two pioneers of the genre, the Metroid and Castlevania series.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">microLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The handling of detailed gameplay elements by the player. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">microtransactionLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A business model used in games where players can purchase virtual goods via micropayments. Usually disliked by players, especially when the purchasable goods give players an advantage over players who did not purchase the goods. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">minimapLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A smaller version of the play area, typically displayed in the corner of a players screen used for navigating the game world. May also display locations of friendly or enemy players. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">min-maxingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. The practice of playing a role-playing game, wargame or video game with the intent of creating the "best" character by means of minimizing undesired or unimportant traits and maximizing desired ones.[117] This is usually accomplished by improving one specific trait or ability (or a set of traits/abilities) by sacrificing ability in all other fields. This is easier to accomplish in games where attributes are generated from a certain number of points rather than in ones where they are randomly generated.[118]
2. Playing the meta, at possible detriment to the story or enjoyment of the game. Colloquialism.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">miniboss     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">minigameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A 'game-within-a-game', often provided as a diversion from the game's plot. Minigames are usually one-screen affairs with limited replay value, though some games have provided an entire commercial release as a 'mini-game' within the primary game-world. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mission     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MMO     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MMORPG     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MMR     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mob     An in-game enemy that roams a specific area. Abbreviation of "mobile", it was first used in text-based online games in reference to non-player characters.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MOBA     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">modLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A third-party addition or alteration to a game. Mods may take the form of new character skins, altered game mechanics or the creation of a new story or an entirely new game-world. Some games (such as Fallout 4 and Skyrim) provide tools to create game mods, while other games that don't officially support game modifications can be altered or extended with the use of third-party tools.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mode     1. Technical or non-play modes for the hardware or software of a video game, such as a diagnostic or configuration mode, video or sound test, or the attract mode of arcade games.
2. Gameplay modes which affect the game mechanics. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">modpack     A collection of mods devised to work together to achieve an enhanced or redefined gameplay experience. Modpacks can come in varying dedicated categories depending on the game they're based on, with more universal examples being modpacks tailored towards general content addition or performance enhancement.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">monetization     A broad term referring to various methods game developers and publishers have to make money off of their games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">money hat     A practice in which a console manufacturer pays a third-party developer to make a game a console exclusive.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">motion blur     A post-processing effect that emphasizes movement and speed by adding a blur effect to the game camera.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">motion control     A game system that requires physical movement by the player to control player character actions. Popularized by the Wii, motion control is available on most recent console and handheld systems.[25]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mount     Any creature or vehicle the player can use to traverse or use in combat. The arcade game Joust was the first to feature mounts, specifically of an ostrich and a stork.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mouselook     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">moveset     The set of moves or actions that a character can perform
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MP     1. Abbreviation of magic points.
2. Abbreviation of multiplayer.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">MUDLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">mudflation     An online game virtual economy phenomenon in which endgame players become rich in currency and drive down the cost of rare items.[119]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multi-load gamesLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Games, typically from the 1980s, that would only load one portion of the game into memory at a time. This technique let developers make each in-memory portion of the game more complex.[120] [121]Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiplatformLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A game which can be played on multiple platforms.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiplayer     A game that allows multiple players to play at once.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiplayer online battle arena Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(MOBA)     A genre of video game popularized by Defense of the Ancients that pits teams of players to defend their home base from enemy onslaughts.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiple character controlLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A feature of role-playing video games where the player controls multiple characters in real-time. The PlayStation 2 was first with this feature in the Summoner and Dynasty Warriors series.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiple endings     When a game's story has multiple final outcomes, as compared to a linear story which typically ends with the defeat of the game's final boss. Players may have to meet certain requirements in order to view each ending.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">multiplier     1. In games with a scoring system, a gameplay element that increases the value of the points earned by the given multiplier value while the multiplier is active. A common feature of most pinball tables.
2. Refers to the specific factor which changes a playable character or enemy's attributes, either inherently or due to a temporary buff or debuff.

## N

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">nerf     A change, usually a patch, intended to weaken a particular item, tactic, ability, or character, ostensibly for balancing purposes. Contrast with buff.[122]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">New Game Plus (NG+)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     An option to play through an already-completed game's story again, carrying over characters, attributes, or equipment from a prior playthrough.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">newbie (newb)     Someone new to the game, generally used as a pejorative, although often light-heartedly. Not as pejorative as noob.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">noclip modeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A cheat that allows players to pass through normally impenetrable objects – walls, ceilings, and floors – by disabling clipping.[15]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">no johns     A term meaning "no excuses", generally used when a player proclaims false or exaggerated reasons for not playing well. Originates from the competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee community.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">non-player character Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(NPC)

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Abbreviation of non-player character or non-playable character, is a computer-controlled character or any character that is not under a player's direct control.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">noob     A pejorative used to insult a player who is making mistakes that an experienced player would be expected to avoid. Sometimes spelled as n00b. See newbie.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">no-scopeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     When a player uses a sniper rifle to achieve a kill without using its scope. Considered skillful, especially at range, as hipfired weapons usually have poor accuracy. Similar to quickscoping.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">note highway     A visual element of most rhythm games that show the notes the player must match as they scroll along the screen. This is more commonly considered a "highway" when the notes scroll down the screen on a perspective-based grid, making it appear as a road highway.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">nt     Meaning "Nice try". Generally said through a chat function in online multiplayer games to boost the morale of players. Can be directed towards both the friendly and enemy teams. Used when teammates or opponents fail after trying something new, or put in large amounts of effort towards the objective to no avail.[123] "Nice try" could also be used in a condescending manner to mock opponents.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">nuke     A spell or skill that is capable of dealing a large amount of damage to its target. Also in the context of video games, "nuking" may also describe the act of using a nuclear weapon while playing the game, such as the atomic bomb in Call of Duty games. In an MMORPG, nuking may differ in meaning between different communities.[124] For example, to some individuals, to "nuke" is to deal the most possible damage to the most enemies possible (almost exclusively by means of an area of effect skill), whereas other individuals use the term by referring to the highest possible damage to a single target in the shortest amount of time, also known as a spike. Some individuals believe that the player, or players, nuking must do so by means of ranged combat (that is, out of melee range); others make no such distinction. It can also mean to critical hit often or just to deal high standard damage. In a real-time or turn-based strategy game, the term "nuke" has one distinct use. It can describe the tactic of attacking an opponent's specific (often high-priority) units with high-damage spells in order to kill them or force (or strongly encourage) the opposing player to remove them from battle. Such usage is common in Warcraft III, in which "Heroes" are frequently the targets and attackers due to their relative high priority and common faculty for high-damaging spells.

## O

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">oddball     A game mode in the Halo series and a few other first-person shooters, where players on opposing teams attempt to capture and then hold on to a ball for as long as possible, while the opposing team tries to eliminate the player holding the ball in an attempt to get it back.[125]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">old-school gaming     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">on-disc DLCLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Content that is on the physical media (usually a disc) of a game, but cannot be accessed without buying the content separately. Usually day-one DLC is assumed to be this, but not always. This term also includes data which is downloaded with a downloadable game but not accessible without payment. Not used for free-to-play or freemium games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">on railsLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A term that refers to gameplay in which the player can only progress in one direction with limited exploration or branching, similar to a dark ride at theme parks. While this is expected in certain genres, like rail shooters, it may be criticized in genres that normally allow for more exploration.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">one-shot     1. To eliminate within a very short time frame, usually with only one shot of a weapon or use of an ability.
2. When a character is on health and one shot away from elimination.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">one-trickLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     When a player continually chooses to play as a specific character in a wide roster and often refuses to switch.[126]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">online game     A game where part of the game engine is on a server and requires an Internet connection. Many multiplayer games support online play.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">open beta     The opposite of a closed beta; the test players are not bound by non-disclosure agreements and are free to show the game to others. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">open world     A game world where the player has much greater freedom in choosing the order that they visit areas within the world, rather than being restricted to a pre-defined or heavily constricted order of visiting areas. While 'open world' and 'sandbox' are sometimes used interchangeably, the terms refer to different concepts and are not synonymous.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">OTP     Abbreviation of one-trick pony, often used pejoratively, but can also be used boastfully if the person can consistently carry their team.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Overextend Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     When a player or group of players are moving or moved far into the map where it could be the enemy's territory where they will be most likely outnumbered and destroyed.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">overpowered Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(OP)     A character, item, ability or other effect that is too powerful, disrupting game balance. Often a controversial term.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">overwatch     In turn-based tactics games, a character ends their turn and fires upon any enemies who enter their line of sight, providing covering fire for other characters.[127]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">overworld

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

1. In open world games such as RPGs, an area that serves to connect other areas of the game world.
2. In platform games, levels that are considered above-ground, in contrast to cave-like levels which are referred to as underworlds.

## P

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pacifist run     An attempt to reach the ending of a game while defeating as few enemies as possible, often exploiting various bugs and glitches.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pack-in gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game that is included with the purchase of a video game console as a form of product bundling. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">paddle     A game controller that primarily included a large dial that could be turned either clockwise or counter-clockwise to generate movement in one dimension within a game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">palette swap     Video game characters which are graphically similar except for a hue-shifted palette. Typically done to preserve resources or data space that would otherwise be used up by different designs for the same character, especially for games with sprite-based graphics, though other reasons may exist for palette swaps, such as differentiating similar-looking characters with different properties (e.g. the Green and Red Koopa Troopas from the Super Mario series having different behaviors), or accommodating for the presence of more than one instance of the same unique character to avoid confusion or paradoxes, especially in multiplayer games where multiple players pick the same character.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">paper doll      A visual representation of the player character's currently used equipment, in which the items are displayed on top of an image of the character. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">party     1. In a cooperative multiplayer game, a team of players working together to complete the same mission or quest. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
2. In a single player game, a group of characters traveling together on a quest that the player may control or have the most direct access to. The characters themselves are typically referred to as "party members".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">parry     A block in fighting and action video games performed by precisely timing a defensive maneuver or block. Parries usually fully negate damage from the attack, and may reflect the attack or put the opponent at a momentary disadvantage. In return for these potential advantages, parries often present a risk-reward dynamic in which missing the precise timing leaves the user open to more damage than they would have suffered using a normal block.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">party game     A multiplayer game, usually consisting of a series of short minigames, that can be easily played in a social setting.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">patch     The process by which a developer of a video game creates an update to an already released game with the intention of possibly adding new content, fixing any bugs in the current game, balancing character issues (especially prevalent in online multiplayer games with competitive focuses), or updating the game to be compatible with DLC releases. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pause     The option to temporarily suspend play of a video game, allowing the player to take a break or attend to an urgent matter outside of the game, or to perform other actions through a menu, such as adjusting options, saving the current game or ending the current game session. In multiplayer online or networked games, pausing may not be available as a feature, as such games require continuous activity from all participating players in order to properly function.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">paywall     A monetization method that requires players to spend money to access gameplay features.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pay to win

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Elements of a game that can only be unlocked by making premium digital purchases and provide the player with an advantage. The purchase packages can include game currency, resources, special characters, unique items, summoning tickets, character skins that give buffs to their stats, or VIP points if the game has a built-in VIP system. This monetization scheme can result in an unbalanced experience between players.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">peak     Commonly used when the player or someone in the current lobby they are in does something that is above their current skill level.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pentakillLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Usually used within MOBAs, a pentakill occurs when a single player gets the killing blow on 5 opposing players in rapid succession, resulting in a team elimination. Comparable to ace.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">performance     How well a game runs in terms of frame rate. Generally, a game that is considered performant has a frame rate that is both high and consistent in all areas of the game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">peripheral     An optional hardware component for a video game system.[128]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">perks     Special bonuses that video game players can add to their characters to give special abilities. Similar to power ups, but permanent.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">permadeathLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Generally refers to when a player must restart the game from the beginning when their character dies, instead of from a saved game or save point. This may also refer to the case of a player having to restart the game due to failing to meet a certain objective. The term may also apply to squad-based games such as tactical role-playing games, if the death of the character eliminates that character from the game completely but the game may continue on with other characters.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">persistent state world Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(PSW)     An online game-world that exists independently of the players and is semi-permanently affected by their actions.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Pet Class     A term used in onlines games, primarily MMORPGs, for a class that summons up creatures ("pets") to aid them in battle. Also known simply as "Summoners."
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pervasive gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game that blends its in-game world with the physical world.[129] The term has been associated with ubiquitous games, mixed-reality games, and location-aware mobile games.[130] Examples of pervasive games include Pokémon Go and Pac-Manhattan.[131][132]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">physical release     A version of a video game released on an optical disc or other storage device, as opposed to a digital download.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">physics game     A subgenre of puzzle video game where the player has to use the game's physics and environment to complete each puzzle. Notable examples include Portal, World of Goo and Cut the Rope, and projectile collision games such as Angry Birds and Peggle.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ping     1. In online games, the network latency between the client and server. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Can also be used like lagging, if there is a high network latency.
2. A means of highlighting a feature on a game's map that is seen on the user interface of allied players (as a part of a ping system).)
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ping systemLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     In co-operative multiplayer games, gameplay feature that allows players on the same team to visibly highlight, or "ping", other features on the map (such as waypoints, enemies, or treasure) to their allied players. While ping systems existed in various genres such as MOBAs before, Apex Legends in the late 2010s was cited with popularizing the system for first-person shooters that enabled effective communication between players without the need for voice chat.[133]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pity pullLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A mechanic in certain gacha games where a player will eventually be guaranteed a high-quality item after too many unsuccessful pulls.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pixel art     A graphical style where images are constructed primarily with pixels. Typically, this style includes a low pixel count and a restricted color pallete so that individual pixels are easily distinguishable. Early video games used pixel art as a limitation of their hardware, but the style is still used in many games, primarily indie games, either as a cost-effective way of creating a unique style or as a way of evoking a retro aesthetic.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pixel huntingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game element that involves searching an entire scene for a single (often pixel-sized) point of interactivity. Common in adventure games, most players consider 'hunt-the-pixel' puzzles to be a tedious chore, borne of inadequate game design.[134] The text-adventure version of this problem is called 'guess-the-verb' or 'syntax puzzle'.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pixel-perfect     Used to describe an in-game action that must be performed while being positioned within a pixel-wide gap for perfect execution. A pixel in this case may refer to a screen pixel or an in-game pixel, such as in video games that utilize pixel art.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">PK     Short for "Player Kill" or "Player Killing", It is an act in an online game where a player kills another player's character. While PvP is a broad term encompassing any game mode where players fight each other. PK often refers to a more specific, and sometimes negative, aspect of PvP, particularly when players target others who are not actively engaged in PvP combat.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">plant     "Plants" are often found in games that feature a variety of microtransactions. They are "players" who collude with game developers to promote unhealthy competition. These "plants" are discretely given free and powerful items by game developers. This is typically done to artificially create competition for the legitimate paying players so that the already paying players feel the need to spend more money to compete against this new "player."
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">platform     1. A buzzword for operating system, a video game is released for Windows or Android and so forth, not for PC, console or mobile. A corporation that controls a platform is referred to as a "platform holder".
2. A resting piece of ground, frequently floating, in a platform game (see below).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">platform gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Any video game, or genre which involves heavy use of jumping, climbing, and other acrobatic maneuvers to guide the player-character between suspended platforms and over obstacles in the game environment.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">platting     A term exclusive to PlayStation users that refers to obtaining all achievements of a game. The word "plat" refers to the platinum trophy, which is usually the most difficult achievement to obtain and often the last one to be unlocked. It is sometimes denoted as "platinum" when used as a verb.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">play     When the performance of a player is decisive, skillful, or otherwise noteworthy, the events or actions of the player as a whole are referred to as a "play" (e.g. "Nice play dude").
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">player-characterLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". (PC)     The character controlled and played by the human player in a video game. Often the game's main protagonist. Tidus from Final Fantasy X and Doomguy from the Doom series are all "player-characters" developed by their game studios. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">player agency     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">player versus environment Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(PvE)     Refers to fighting computer-controlled enemies (non-player characters), as opposed to player versus player (PvP).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">player versus player Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(PvP)     Refers to competing against other players, as opposed to player versus environment (PvE).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">player's handbook     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">playthroughLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The act of playing a game from start to finish, in one or several sessions. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">playtesting     A process in which game developers observe players (called playtesters) testing their game and what the user experience is like in real-time, in order to see where players get stuck, what information is and isn't communicated clearly, and which gameplay elements are found enjoyable or frustrating.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pocket (pocketing)     Pocketing refers in multiplayer games to when a player (usually playing the part of a healer support) supports exclusively a single teammate (usually a tank), either at an extended period of time but with several teammates or during the entire match with a single teammate. This is done with the intent of assuring the supported player's survival during the time they're being supported. The term pocket refers either to the supporting player, or the supported player.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pog/poggersLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     From PogChamp, a slang term meaning great or awesome, to describe something in a video game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">point of no returnLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A point in a game from which the player cannot return to previous areas.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pop-in     A noticeable change in an in-game graphical element's LOD.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">popping offLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Used mostly in the context of esports competitions or video game streaming, a gamer is said to "pop off" when they unexpectedly perform exceptionally well in a video game for a short period of time.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">port     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">postgameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Gameplay which takes place after completion of a game's storyline; the postgame may unlock new means to play the game, such as New Game Plus, additional minigames or sidegames, or even an additional, second storyline for the player to play through.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">power-up     An object that temporarily gives extra abilities or buffs to the game character. Persistent power-ups are called perks.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">power creepLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The gradual unbalancing of a game due to successive releases of new content.[135] The phenomenon may be caused by a number of different factors and, in extreme cases, can be damaging to the longevity of the game in which it takes place. Game expansions are usually stronger than previously existing content, giving consumers an incentive to buy it for competitions against other players or as new challenges for the single-player experience. While the average power level within the game rises, older content falls out of balance and becomes regressively outdated or relatively underpowered, effectively rendering it useless from a competitive or challenge-seeking viewpoint. Very occasionally may refer to the result of repeatedly balancing a game primarily through buffs and nerfs, thus making every character substantially more powerful than they were at release. See also: planned obsolescence.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">power spike     The moment in which a character sees a rise in relative strength from leveling up larger than that of a normal milestone. This is usually due to an item becoming available or certain abilities being unlocked.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">p-rank     Often awarded in games for completing a level or challenge 'perfectly,' such as in the fastest time possible or by defeating an enemy without taking damage.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pro     Shortened version of the word "professional". Someone with experience, skill, and especially know-how in a certain game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">proc     The activation, trigger or occurrence of a conditional, often random, event. Particularly common for massively multiplayer online games, they are conditional events where special equipment provide the user with temporary extra powers, or when the opposing enemy suddenly becomes more powerful in some way. The term's origin is uncertain, possibly from programmed random occurrence, process, or procedure.[136]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">procedural generation     A programming technique used by video game developers to automate the creation of video game levels and the game world, as opposed to the manual creation of levels and the game world, by hand. Programmers create algorithms which use computer-generated randomness to artificially create elements in a video game. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pro gamer move     A strategic and tactical move that shows that the player is familiar with or skilled in a game and its gameplay mechanics. Sometimes used outside of video games, and occasionally used in an ironic manner to describe a poorly planned move or failure.[137]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">professional gaming     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">progression system     The game mechanics that determine how a player improves their player-character over the course of a game or several games, such as gaining experience points to level up characters, performing tasks to gain new abilities, or part of a metagame improvement.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">PT     refers to 1) combat points (i.e., melee, range, etc.) and 2) skill points (i.e., beginner, expert, elite, master); often used as reference to meet requirements; to be able to equip armors, weapons, as well as for crafting weapons, ammunition and armors for specialists, and to unlock next tier skills (i.e., 30 beginner skill PT to unlock expert skills).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pubLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. Short for public lobby, as opposed to a private lobby.
2. Players who play in public lobbies ("pubbies").
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">public lobbyLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A multiplayer lobby composed of random players found using in-game matchmaking tools.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">publisher     The company that (in whole or in part) finances, distributes and markets the game. This is distinct from the developer, though the publisher may own the developer.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pick-up group (PUG)     A group of players formed on the fly, usually to carry out a mutually beneficial task. PUGs will disband after the common objective has been achieved. Commonly used in MMORPGs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pullingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. RPG terminology that refers to engaging in combat from a distance, with the intent of luring a hostile NPC (or a group) to the player's location to fight them there.
2. Gacha terminology that refers to spinning the wheel in hopes of obtaining a rare or high-quality item or character.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">puzzle video game     A broad genre of video games involving puzzle solving, often with abstract shapes.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">PvE     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">PvP     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">pwnLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     To dominate an opponent, usually another player.[138]

## Q

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">QALua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">QQ     An emoji that looks like a pair of teary eyes. Used as a taunt that means "cry more".[139] Originally referred to the shortcut Alt+Q+Q from Warcraft 2, used as an insult telling players to activate the shortcut which would quit the game.[140] The phrase blew up so much, it made its way out of the Warcraft community and eventually evolved into "cry more".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">QTE     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">quality assurance     Quality Assurance teams for games will play through a title multiple times in an attempt to find and track down bugs, glitches and crashes in the game before it goes live. This process can start early in development and can last until after post-production. Not to be mistaken with playtesting.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">quality of life Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(QoL)     Features or improvements designed to make games easier, smoother to play, or more accessible, without changing fundamental aspects of the game's presentation, narrative, or gameplay.[141][142][143]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">questLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Any objective-based activity created in-game for the purpose of either story (story quest) or character-level advancement (side quest). Quests follow many common types, such as defeating a number of specific monsters, gathering a number of specific items, or safely escorting a non-player character. Some quests involve more-detailed information and mechanics and are either greatly enjoyed by players as a break from the common monotony or are reviled as uselessly more-complicated than necessary.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">quick time event Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(QTE)     An event within a game that typically requires the player to press an indicated controller button or move a controller's analog controls within a short time window to succeed in the event and progress forward, while failure to do so may harm the player-character or lead to a game-over situation. Such controls are generally non-standard for the game, and the action performed in a quick time event is usually not possible to execute in regular gameplay.[144]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">quicksaveLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. A mechanism in a video game where progress to or from a saved game can be done by pressing a single controller button or keystroke, instead of opening a file dialog to locate the save file. Typically, there is only one quickload location and quicksaving will overwrite any previously saved state.
2. An option to use a one-time save which takes the player out of the game, allowing them to continue from where they last were and in the state they last were, thereby allowing the player to turn off the console or do something else with it without losing progress, but without gaining anything beyond that compared with not quicksaving. More common in handheld games, where an emphasis on short gameplay sessions encourages developers to give the player a way to play for shorter periods.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">quickscoping     A technique in first-person shooter video games used to attack a target by quickly aiming down sights on a weapon and immediately shooting.

## R

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rack     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">radarLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A smaller version of the play area, typically displayed in the corner of a players screen used for navigating the game world. May also display locations of friendly or enemy players. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ragdollLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A type of procedural animation used by physics engines where static death animations have been replaced by a body going limp and collapsing in on itself, with the only animation acting on the body and its connected limbs being from the game's physics engine. This often gives the impression that a character is flailing or being flung around, like a rag doll.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rage game     A genre designed to cause anger and frustration in the player, using unintuitive controls, unforeseeable obstacles, unfair challenges or taunting the player, often with the express stated purpose of causing the player to rage quit. Completing a rage game is commonly seen as a measure of determination and resolve as much as skill.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rage quitLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

The act of quitting a game mid-progress instead of waiting for the game to end. Typically, this is associated with leaving in frustration, such as unpleasant communication with other players, being annoyed, or losing the game. However, the reasons can vary beyond frustration, such as being unable to play due to the way the game has progressed, bad sportsmanship, or manipulating game statistics. Apparent rage quits may occur due to a player's game crashing, or the player experiencing network connection problems. There are also social implications of rage quitting, such as making other players rage quit. Certain games can penalize the player for leaving early. Sometimes the player may damage or even destroy the device, console, or controller the game is being played on.[145] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">raid     A type of mission in a game where a number of people attempt to defeat either: (a) another number of people at player-vs-player (PVP), (b) a series of computer-controlled enemies (non-player characters; NPCs) in a player-vs-environment (PVE) battlefield, or (c) a very powerful boss (superboss).
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">random encounter     A gameplay feature most commonly used in older Japanese role-playing games whereby combat encounters with non-player character (NPC) enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random without the enemy being physically seen beforehand.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">reactivity     Refers to the manner in which a game world reacts to and is changed by the player's choices. Examples include branching dialogue trees in an RPG, or detailed interacting systems in a simulation or strategy game. A reactive game world offers a greater number of possible outcomes to a given action, but increases the complexity and cost of development.[146]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">real-time corruptor     A type of ROM/ISO corruptor program which incrementally and gradually corrupts video game data in real time as the game is being played for the purpose of finding amusing or interesting results. The rate at which the data is corrupted, and its severity can be changed by the user at will, enabling the game to be played in a corrupted state or to suddenly increase the intensity of the resultant glitches.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">real-time strategy Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(RTS)     A genre of video game where the player controls one or more units in real-time combat with human or computer opponents.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">reboot     A "restart" of a video game series, usually applying significant changes to characters, settings, gameplay, or the overall story, while still keeping identifiable elements of the original games. A reboot may also tie into or follow on from the original games directly whilst still intended to be a "starting point" for the series in question, this is sometimes referred to as a soft reboot.[147] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">remakeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A revamped version of an older game. Sharing many similarities to a remaster, a remake may take more liberties with the changes made to the gameplay, graphics, and story.[148][147] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">remasterLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A modernized version of an older video game intended to run on modern hardware, often with upgraded graphics and gameplay, but retaining the fundamental gameplay concepts and core story elements of the original game.[148][147] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">remorting

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Restarting a game with a new character from the lowest possible stats, after having maxed out a previous character.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">remote play     Playing a game on an owned device remotely over the internet.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">replay valueLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The ability to play a game again after its completion with reasonable enjoyment.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">respawn     The reappearance of an entity, such as a character or object, after its death or destruction.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">respecingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     In games where a player-character gains skills along a skill tree by spending points, the act of respecing ("re-specialization") allows the player to remove all skills and then respend those points on a different set of skills. This usually requires an expenditure of in-game money or other earned gameplay element.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">retrogamingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

The playing or collecting of older personal computer, console, and arcade video games in contemporary times.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">review bomb     Actions taken by players to leave negative reviews of a game or other form of media on a digital storefront or user-contributed as a form of protest due to actions typically unrelated to the game or media quality itself or as a form of harassment to damage a games standing.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">revive     The act of restoring a defeated character or entity to life that is not removed from play after their health is gone; this is different from respawning, which only occurs typically without outside intervention and when a character is removed from play after their health has been depleted. Another common synonym is "rez".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rez     A character's ability that allows them to perform a revive, or a command to use the same. Abbreviation for resurrect. When players can perform this on themselves, this is sometimes known as a self-rez.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rhythm game     A genre of video game requiring the player to perform actions in time to the game's music.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">RNG     Initialism of random number generation, which refers to computational methods that produce random (or, more accurately in most cases, pseudo-random) variability. In video games, this refers to gameplay elements that have unpredictable outcomes determined by such methods. Examples of such elements include random encounters, loot drops, and NPC behavior.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">RNGesus     Personification of RNG, in a similar fashion to traditional personifications of Lady Luck, often addressed in humor to plead for more favourable RNG. Portmanteau of RNG and Jesus; also called RNGsus, RNJesus, RNGod, or Random Number God.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rocket jumping

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A tactic used in certain games that include physics simulation and rocket launchers or explosives. The player aims their weapon at or near their player-character's feet, or stand their character where there will be an explosion, and use the force of the blast to propel the character beyond normal jumping ability.[149]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">roguelikeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. A sub-genre of games primarily featuring procedurally-generated levels, tile-based movement, turn-based action, complex maps to explore, resource management, and permanent death. Roguelikes are typically set in dungeons, but may contain an overworld or other settings. Roguelike games are usually designed to be more challenging than typical games, with luck and memory playing a larger role. Named after the 1980 game Rogue.
2. Games using procedurally-generated levels and permanent death that employ a wide variety of mechanics and visual styles not used by traditional, tile-based roguelikes. The term "Roguelite" is sometimes used to describe these types of games to differentiate them from traditional roguelikes.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rogueliteLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     See above.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">role-playing (RP)     A broad set of behaviours within video games where players change their behaviour to assume a role. Not exclusive to role-playing video games. Roleplaying may be as simple as a player acting to fit a medieval setting; as detailed as a player detailing their character's backstory, personal life, and mannerisms; or as complex as a MilSim game's clans having scheduled trainings, realistically long mission times, and military-like ranks and organization.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">role-playing video game (RPG)     A game in which the player takes on the role of a character or party of characters. These games focus on their advancement (such as increasing their level or gaining new abilities) and often use them to tell a detailed story.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rolling the score     The act of achieving such a high score that the game's ability to display the score restarts, displays a negative number, or is otherwise unable to accurately display the score. Originates from early games that had limitations on the number that could be displayed as a score, such as pinball with a limited number of analog or digital number places, or video game systems with limited numbers of bytes. If a player's score exceeded that limit, it would cause an integer overflow, causing the display to 'roll over' and start again at the minimum possible score, or sometimes a negative number in 8-bit video games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ROM hacking     The process of modifying a ROM image of a video game to alter the game's graphics, dialogue, levels, gameplay, or other elements. This is usually done by technically inclined video-game fans to make an old game more fresh, as a creative outlet, or to create entirely new experiences using the old game as a base "engine".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">room     1. A small, open area in a map, typically self-contained, surrounded by walls and connected to adjacent rooms by doors. In many cases, specific types of entities such as enemies cannot travel between rooms, while the player can. Rooms are often used to reduce lag by only loading the entities in the player's current room, ‘pausing’ all other rooms.
2. In adventure games, any discrete exterior or interior area in a map connected to other areas by exits.[150] Text adventure game worlds usually consist of interconnected rooms navigated by compass directions with variations such as up, down, enter and exit.[151] In text-and-graphic adventure games, illustrations accompany the rooms' text descriptions.[152] Point-and-click adventure games feature illustrated rooms which the player can interact with using the pointer.[153]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">room-over-roomLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The placement of a room directly above another room. This was impossible to achieve with the Doom engine which did mapping in 2D, with height variance done via numbers. In true 3D game engines to follow, such as those using the Quake engine, room-over-room became an easy effect to accomplish.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">round     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">RPGLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. Abbreviation of role-playing game.
2. In shooter games, a rocket-propelled grenade.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">RTS     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rubber banding     1. A game mechanic resulting from dynamic game difficulty balancing that alters the rules of the game to keep the game competitive and fun. Most notable in racing games, where human players may easily outdistance computer opponents; when this happens, the computer opponents are often given the ability to go faster than normal or to avoid certain obstacles as to allow them to catch up and outpace the player. The effect is likened to stretching and releasing a rubber band between the player and the computer opponent. This effect may also apply to human players as well, with the game providing (often unstated) handicaps for losing players to stay competitive.
2. The result of network latency during a multiplayer game; when the player's location is updated client-side, but the server does not immediately register the change, a player's character may 'bounce' to the appropriate location when the client and server finally synchronize. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">rush     A tactic in strategy games where the player sacrifices economic development in favor of using many low-cost fast/weak units to rush and overwhelm an enemy by attrition or sheer numbers.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Can also be used to refer to a quick "rush" onto an objective or point, with the intention to overwhelm by surprise or speed.

## S

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">S Rank     An achievement awarded to a player in a single level, song, round, or stage by finishing them without "Miss" or any mistakes, or taking damage, or for getting the highest scores or percentage cleared (usually above 90% or 98%). The term can mean a high rating level or a rarity of an item or character within the confines of the game (as valuated by the developer), but it is also used by players in tier lists to refer to the top of the video game meta.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sandbox gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game with a gameplay element that gives the player a great degree of creativity to complete tasks towards a goal within the game, if such a goal exists. Some games exist as pure sandbox games with no objectives; these are also known as non-games or software toys. Very common examples of sandbox games are ones where the player has the ability to create, modify, or destroy their environment, i.e., a game that includes some form of a game creation system. The term alludes to a child's sandbox where the child can create and destroy with no given objective. While 'open world' and 'sandbox' are sometimes used interchangeably (or with only the implication of 'sandbox' being smaller), the terms refer to different concepts and are not synonymous.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">save pointLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A place in the game world of a video game where the player's progress in the game can be saved. Often, when the player dies or receives a Game Over, their progress will be reset back to the last Save Point that they used. Some games do not have specific save points, allowing the player to save at any point.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">save scumming     The manipulation of game save states to gain an advantage during play or achieve a particular outcome from unpredictable events.[154] It is used, for example, in Roguelike games that automatically delete any save files when the player-character dies or in games that use an RNG system to calculate bonuses or item drops in order to achieve an optimal outcome.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">saved gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A file or similar data storage method that stores the state of the game in non-volatile memory, enabling the player to shut down the gaming system and then later restart the device and load the saved game state to continue playing from where they saved. Saved games may also be used to store the game's state before a difficult area that, should the player-character die, the player can try again without penalty.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">screen cheat

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

The act of looking at other players' areas of the screen when playing split-screen multiplayer, giving the screen cheater an unfair advantage. The 2014 game Screencheat derives both its name and core gameplay from this act.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">score attack     A mode of gameplay that challenges the player to earn the highest score possible in a game level or through the whole game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">scuffed     Poor quality.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">season     1. The full set of downloadable content that is planned to be added to a video game, which can be entirely purchased with a season pass
2. A finite period of time in a massively multiplayer online game in which new content, such as themes, rules, modes, et cetera, becomes available, sometimes replacing prior time-limited content. Notable games that use this system include Star Wars: Battlefront II and Fortnite Battle Royale.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">season pass     A purchase made in addition to the cost of the base game that generally enables the purchaser access to all downloadable content that is planned for that title without further cost.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">second-party developer     A developer which, despite not being owned by a console maker nonetheless produces games solely for that maker's consoles. Often they have a special arrangement involved. Due to the ambiguity from the player's perspective, these developers are often referred to as first-party developers. Games developed by second-party developers are often called 'second-party games.'
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">secret character     A player character that is only available to the player after meeting some sort of requirement; such as beating the game, completing optional challenges, entering cheat codes or even hacking the game (as some secret characters may be intended to not be in the game, but are still present in the game's code). Secret characters may initially appear as NPCs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">secret level     A game level that is only accessible to the player by completing specific tasks within the game; these tasks are rarely described in detail to the player, if at all, and are often only found through exploration and trial and error, or even by hacking, if the level was not intended to be in the game, but is still present in the game's code. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sequence breakingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Manipulating a game to carry out events out of their intended order. Sequence breaking can be used to speedrun a game, obtain desirable items earlier in a game's story than intended, unlock content faster, or induce other glitches that may be utilised for advantageous means.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">shoot 'em up (SHMUP)     A sub-genre of the shooter genre, where a single, usually mobile character has to shoot at enemies while all of the enemies attacking or moving toward it. The player character will typically have no allies, is extremely fragile, has little non-hazardous terrain to deal with, lacks any reload time for their basic weapon, and will gain power-ups to improve their abilities. Strongly associated with spaceships, but other player characters may be used. Sometimes conflated with shooters in general. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">shooter     A genre of video game that involves using ranged weapons.[98] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">shoto     In fighting games, a character who has a projectile, an anti-air attack, and an attack that moves them forward. The term originates from the Street Fighter series, where Ryu and Ken were the first characters to use this moveset.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">shovelware     A poor quality, low-budget video game, often developed quickly alongside a large quantity of other shovelware. These often have a licensed property associated with them to increase their chances of being bought by an unsuspecting customer.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">shoulder button     A larger button usually placed on the rear or top of a gamepad that is usually pressed or held down with the index or middle finger. It can also be used as a modifier for certain actions performed with analog stick movement or face button presses.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">show mode     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">side-scrolling video gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A game in which the action is viewed from a side-view camera angle and the screen follows the player as they move.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">side questLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     An optional quest which does not advance the main quest.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">simulation video game Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".(sim)     A game genre that simulates some aspect of reality and is usually open-ended with no intrinsic goal. Inclusive definitions allow for any video game that models reality, such as sports games, while exclusive definitions generally focus on city-building games, vehicle simulation games, or both.[155]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">simcade     A term for a simulator that combines its serious elements with the fun factor of an arcade video game.[156] Often used as a derogatory term by opponents of certain videogames.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">single-player     A game that can only have one player at a time. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sistering     The act of two or more guilds banding together to become stronger. This is done to make certain tasks easier with frequent cooperation between guilds, and more.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">skill treeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A simplified example of a skill tree structure, in this case for the usage of firearms
A character-development gaming mechanic typically seen in role-playing games. A skill tree consists of a series of skills (sometimes known as perks) which can be earned as the player levels up or otherwise progresses their player-character. These skills grant gameplay benefits; for example, giving the character the ability to perform a new action, or giving a boost to one of the character's stats.[157] A skill tree is called a "tree" because it uses a tiered system and typically branches out into multiple paths. A tiered skill tree will require a player to achieve certain skills before the next tier of skills become available. The player may be required to achieve all skills in one tier before moving on to the next, or may only be required to complete prerequisites for individual branches. Skill trees are a common tool used for in-game balancing by game designers. Skill trees also offer a "game within a game" in which players are not only playing a video game, but their decisions on how they allocate points into their skill trees will affect their overall gaming experience.[157] Some games allow for respecing while with others the changes are permanent. The action roleplaying game Diablo II, released in 2000, is often cited as the true innovator of in-depth skill trees.[157]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">skinLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A customization option for a player's in-game avatar or equipment that changes its appearance. Skins are featured as part of metagame loot drops, with most games rewarding them based on scarcity or by awarding skins for completing certain objectives or placing high in competitive modes. This enables players to display rare achievements or high skill level. Skins can also be obtained through in-app purchases or from game currency, depending on the game and the developer's monetization methodology. In gacha games, for instance, skins of some characters may require the purchase of a bundle, while others are more easily accessible through spending diamonds acquired in the game instead of the player's cash. Skins may be only decorative, or they can also provide the character with stat boosts.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">skirmish modeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".      A game mode in which players can fight immediate battles without having to go through the linear, story-based campaign mode. It is popular in real-time strategy games.[158]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">SMP     See Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">smurfLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     In online multiplayer games that use matchmaking, a new or much lower-ranked account used by an experienced player in order to be matched with a new and inexperienced opponent who can be easily defeated. The concept is similar to hustling and sandbagging that can be found in gambling and board games.[159][160] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">snowballing     A situation where a player or faction is able to leverage a small advantage into a larger and larger advantage. An example of a snowball effect.[161][162]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">softlock     A situation where further progress in a game becomes impossible, but the game itself does not crash (or hard lock). An example of a no-win situation, softlocks can occur as the result of glitches in gameplay, the use of corruptors, sequence breaking, or as a result of poor game design. Sierra was well-known to purposely implement softlock situations into their games.[163]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sound test     A page or option in which the game makes noise to confirm that the player's audio equipment is working and at a good volume. Usually known for containing the soundtrack and sound effects of a video game, with the ability to freely listen to them being a secondary function.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Soulsborne     A soulslike game developed by FromSoftware, a portmanteau of Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">Soulslike     A game genre based on gameplay from the Dark Souls series, typically containing high levels of difficulty, stamina-based combat, and the prominent use of lore and environmental storytelling.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spammingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Repeated use of the same item or action (e.g. chat message, combo, weapon). Often used generally to describe such repeated uses, but sometimes used pejoratively when the item or action is considered overpowered or annoying, such as an overreliance on rocket launchers in shooter games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spawnLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The place where a character or item is placed in the game world. Also see respawn.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spawn camping     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spawn killing     In PvP games, the act of killing other players in their spawn, often immediately after they have spawned. Usually looked down upon as unfair for not giving opposing players a chance, though some gamers defend it as a legitimate strategy. Many games have features to prevent spawn killing, such as temporary invincibility or barriers preventing enemies from entering or attacking in spawns. A component of, but not entirely the same as, spawn camping.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spectator mode     1. A game mode that allows a player to view the world without restrictions, but without being able to interact with the game world in any way.
2. A game mode that allows a player to view the world from another player's perspective.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">specialization     A means of selecting certain options—such as a character, weapon, vehicle, or other in-game item—during the course of a game for a specific function, as opposed to selecting a specific character class at the start of the game. Such specialization allows that entity to have access to unique skills or options for that type while denying them access to other options. Some games allow players to re-specialize past choices for some in-game cost and pursue a different specialization. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">specs     Short for specifications, used to describe the details of a player's stats, gear, or build.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">speedrun     An attempt to complete a game as fast as possible. Depending on the rules for the speedrun, players may exploit glitches or bugs in the game to speed their progress.[164]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">splash damageLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".    Although only the blue player in the center takes a direct hit, everyone within the circle takes splash damage. The damage may decrease further from the point of impact; this is known as damage falloff.
Attacks with an explosive or other area-of-effect component deal splash damage, affecting the area around the attack's impact. Splash damage is particularly useful against game targets that dodge well. However, splash damage weapons are also dangerous since they can damage the shooter and are not preferred in close-quarters combat. Such weapons are typically aimed at an opponent's feet; this ensures that the impact point is near enough for splash damage to cover the opponent in the event that the shot misses.[165] Usually splash damage is separate from the damage of a direct hit with an attack, and the two may or may not both affect the target. Often there is damage falloff, meaning the further away from the center of the attack a target is, the lower the splash damage.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">split-screen multiplayerLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game that presents two or more views seen by different players in a multiplayer game on the same display unit.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">spray and pray     The act of blindly firing an automatic weapon with the intent of potentially hitting the target; tends to be ineffective.[166]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sprite     A 2D image used as a part of a larger graphical scene. Typically, sprites define all objects and entities within games that use 2D graphics, but they are sometimes also used in earlier 2.5D and 3D games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">squeaker     A usually derogatory term that refers to young tween and preteen gamers that use voice chat, the word referring to their high-pitched voice as a result of them not having hit puberty yet.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stage     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stamina     1. A resource that allows the player to use certain types of physically exerting actions, such as running and attacking, that typically replenishes over time.
2. A type of stat that governs a character's ability to take damage, either raising their health or increasing their defense.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stat pointLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A discrete number of points for the player to distribute among their character's attributes, e.g., to choose their player's trade-offs between strength, charisma, and stamina.[167]Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stat squishLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A practice of scaling down numbers, commonly score or health points, damage or healing values, or item levels, in the aftermath of a stat inflation as numbers get exponentially large and more difficult for the player to conceptualize. The practice is most common in MMORPGs, and World of Warcraft is notable for having several stat squishes.[168]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">status effect     An overarching term that covers both buffs and debuffs. Essentially, any effect to a character that is outside of the normal baseline is a status effect. Common negative status effects are poisoning (damage over time), petrification/paralysis (inability to move), or armor/damage reduction (lowering of defensive/offensive abilities). Common positive status effects include a heal-over-time (a small, pulsing heal that triggers multiple times over a set period), armor/damage increases, or speed increases.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">strafing     To move sideways, often to dodge incoming attacks while keeping the camera on the enemy. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">strategy guide     Printed or online manuals that are written to guide players through a game, typically offering maps, lists of equipment, moves, abilities, enemies, and secrets, and providing tips and hints for effective play strategies.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">strategy video gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A game genre which emphasizes consideration and planning to achieve victory. Subgenres include real-time strategy, turn-based strategy and wargames.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stream-sniping     When a player watches another (usually professional) player livestream a game to locate their position or plans and gain the upper hand on them. This practice most commonly occurs in online multiplayer games and is generally frowned upon.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">streaming mediaLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Video and audio that is continuously fed from a server to a client and presented to the end user. In gaming, this may be used to watch a live or recorded Let's Play demonstration of a game, or to play a game through cloud gaming.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">stun lockLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A situation whereby the player character cannot act for a long period of time due to being periodically stunned. Often caused by being staggered by repeated attacks from multiple enemies.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">subgame     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">superboss     An optional super powerful boss, typically more powerful and harder to beat than the game's main final boss.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">survival game     A game set in a hostile open-world environment where characters are challenged to collect resources, craft items, and survive as long as possible.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">survival mode     A type of game mode in co-operative multiplayer games. Players work together to defend one or more objectives or simply to have at least one man standing as they fight through discrete waves of enemies, with each subsequent wave featuring more numerous and powerful enemies. Such modes often include elements of tower defense games where players can deploy defensive tools such as turrets or traps to injure or slow enemies. The game may offer short periods between waves where players can spend in-game currency or similar points to improve their defenses, their equipment, or similar boosts. Horde modes can be based on a fixed number of waves or in an endless mode where players attempt to last as long as possible.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">survival multiplayer     A multiplayer game mode where players start out with no items, a health bar, and are able to die (as opposed to creative mode, where players are immortal). Commonly used to refer to Minecraft servers, but can otherwise be used to refer to any similar game mode in any game. A well-known example is the Dream SMP.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">sweatLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A derogatory term used to refer to players with a highly competitive attitude, typically in situations where such an attitude is uncalled for or unnecessary. Synonymous with tryhard.[169]

## T

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">T-pose     A positioning of a character model in a video game with the character standing upright and arms up to the side. Typically used as a default position for 3D character models, this is often seen in games as a glitch or result of software bugs.[170]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tankLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A character with high health and abilities or equipment that mitigate damage, draw aggro from opponents, and/or receive enemy attacks so that teammates can concentrate on their attacks or objectives. Common in MMORPGs.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tank controlsLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A character movement control system in which up and down directional inputs move the player character forward or backward, while sideways directional inputs rotates the character, similar to how a tank's movement is controlled.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">targeting

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A strategy used in online games where the player continuously kills or attacks the same opponent, ignoring the others surrounding them. It is often seen as unsportsmanlike behaviour in gaming.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">taunt     A tactic and an effect used during turn-based fights in which a character (usually with high defense or hit points (HP) – see Tank) tricks opponents into attacking him/herself instead of the rest of the team.
2. A move in a fighting game where one player presses a specific input or inputs to make their character play an animation which usually deals no damage and serves merely to mock their opponent.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">teabagging     A type of action used in multiplayer games where a victorious player-character repeatedly crouches down and stands back up (functions that are a common part of standard gameplay) over the head of knocked down or dead opponent, simulating the sexual act of the same name. The act is usually considered disrespectful and provocative, intended to irritate their opponents and make them act irrationally. While the act of teabagging is generally associated with first or third-person shooters, similar actions in other game genres have become synomous with teabagging.[171]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">team deathmatch     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">teamkill     The killing of teammates through destruction or damage done to allies, such as through deliberate shooting of teammates. Teamkilling is often identified as unsportsmanlike behavior.[172]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">technology treeLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A branching series of technologies that can be researched in strategy games, to customize the player's faction. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">telefrag     A frag or kill which occurs when a player uses a teleporter to get to a location occupied by another character. This character is killed and the player-character landing on them is granted credit for the kill.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">telegraphing     1. Animations or similar visual and audible indicators that indicate to a player what actions an opponent will take. Often used as part of computer-controlled artificial intelligence to help the player avoid or block attacks or make counter-attacks.
2. In multiplayer games, the actions a player does, revealing to their opponent or opponents what attack they may do next. Usually considered a sign of predictability, but for some characters it may be necessary.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">test room     A secret level that is used by developers to test the movements, actions and control of a game's player character(s). They are usually removed or hidden from regular access before the game is released.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">texture     An image that is mapped onto a 3d model.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">theory     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">theorycraft     The analysis of a video game to mathematically determine the most-optimal approach to winning the game, typically in games that feature a number of player-character attributes that are enumerated. One common type of theorycraft is determining how to best maximize damage per second through selection of equipment and skills. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"..
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">third party     When two teams or players are in a fight and a third team or player attempts to kill one or both of the teams. The term was likely popularized in battle royale games such as Fortnite but is also used in first-person shooters.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">third person point of view     A view where the player character is seen on screen.[17]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">throwing     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">thumbstick     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tick     An increment of damage or healing periodically caused by a DoT or HoT effect.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tier list     A hierarchical organization of various gameplay elements, such as characters, classes, weapons, or abilities, organized into "tiers" based on their perceived usefulness. An element placing in the top or bottom tiers of this list can be called top-tier or bottom-tier, respectively, with similar terminology describing elements as high-tier, mid-tier, or low-tier.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tile-matching video game     A type of puzzle video game where the player manipulates tiles in order to make them disappear according to a matching criterion. If this number is three, the game is called a match-3 game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tilt     When a player gets angry at someone or something, often resulting in reduced quality of play.[26]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">time attack     A game mode that challenges player(s) to complete a level or the game within a fixed amount of game time or in the fastest time possible. Often, the best times are recorded for other players to see.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">timed exclusiveLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     When a game releases exclusively for one platform but may release for other platforms when the exclusivity period expires.[173][174]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">time to killLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The average amount of time it takes to kill an opponent. Commonly used in first-person shooters, especially tactical shooters, where it is typically representative of how much damage or shots a character can take before dying, and thus also the game's realism.[175]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">title screenLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     OpenArena title screen

The initial screen of a computer, video, or arcade game after the credits and logos of the game developer and publisher are displayed. Early title screens often included all the game options available (single player, multiplayer, configuration of controls, etc.) while modern games have opted for the title screen to serve as a splash screen. This can be attributed to the use of the title screen as a loading screen, in which to cache all the graphical elements of the main menu. Older computer and video games had relatively simple menu screens that often featured pre-rendered artwork.

In arcade games, the title screen is shown as part of the attract mode loop, usually after a game demonstration is played. The title screen and high score list urge potential players to insert coins. In console games, especially if the screen is not merged with the main menu, it urges the player to press start. Similarly, in computer games, the message "Hit any key" is often displayed. Controls that lack an actual "Start" button use a different prompt; the Wii, for example, usually prompts the player to press both letter buttons on the Wii Remote simultaneously, as in Super Mario Galaxy 2 or Mario Party 9. Fan-made games often parody the style of the title that inspired them.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">touchscreen     A form of user input that relies on physical touch, rather than a mouse, keyboard or other control method.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">toxicity Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Slang for the actions of a rude and unwelcoming gamer or gaming community that detriments the experience for other players or developers. Almost universally viewed negatively across gaming, some game developers take measures to stymie toxicity in their games.[176]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tower dive Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Commonly used in MOBAs to define the act of going into range of the opponent's tower, a defensive structure that damages its opponents, to kill low-health targets.[177]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">trackball     A form of a video game controller, most often found on arcade game cabinets, in which the player uses a freely-rotating ball to interact with the game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">transmogrification or transmog     Changing the appearance of gear, such as weapons and armor, typically to that of functionally equivalent gear.[178][179]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">trash Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. A term meaning bad or poor, often used to insult a player(s) in online PvP games, but also used for items, spells, etc.
2. Commonly used in MMORPGs to refer to groups of non-boss enemies. Particularly in dungeons/ areas leading up to boss fights.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">trickjumpLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Any type of unusual jump that demonstrates skill and expertise, often considered an exploit that was unforeseen by the game's creators.[180]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">triple A     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">triple jumpLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     Being able to jump twice in mid-air after leaving the ground, and must then typically touch the ground before being able to mid-air jump again. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">tryhard     An insult that means a gamer is ruining the fun of the game due to an inordinate obsession with winning.[181] Also known as playing sweaty.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">True Last Boss (TLB)    Can be similar to a Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".. Primarily in Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".s, A boss in a game that is exceptionally difficult, and has specific requirements outside of a normal game clear that must be met in order to reach the boss.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">turn-based game     When a game consists of multiple turns. When one player's turn is complete, they must wait until everyone else has finished their turn.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">turtling     A gameplay strategy that emphasizes heavy defense, with little or no offense. A player who turtles minimizes risk to themselves while baiting opponents to take risks in trying to overcome the defenses.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">twinking     A practice in MMORPGs of equipping a low-level character with items or resources not normally available to new characters, by transfer from high-level characters.[122]

## U

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">underpowered     A character, item, tactic, or ability considered to be too weak to be a balanced element of gameplay.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">underworld     A collection of isolated dungeon-, cave-, or hell-like levels which are connected by an open overworld.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">unfinished     Used to describe games that release in a very buggy state, or with missing/poor-quality content, such that it gives the impression of having been fully released before development was properly completed (whether or not this is the case). Compare beta release.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">unlockable     A piece of content that is obtained in-game by fulfilling certain conditions. These are sometimes represented in-game or represented through a platform-wide system of achievements. Such content can be purely cosmetic, a game mechanic, tool, character, a separate video game, and more. They are sometimes hidden Easter eggs.[182]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ultimate     Ultimate attacks or abilities (or ults) that a character may possess, often those that are the strongest or that deal the most damage. Ults often require an energy bar, charge meter, or other similar resource which must be filled before the ult can be used.[183]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">upgrade     A game mechanic to make a given item, character, etc. more powerful. Equipment is commonly upgraded through crafting while a character upgrade may be an alternative to advancing a character level.

## V

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">VAC     An abbreviation of Valve Anti-Cheat, Valve Corporation's cheat detection software. Players who are caught using cheats on a VAC-secured server will be issued a VAC ban, banning them from VAC-secured servers for that particular game in the future and putting a mark on their Steam profile that can't be hidden from public view. VAC bans are permanent, non-negotiable, and cannot be removed by Steam Support.[184] Players who have gotten a VAC ban are sometimes referred to as going on a "permanent VACation".[185][186]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">vaporware     Video games which are announced and appear in active development for some time but are never released nor officially cancelled.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">video game designLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The process of designing a video game, including content and game mechanics.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">virtual economy (in game money)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A term used to describe the economy in a video game, for example, gold and the auction house in Old School RuneScape money can be used to buy in game gear, all the way to in-game cosmetics.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">virtual reality (VR)Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     An interactive computer-generated experience taking place within a simulated environment. Used in video gaming primarily to describe a VR-based video game or a VR option for an otherwise non-VR video game.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">visual novel     A genre of video games with interactive stories. These games typically use static imagery, anime-styled character art (thanks in part to the popularity of the genre in Japan), and detailed backgrounds, with character dialogue presented in text boxes. Players may alter the path of the story by choosing from dialog trees or a small list of actions.

## W

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">waggle     A pejorative term when one must shake a controller to do an action, regardless of how the controller is shaken. Usually implies that the controller needs to be shaken wildly. Sometimes extended to motion controls in general, ignoring any precision required.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">walking simulator     A term sometimes used to classify exploration games, which generally involve exploring an environment for story and narrative but with few, if any, puzzles or gameplay elements. May be considered derogatory but is often used as a neutral term.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">walkthrough     A description of the gameplay experience for a level or playthrough, intended to guide players who are unsure how to complete it.[17] Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wall bang

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

In first or third person shooters, the act of shooting someone through a wall or object with bullets or other projectiles that have penetration. Made a popular term by games such as Counter-Strike and Call of Duty.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wall climb     The ability for a video game character to rapidly scale a vertical wall or similar surface, typically as part of the character's passive abilities, but may be aided with a tool such as a grappling hook. This often appears in platform games alongside abilities like wall jumping and double jumping.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wall jumpLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A jump performed off of a vertical surface to propel the player higher in the opposite direction. Wall jumps can be done between two tight walls in quick succession to climb vertically in some games, though some games such as Mega Man X and Transformice allow the player to repeatedly jump on a single wall. As a special jump, it is sometimes an acquired skill instead of available from the game's start.[94]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wallhackLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A cheat that makes walls translucent.[15]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Some wallhacks let players shoot weapons or physically pass through walls.[15]<span title="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".">: Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wall runLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     The ability for a video game character to appear to run along a vertical wall for a short distance without falling off. Common in games featuring parkour-type movement.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wanted level     A game mechanic popularized by the Grand Theft Auto series and used in many Grand Theft Auto clone games. A player's actions in an open-world game may cause non-player characters, often representing law enforcement, to chase the player, with the response becoming more significant at higher wanted levels. The wanted level persists unless the player can elude these opponents, or if the character dies, eliminating the wanted level. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">warp zoneLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A shortcut that allows a player to bypass one or more sections of the game. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">WASD keysLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A common control-mechanism using a typical QWERTY keyboard, with the W, A, S, and D keys bound to movement controls. This allows arrow key-like control with the left hand.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wave     In game genres or modes where player(s) are to defend a point or stay alive as long as possible, enemies are commonly grouped into "waves" (sometimes referred to as levels). When one wave of enemies is defeated, player(s) are typically given a short period to prepare for the next wave.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">weekly     An in game objective that offers optional rewards and can be completed every week.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">whale     In free-to-play games, a user who spends a considerable amount of real-world money for in-game items, rather than acquiring said items through grinding or playing the game normally. These players are typically seen as the largest segment for revenue production for free-to-play titles. Exceptionally high spenders may be called white whales[187][188] or leviathans. Borrowed from gambling jargon; a 'whale', in that context, is a person who makes extravagant wagers or places reckless bets.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wipe     1. An attack from the boss in which the said boss completely knocks out the entire party. Mostly in massively multiplayer online role-playing games.
2. An event intentionally resetting all game progress or deleting the save file - i.e., after major updates in early access games.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">world     A series of levels that share a similar environment or theme. A boss fight will typically happen once all or most of these levels are completed rather than after each individual level.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">world compression     The representation of a world on a much smaller scale than is realistic. For example, in many role-playing games, it is possible for the player character to walk across a continent in sometimes under a minute, and the player character may appear to be several kilometers tall given the relative scale. This is not the same as the player being much larger than the icon for a town or other settlement, but rather that a distance which is given as hundreds of kilometers appears to be much smaller. In some cases, such as in Final Fantasy VIII, trains will run between towns despite the visibly short distance. For voxel games such as Minecraft, the in-game narrative may refer to a distance as being tens of kilometers away, while the actual distance may be accurately measured by counting only a few hundred blocks understood to each be one meter across.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">wrappingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     A technique that allows a player to move in a straight line and get back to where they started.Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24". This was often used in older games to make it seem that the player is moving up or down an extremely high hill; memory can be saved by using wrapping instead of creating a larger area filled with impassable walls. Wrapping is also used to make a 2D game world round; for example, in Pac-Man, exiting the game screen to the right wraps the player to the same position on the left side of the screen. Similarly, in Final Fantasy VII, exiting the game map to the right wraps the player to the same position on the left side of the map, and exiting the map to the top wraps the player to the bottom of the map.

## X

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">ximmer     A term used to refer to console players who use an Xbox Input Machine (XIM) to use mouse-and-keyboard controls or other control units for games that do not officially support them. "Ximmer" is generally considered derogatory as this method is typically associated with cheating in multiplayer games, with such players having finer control over a game compared to a typical controller, however, this method also has valid uses to aid video game accessibility.[189][190]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">XP     Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

## Y

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">YouTube bait

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Games that are made for YouTubers or Twitch streamers. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

## Z

<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">zergingLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Tactic in strategy games in which the player uses overwhelming numbers of inexpensive, disposable units rather than skill or strategy.[17] The term comes from the Zerg, a race in StarCraft that uses numerical advantage to overwhelm opponents. Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">zero-day patch     A software security patch that fixes a Zero-day vulnerability. See: Zero-day and 0-day warez.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">zero-player gameLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".

A game that has no sentient players and only has CPUs.[191]
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">zoneLua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24".     1. A section of a MUD or MMO's shared environment within which communications may be limited or game mechanics altered to encourage certain types of gameplay.
2. A synonym for world, most popularly used within the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
<dt class="glossary " id="Lua error: Internal error: The interpreter has terminated with signal "24"." style="margin-top: 0.4em;">zoning     A fighting game strategy that involves continuously using long range attacks and projectiles. Characters who specialize in this type of play are called zoners.

## See also

* List of video game genres
* MUD terminology

## References

1. ↑ "Croixleur Sigma PC Review: Hack, Slash, Dash". 12 May 2014. https://www.usgamer.net/articles/croixleur-sigma-pc-review-hack-slash-dash.
2. ↑ Schwartz, Steven A.; Schwartz, Janet (1994). The Parent's Guide to Video Games. Prima Pub.. ISBN 978-1-55958-474-6.
3. ↑ Good, Owen S. (2019-01-05). "Awesome Games Done Quick 2019: everything you need to know about the first day" (in en-US). Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2019/1/5/18169934/awesome-games-done-quick-2019-where-to-watch-schedule-preview.
4. ↑ Schultz, Warren. "AAA Game". About.com. IAC/InterActiveCorp. http://gameindustry.about.com/od/glossary/g/Aaa-Game.htm.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Janssen, Cory (8 March 2012). "In-App Purchasing". Technopedia. http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27510/in-app-purchasing.
6. ↑ "abandonware" (in en-US). November 18, 2025. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/abandonware.
7. ↑ "Video Game Vocabulary, Jargon, and Slang". Lee Laughead. http://www.leelaughead.com/video-game-vocabulary-jargon-and-slang.
8. ↑ Manodeep Mukherjee (23 July 2022). "Team Ace in Valorant: What does it mean?". https://www.sportskeeda.com/valorant/team-ace-valorant-what-mean.
9. ↑ Gibson, Jeremy (2014). Introduction to Game Design, Protoyping, and Development From Concept to Playable Game – With Unity and C#. Addison-Wesley Professional. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-321-93316-4.
10. ↑ Slavicsek, Bill; Baker, Richard; Mearls, Mike (2008). Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies (4th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-470-40639-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=HePOAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA86. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
11. ↑ Clark, Andrew (18 April 2007). "Defining Adaptive Music". https://www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/defining-adaptive-music.
12. ↑ Jennings, Scott (2006). Massively Multiplayer Games for Dummies. Wiley. p. 304. ISBN 9780471793113. https://books.google.com/books?id=hLVJd05sKS4C.
13. ↑ Stang, Sarah (March 2019). "'This Action Will Have Consequences": Interactivity and Player Agency". Game Studies 19 (1). https://gamestudies.org/1901/articles/stang. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Bennerstedt, Ulrika; Ivarsson, Jonas; Linderoth, Jonas (2012). "How gamers manage aggression: Situating skills in collaborative computer games". International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning 7: 50–51. doi:10.1007/s11412-011-9136-6. ISSN 1556-1607. https://gup-server.ub.gu.se/v1/asset_data/102152.pdf. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Davidson, Drew; Kelley, Heather; Kücklich, Julian; Walz, Steffen P.; Böttger, Matthias (2007) (in en). Space Time Play: Synergies Between Computer Games, Architecture and Urbanism: the Next Level. Basel: Birkhäuser. ISBN 978-3-7643-8414-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=isgsj244XeQC&pg=PA119. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Kohler, Chris (September 13, 2005). "Controller History Dynamite". http://www.1up.com/features/controller-history.
17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 Dille, Flint; Platten, John Zuur (2007). The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design. New York: Lone Eagle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58065-066-3.
18. ↑ Klepek, Patrick (August 5, 2015). "The History Behind Dark Souls' Most Controversial Move, The Backstab". Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/the-history-behind-dark-souls-most-controversial-move-1722340152.
19. ↑ "Anti-RPGs For Fans of Undertale" (in en-US). 2021-03-27. https://www.thegamer.com/anti-rpg-games-like-undertale/.
20. ↑ "Remix RPG Adventure moon revived for Nintendo Switch after 22 years, for the first time in English!" (in en). Gamasutra. September 5, 2019. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/350137/Remix_RPG_Adventurenbsp_moon_nbsprevived_for_Nintendo_Switch_after_22_years_for_the_first_time_in_English.php.
21. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (August 28, 2012). "What the Hell is Asymmetric Gameplay?". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/features/what-the-hell-is-asymmetric-gameplay.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Ruggill, Judd Ethan; McAllister, Ken S. (2011). Gaming Matters: Art, Science, Magic, and the Computer Game Medium. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-0-8173-1737-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=CVkfAnl01_EC&q=Attract+mode&pg=PA70. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
23. ↑ ""What is attract mode?"". Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190828143213/http://www.atarimania.com/faq-atari-400-800-xl-xe-what-is-attract-mode_74.html.
24. ↑ "Banner Meaning". June 2021. https://www.dotnetgame.com/banner/.
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143. ↑ Bailey, Dustin (2023-07-21). "Pikmin 4 has a quality-of-life feature that's so good every game should steal it" (in en). https://www.gamesradar.com/pikmin-4-has-a-quality-of-life-feature-thats-so-good-every-game-should-steal-it/.
144. ↑ Waters, Tim (February 8, 2011). "Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment: Incorporating Quick Time Events into Gameplay". https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/full-reactive-eyes-entertainment-incorporating-quick-time-events-into-gameplay.
145. ↑ Patricia Hernandez, 6/03/13, Why People Rage Quit Games, Kotaku
146. ↑ Lager, Craig (November 21, 2011). "Game Logic vs Choice & Consequence". https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/11/21/game-logic-vs-choice-consequence/.
147. ↑ 147.0 147.1 147.2 Kayla Dube (December 7, 2020). "Differences Between a Video Game Reboot vs Remake vs Remaster". https://www.online-tech-tips.com/gaming/differences-between-a-video-game-reboot-vs-remake-vs-remaster/.
148. ↑ 148.0 148.1 Phil Hayton (January 24, 2020). "Game remakes vs remasters: what's the difference?". https://www.techradar.com/news/game-remakes-vs-remasters-whats-the-difference.
149. ↑ Snyder, David (2017). Speedrunning: Interviews with the Quickest Gamers. Studies in Gaming. McFarland & Company. pp. 36–37. ISBN 978-1-4766-3076-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=5Ng5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT44. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
150. ↑ Montfort, Nick (2003). "The Pleasure of the Text Adventure". Twisty Little Passages: An Approach to Interactive Fiction. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press. p. 18. ISBN 0-262-13436-5.
151. ↑ McGath, Gary (1984). "Doing Your Own". Compute!'s Guide to Adventure Games. Greensboro, North Carolina: Compute! Books. p. 145. ISBN 0-942386-67-1.
152. ↑ Bradbury, A.J. (1985). "Once Upon a Time...". Adventure Games for the Amstrad CPC 464. London: William Collins, Sons. p. 6. ISBN 0-00-383078-0.
153. ↑ Darby, Jason (2013). "Point-and-Click Adventures". Creating Adventure Games for Teens. Boston, MA: Course Technology. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-133-72802-3.
154. ↑ Smith, Graham (March 1, 2015). "Confessions Of A Save Scummer". Rock Paper Shotgun. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/03/01/confessions-of-a-save-scummer/.
155. ↑ Moss, Richard (June 20, 2011). "From SimCity to Real Girlfriend: 20 years of sim games". Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/06/history-of-sim-games-part-1/.
156. ↑ Grolleman, Jaap (July 2, 2016). "1.2: Arcade vs. simcade vs. simulators". Virtual Racing School (VRS). https://virtualracingschool.com/academy/iracing-career-guide/before-you-get-started/arcade-vs-simcade-vs-simulators/.
157. ↑ 157.0 157.1 157.2 "Let's Spec Into Talent Trees: A Primer for Game Designers". 16 April 2013. http://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/articles/lets-spec-into-talent-trees-a-primer-for-game-designers--gamedev-6691.
158. ↑ Rossignol, Jim (February 24, 2012). "Idle Musing: The Joy Of Unwinnable Skirmishes". Rock Paper Shotgun. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/02/24/idle-musing-the-joy-of-unwinnable-skirmishes/.
159. ↑ Daniel Friedman (March 17, 2016). "League of Legends' biggest change in years is for the better". http://www.polygon.com/2016/3/17/11244620/league-of-legends-level-30.
160. ↑ Saed, Sharif (April 12, 2017). "Overwatch: Jeff Kaplan does not much care for your hate of smurfing". VG247. https://www.vg247.com/2017/04/12/overwatch-jeff-kaplan-does-not-much-care-for-your-hate-of-smurfing/.
161. ↑ Jamieson, Darran (9 August 2014). "The Snowball Effect (And How to Avoid It) in Game Design" (in en). https://code.tutsplus.com/the-snowball-effect-and-how-to-avoid-it-in-game-design--cms-21892a.
162. ↑ Gies, Arthur (24 October 2016). "Titanfall 2 review". https://www.polygon.com/2016/10/24/13377822/titanfall-2-review-xbox-one-PC-ps4-playstation-4. "This has the effect of making lopsided matches even more so – if one team has just a couple more titans than the other, it frequently leads to snowballing matches that spiral out of control."
163. ↑ "10 Times Games Accidentally Lost All Of Your Progress". 12 October 2024. https://whatculture.com/gaming/10-times-games-accidentally-lost-all-of-your-progress?page=7.
164. ↑ Prescott, Shaun (April 23, 2015). "In praise of the speedrun: 14 impeccable playthroughs". PC Gamer. http://www.pcgamer.com/in-praise-of-the-speedrun-14-impeccable-playthroughs/#page-1.
165. ↑ Schrum, Jacob; Karpov, Igor V.; Miikkulainen, Risto (2013). "Human-Like Combat Behaviour via Multiobjective Neuroevolution". Believable bots. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 123. ftp://net9.cs.utexas.edu/pub/neural-nets/papers/schrum.believablebots12.pdf.
166. ↑ Schott, Gareth (2016). Violent Games: Rules, Realism and Effect. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-62892-559-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=Jm4wDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA12.
167. ↑ Gunn, Heather (2015). Aspect Core Rulebook FC 2015 SC. Lulu.com. pp. 9–. ISBN 978-1-312-28952-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=RqTVBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA9. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
168. ↑ Law, Eric (14 November 2023). "World of Warcraft Reveals When Another Stat Squish Could Be Coming". https://gamerant.com/world-of-warcraft-stat-squish-midnight-worldsoul-saga/.
169. ↑ Bhernardo Viana (April 11, 2019). "What being a "sweat" means in Fortnite: Battle Royale". https://dotesports.com/news/fortnite-sweat-what-it-means.
170. ↑ Isaac, Mike; Browning, Kellen (December 19, 2020). "Cyberpunk 2077 Was Supposed to Be the Biggest Video Game of the Year. What Happened?". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/19/style/cyberpunk-2077-video-game-disaster.html.
171. ↑ Francis, Bryant (August 6, 2021). "Opinion: Devs, please don't encourage 'teabagging'". Gamasutra. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/386387/Opinion_Devs_please_dont_encourage_teabagging.php. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
172. ↑ "Teamkilling". Gaijin Entertainment. https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us/articles/200069301-Teamkilling.
173. ↑ "Rise of the Tomb Raider, and the dubious benefit of a console exclusive". January 19, 2016. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/263696/Rise_of_the_Tomb_Raider_and_the_dubious_benefit_of_a_console_exclusive.php.
174. ↑ "E3 2017: Xbox Boss Clarifies What "Console Launch Exclusive" Means". June 13, 2017. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2017-xbox-boss-clarifies-what-console-launch-ex/1100-6450919/.
175. ↑ "Battlefield V gets a controversy around time to kill". https://www.altchar.com/game-news/battlefield-v-gets-a-controversy-around-time-to-kill-a5cQq1d7YbBl.
176. ↑ Moore, Bo (22 March 2018). "Major game companies are teaming up to combat toxicity in gaming". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/major-game-companies-are-teaming-up-to-combat-toxicity-in-gaming/. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
177. ↑ Geere, Duncan (2 December 2012). "Dota 2 Diary: Dancing with towers". PC Gamer (Future plc). Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003539/https://www.pcgamer.com/dota-2-diary-dancing-with-towers/. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
178. ↑ Brown, F. (November 27, 2025). "Poll: Should RPGs always provide a transmog system, or should we be forced to live with our fashion crimes?". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/poll-should-rpgs-always-provide-a-transmog-system-or-should-we-be-forced-to-live-with-our-fashion-crimes/. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
179. ↑ Blaker, M. (February 28, 2017). "Video Game Tuesday: Transmog Systems". Game Industry News. https://www.gameindustry.com/gamer-blogs/video-game-tuesday-transmog-systems/. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
180. ↑ Obrien, Nicholas (2014-09-18). "How a group of players cracked open Quake 3 and found a new way to play" (in en-US). https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/how-group-players-cracked-open-quake-3-and-found-new-way-play/.
181. ↑ "Tryhard" (in en). https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tryhard.
182. ↑ Orland, Kyle (2014-11-12). "Breaking the lock: Why all game content should be unlocked from the outset". https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/11/breaking-the-lock-why-all-game-content-should-be-unlocked-from-the-outset/.
183. ↑ "What Does 'Ult' Mean?". DMT Agency. 4 March 2017. http://gamingglossary.com/games/hots/ult/.
184. ↑ Scott Duwe (April 16, 2021). "What is a VAC ban?". https://dotesports.com/general/news/what-is-a-vac-ban.
185. ↑ Chris Higgins (July 28, 2016). "How to spot a hacker in Counter-Strike". https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/counter-strike-hacker-spotting-guide.
186. ↑ Nathan Grayson (December 24, 2014). "A Lot Of Cheaters Just Got Banned From Counter-Strike". https://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/12/a-ton-of-cheaters-just-got-banned-from-counter-strike/.
187. ↑ Lawrence, Nathan (April 23, 2017). "The Troubling Psychology of Pay-to-Loot Systems". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/24/the-troubling-psychology-of-pay-to-loot-systems.
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191. ↑ Carlisle, Rodney P (2009). Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society. Los Angeles: SAGE. p. 464. ISBN 978-1-4129-6670-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=jLqXM3U_pzEC&pg=PA464. Retrieved March 3, 2017.

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