Patch Notes – Your Ultimate Gamer Vocabulary Guide

Welcome to Patch Notes, the go-to section for every gamer looking to level up their vocabulary. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting your gaming journey, this guide breaks down the terms, slang, and phrases you need to dominate conversations and the battlefield. From “GG” to “smurfing,” we’ve got all the gaming lingo you need to stay in the loop and sound like a true pro. Because in the world of gaming, knowledge is just another power-up.

A

Achievements
Shiny digital stickers you get for doing things the developers decided were important. Sometimes that’s something groundbreaking like finishing the final boss; other times, it’s as earth-shattering as “congratulations, you pressed Start!” Bonus points for the ones that require more skill than the devs probably intended.

Add-on
Extra downloadable content (DLC) for games that’s sometimes fun, sometimes overpriced, and occasionally just horse armor.

ADS (Aim Down Sights)
When you squint down your gun’s scope for that extra accuracy boost. Because apparently, pointing a gun straight isn’t always enough to hit your target.

Adventure game
A genre for people who love puzzles and immersive stories but hate skipping cutscenes. Expect to play as the protagonist, which is fancy talk for "the character who has to solve everyone else’s problems."

AFK
"Away from keyboard." You might be handling nature’s call, making tea, or reconsidering your life choices after your last match. Just pray your friends don’t leave you behind in matchmaking purgatory.

Aggro
Gamer lingo for, “Congrats, you’re now the enemy's favorite punching bag.” Typically the tank’s job, but sometimes you end up drawing aggro just by being annoyingly effective—or breathing near the boss.

Aggro range
The invisible line where enemies go from "peacefully wandering" to "oh no, you didn’t." It’s their way of saying, "You’ve stepped on my lawn."

Aggressive gameplay
A strategy where you charge headfirst into danger like a caffeinated berserker. High risk, high reward—or just a quick respawn.

AI
In gaming, it’s the "brainpower" behind computer-controlled characters. Sometimes impressively lifelike, other times you’re left wondering if that NPC just walked into a wall on purpose.

Aimbot
A hack that does the aiming for you because apparently "Git Gud" was too hard.

Aim assist
A little nudge from the game to help you aim. Totally legitimate, unless you're using it to dominate your cross-play PC friends.

Alpha
An early game version where everything’s broken, but hey, it’s not a bug; it’s a preview!

Animation cancelling
That clever little trick where you stop a character’s action mid-animation to maximize damage or dodge an attack. Basically, it’s breaking the rules without actually breaking the rules.

AOE
“Area of Effect,” where the bigger the circle, the more chaos (or healing) you can dish out. Not to be confused with Age of Empires, though both can leave you feeling wrecked.

APM (Actions Per Minute)
The ultimate flex for strategy gamers and speed demons. It’s not just about playing well—it’s about pressing more buttons per minute than a typewriter on steroids.

Assist
Helping take down a foe without getting the glory. You’re basically the unpaid intern of combat.

Avatar
Your customizable digital alter ego. Whether it’s a heroic knight, a cat in a top hat, or something from your nightmares, it’s the face you show the gaming world.

B

Ban
The gaming equivalent of a time-out. Can range from a slap on the wrist ("you’re out for an hour") to being exiled forever with a permaban. Either way, you probably deserved it.

Battle Royale
A chaotic free-for-all where the goal is to be the last one standing. Features some mechanism (usually a shrinking map) to force everyone together because no one wins hiding in a bush forever. Fortnite may have made it famous, but it didn’t invent the art of third-partying.

Beat ’em up
A genre where you channel your inner brawler and punch, kick, and combo through waves of enemies. Classics like Streets of Rage or River City Girls set the bar for hand-to-hand smackdowns.

Beta
The “almost there but not quite” version of a game, handed out to players to build hype and test the waters. Expect bugs, unbalanced gameplay, and endless debates over whether the devs will actually fix anything.

Biome
A fancy term for "zone with different vibes." Think Minecraft’s snowy tundras or jungles, complete with their own enemies, music, and scenery. Basically, nature with RNG.

BM (Bad Manners)
The official term for when someone acts like a jerk online. Whether it’s taunting after a kill or rage-quitting mid-match, we all know it when we see it.

Boosting
When someone plays on a lower-ranked account to artificially boost its stats. Often bannable, always questionable, yet somehow still a thriving underground market.

Boss
The big bad waiting at the end of a level—or sometimes the entire level is the boss. They’ve got oversized health bars, unfair mechanics, and a habit of making you say, "Just one more try."

Bots
AI-controlled enemies or allies. Sometimes they’re helpful, other times they make you question if they’re secretly conspiring against you. Also refers to user-made scripts farming EXP or just being obnoxious.

BRB
“Be right back.” A polite way of saying, "I’m abandoning you mid-match for reasons that may or may not involve snacks."

Buff
A glorious stat boost that makes your character stronger, faster, or just better at not dying. Could be temporary or permanent, depending on whether the devs love you today. Also refers to game patches that make previously useless characters overpowered.

Bullet sponge
That one enemy who exists solely to eat up all your ammo and patience. Pro tip: aim for the head or cry in the corner.

C

Campaign
The single-player storyline mode, where you embark on an epic journey, save the world, or just spam the "skip cutscene" button until the final boss.

Camping
That “brilliant” strategy where a player hunkers down in one spot for an advantage. In FPS games, it’s usually behind a door or up high, and it comes with a side of angry chat messages calling them a noob.

Casual
A simple, laid-back game that doesn’t demand much time, skill, or energy. Perfect for when you want to unwind—or for hardcore gamers to secretly enjoy but never admit it.

CC (Crowd Control)
Abilities that make your enemies feel like they’re stuck in quicksand while you dance around them. Mostly used in MOBAs and MMORPGs to ruin someone’s day.

Cheat
Game-breaking codes or hacks that grant infinite lives, max ammo, or god-mode status. Originally made for debugging, now used for unleashing chaos. Don’t blame the devs if you use them and still lose.

Checkpoint
That glorious little spot where you can save your progress. Aka your new home base after dying 15 times in the same area.

Cheese/Cheesing
When you deploy tactics so cheap and annoying that even you feel slightly guilty. Almost. But hey, a win’s a win, right?

Clan
Your online crew for gaming mischief, dungeon raids, or world domination. They’re your backup, your rivals, and sometimes your worst enemies when loot drops are involved.

Class
Your character’s predefined role, whether it’s dishing out damage, taking it, or playing healer while everyone else complains they’re not getting enough support.

Closed beta
An exclusive sneak peek at a game’s beta, accessible only to the chosen few with invites. Usually distributed via giveaways, streams, or sacrificing your inbox to spam emails.

Co-op
Team up with your buddies to take on the world—or just yell at each other over who keeps pulling aggro. Left 4 Dead is a classic example of co-op chaos.

COD
Call of Duty, the FPS franchise that’s either your entire personality or your gaming nemesis. No middle ground.

Combo
A glorious chain of attacks in fighting games—or a coordinated team effort in others. When it lands, you feel unstoppable. When it doesn’t, you pretend it was lag.

Complete/Clock/Beat
Finishing a game from start to finish. Whether it’s 100% completion or just the credits screen depends on how much patience you’ve got.

Console
A specialized gaming machine designed for endless fun—and endless debates over which one is best. Also, the command prompt’s cool cousin in PC games.

Cooldown
The built-in timeout after you’ve used a skill, designed to keep things “balanced.” Translation: your enemies can finally breathe while they wait for you to unleash chaos again
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CPU
Central Processing Unit—or in gaming terms, a bot pretending to be human. Some are smarter than others, but none are smart enough to dodge your taunts.

Crafting
The art of turning random junk into slightly less random junk. Some games make it rewarding; others make it your full-time job.

Critical hit
That sweet, sweet moment when your attack lands with extra damage and extra satisfaction. Crits are the gaming equivalent of hitting the jackpot.

Cross-platform
Games that work on multiple systems, letting you crush your friends no matter what console—or toaster—they’re using.

CTF (Capture the Flag)
A game mode where teamwork and strategy matter—or you can just rush in, grab the flag, and pray your team has your back. Spoiler: they probably don’t.

Cutscene
The non-interactive moments where the game tells its story while you check your phone or shout, “Let me play already!”

D

D-pad
Those four little directional buttons on your controller that were revolutionary back in the day but now mostly remind you how much you love analog sticks.

Deathmatch
The classic free-for-all mode where the only objective is simple: kill everyone else more than they kill you. Great for working out stress—or causing it.

Debuff
That nasty status effect that makes your character weaker, slower, or just plain miserable. Usually inflicted by enemies who clearly don’t believe in fair fights.

Demo
A sneak peek of a game, designed to tempt you into dropping your cash on the full version. Whether it’s playable or just a glorified trailer, it’s the gaming equivalent of a first date.

Developer
The creative geniuses—or evil masterminds—behind your favorite games. Sometimes loved, sometimes cursed in forums when a patch ruins your main.

DLC
Downloadable content: extra goodies for your game. It might be new levels, story expansions, or, yes, overpriced horse armor. Differentiates from a patch because it usually comes with a price tag.

DPS
Damage Per Second: the holy grail for damage-dealers. If you’re not topping the charts, are you even doing your job? Just don’t confuse it with burst damage unless you want to trigger a raid-wide argument.

Draw distance
How far a game renders the world before objects magically pop into existence. Older games used fog to hide this; now it’s more about seeing if your PC cries when the draw distance is maxed out.

Driving simulator
A racing game with all the realism of actual driving—minus the road rage, gas prices, and real-life consequences of terrible decisions. Think Forza but without the pizza delivery.

Dual wield
Because one weapon just isn’t enough. Nothing says “unstoppable” like hacking or shooting with a weapon in each hand. Style points if you’re carrying mismatched gear.

E

ELO
The matchmaking system that decides whether you’re a skilled player or just really good at avoiding toxic players. If your ELO is high, you’re a hero; if it’s low, well… good luck with that.

Emulator
A magical program that lets you relive the glory days of old-school games—or experience what it’s like to play them on hardware you could never afford.

Endgame
The part of a game where you’ve beaten the main story, and now all that’s left is grinding for loot or achieving pointless objectives you’ll forget about next week.

Energy bar
That little meter that shows how long you can keep playing before your character has to rest. It's like the game’s version of your own energy, which might be in the red at this point.

Epic
An adjective used to describe something that’s amazing, usually in the context of loot or battles. If it’s an “Epic item,” you’re probably going to be insufferable about it for the next 10 hours.

Esports
Competitive gaming, where pros flex their skills on a regional, national, or global stage. Think sports but with less sweating and more Mountain Dew-fueled energy.

Easter egg
A delightful little hidden gem in a game that serves no purpose other than to make you smile—or feel like a genius for finding it. Usually, it’s a joke, a reference, or something so obscure you wonder how anyone discovered it in the first place.

Exploiting
Using unintended game mechanics to gain an advantage. Often frowned upon, unless you’re the one doing it, in which case, it’s just “clever tactics.”

Expansion pack
The “big brother” of DLC, offering substantial new content. Think of it as DLC that ate its veggies and hit the gym.

F

F2P
Free to play. The game, or some portion of it, can be played for free. However, you’ll quickly find that “free” means you’re going to need to buy a lot of stuff to not look like a total scrub.

Faceroll character
A character that’s considered to be overpowered and requires no skill to dominate in-game. Essentially, the character version of that one guy who’s just way too good at everything and won’t stop talking about it.

Farming
Repeatedly carrying out some task in a given area in a game for the purpose of acquiring XP, money, or another in-game currency. Also known as grinding. It’s like working a 9-5 job, except you’re getting virtual gold instead of real money.

Feeding
In games that reward players for kills with experience, feeding is repeatedly dying, thus making the recipient of your XP more powerful (“fed”). It’s basically offering yourself up as a snack for stronger players, and who doesn’t love a good snack?

Fighting game
A genre of game that, you guessed it, involves fighting. Whether it’s Street Fighter, Smash Bros, or some obscure title that’s definitely not your first choice for a gaming session, it’s all about beating up virtual characters.

Fog of war
In strategy games, enemy units are only shown to you if your own units are close enough to “see” them. Everything else is shrouded beneath the “fog of war.” It’s like a bad horror movie: You’re not sure what’s out there, but you know it’s coming.

FOV (Field of View)
In a 3D game, your Field of View influences how much of the world you can see at once. A higher FOV can be helpful for people who suffer from motion sickness in 3D games, or just for those who enjoy seeing everything that’s about to kill them.

FPS (Frames per second)
The number of times the game world is simulated per second. Higher = smoother, smoother = better. If your FPS is low, prepare for a choppy experience that’s just as frustrating as it sounds.

FPS (First-person shooter)
A genre in which you look through the eyes of your character, and that features gun-based combat. Famous FPSes include Call of Duty (COD), Doom, and Halo. Basically, it’s the genre where you spend all your time shooting at things and screaming, “Where’s the ammo?”

Frag
A frag has two meanings in gaming. A frag is a grenade, or “frag grenade.” The other meaning is mainly used in FPS games to mean a first kill or killing someone with a frag grenade. It’s either blowing stuff up or blowing your opponent up. Either way, it’s a blast.

G

G2G
“Go to go”. It's the modern version of “BRB,” except now you can’t be bothered to finish the sentence.

Game over
In old games, a game over meant you’d run out of lives and had to start over. Today, it usually just means you respawn a few seconds later. Unless the game has permadeath, in which case, good luck with that.

Gank
In MOBAs, an ambush before the team-fighting stage. It’s like that surprise “I’m already dead” moment that no one saw coming.

GG
“Good game”. A term used at the end of a game to show good sportsmanship, though “good” doesn’t always mean “good.” If the winner says it first, it’s kind of a flex, not to mention slightly passive-aggressive.

GG EZ
A way of rubbing your opponent’s face in your victory, also announcing that you’re probably ten years old.

GG no re
“Good game, no rematch.” A delightful way of telling your opponent they suck and they don’t even get a second chance to be embarrassed.

Glitch
A bug in the game that’s not usually a game-breaker. Some glitches are so fun, they become part of speedrunning. The game might be broken, but at least you’re having fun breaking it.

GLHF
“Good luck, have fun.” A sportsmanlike greeting at the start of a game, followed by immediately wishing your opponent’s downfall.

GPU
Graphics Processing Unit. A piece of hardware that does all the heavy lifting in 3D games so you don’t have to. No GPU, no game. Simple as that.

GOAT
Greatest of all time, usually used to describe a player so good, even they’re shocked by their own skills.

Griefing
A bannable offense where players make their allies' lives miserable. Whether it’s purposely throwing games or blowing up someone’s Minecraft house, if you’re not playing to win, you’re probably griefing.

Grinding
Identical to farming, but with more of a “please, no one make me do this” vibe. Grinding also refers to repeatedly playing ranked modes to improve. Prepare for long hours of mild agony.

Guild
See clan. Basically a group of people who band together to take down bosses or whine about game mechanics.

H

Hacker
A player who uses cheat software to gain an unfair advantage. Basically, the digital equivalent of sneaking into the back door of a party no one invited you to.

Headshot
In a shooter, a shot to the head. It's harder to pull off, but when it lands, it's a thing of beauty. Just don’t be surprised if your opponent complains about it for the next hour.

Healer
A character that heals other allied members who are low on or missing health. They're the unsung heroes, saving the day while you’re off slaying monsters and making bad decisions.

Hitscan
Weapons that do damage instantly, no waiting for projectiles to reach their target. It's the digital equivalent of instant gratification—so satisfying, yet somehow unfair to those with slower guns.

HP
Hit points. The amount of damage a player can take before becoming a pile of pixels. Green is typically used for health bars, but if your game goes with something like purple, just roll with it
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HUD
The heads-up display that shows all the important info, like your HP, ammo, and sometimes, whether you’re about to make a bad decision. It's your lifeline—don’t ignore it unless you want to be "that player."

I

Indie
An independent studio, usually run by a small team of passionate devs, trying to make the next big hit. They might have some funding, they might not, but they’re definitely relying on creative ideas over big-budget explosions.

Instant kill
A game mechanic where one hit is all it takes to send you back to the respawn screen. Because who needs that extra 30 seconds of life anyway?

IP
Intellectual Property. Refers to a game’s unique idea or brand. Your favorite game isn’t just a bunch of pixels; it’s a carefully protected concept that some corporation is trying to monetize as much as possible.

J

JRPG
"Japanese role-playing game": a genre of games that, like other RPGs, involves large open-world exploration, and leveling. Unlike those, they tend to tell a more linear story. Many use an anime art style.

Joystick
A device used for controlling a character or vehicle in a game. Typically, it’s a stick you push around, but it’s not quite as glamorous as the name might imply.

Jumper
In platformers or other games, a character or ability that allows you to jump higher or perform special jump moves.

Jump Scare
A sudden, frightening moment often used in horror games to make you scream like a child. It's less about skill and more about making your heart race for no reason.

K

K/D/A
K/D stands for Kills/Deaths/Assists. The number of kills you got, the number of times you were killed, and the number of times you assisted with a kill.

Kick
Being removed from a game or lobby, perhaps by vote, perhaps by the lobby host. There are a number of reasons why a player could be kicked from a game/server or lobby.

KO
KO stands for knockout. This literally means a player was knocked out of the game, in other words, lost. The word is commonly used in fighting and beat 'em games.

KS
A “kill steal”: getting the last hit in a kill (and thereby the credit), when the majority of the damage was done by another player – at least in the opinion of said player.

K

K/D/A
K/D stands for Kills/Deaths/Assists. The number of kills you got, the number of times you were killed, and the number of times you assisted with a kill.

Kick
Being removed from a game or lobby, perhaps by vote, perhaps by the lobby host. There are a number of reasons why a player could be kicked from a game/server or lobby.

KO
KO stands for knockout. This literally means a player was knocked out of the game, in other words, lost. The word is commonly used in fighting and beat 'em games.

KS
A “kill steal”: getting the last hit in a kill (and thereby the credit), when the majority of the damage was done by another player – at least in the opinion of said player.

M

Mana
A generic name for the resource that limits the number of spells you can use. Often displayed as a blue bar in RPGs.

Map
The level, environment, or world where gameplay takes place, especially in multiplayer games. Maps often vary in size and design, offering unique strategies for players.

Matchmaking
A system that pairs players with others of similar skill levels to ensure fair matches. The scoring system used in matchmaking is often called Elo or MMR (Matchmaking Rating).

Mechanics
The rules and systems that govern how a game operates. Examples include movement systems, combat mechanics, or puzzle-solving elements.

Meta
The most optimal way to play a game as determined by the community at any given time. Metas can shift based on patches, new characters, or evolving player strategies.

MMORPG
"Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game": A genre of online games where thousands of players can explore open worlds, complete quests, and interact with each other in real time.

Mob
Short for "mobile," referring to hostile non-playable characters (NPCs) that players often encounter and defeat. Commonly used in MMORPGs.

MOBA
"Multiplayer Online Battle Arena": A strategy game genre where two teams compete in a defined battlefield, often with unique heroes or champions. Examples include League of Legends and Dota 2.

Mod
Short for "modification," a fan-created add-on or alteration to a game. Mods can range from small changes, like new weapons, to full conversions that create entirely new experiences.

MP
"Magic Points": A stat in RPGs that determines the number of magical attacks or abilities a character can use.

Mute
A feature that blocks a player's messages or voice communication. Helpful for reducing toxicity or focusing on gameplay.

N

Nerf
When your favorite character gets hit with the nerf bat and goes from “god-tier champion” to “barely scratching a minion.” It’s the devs’ way of saying, “You were having too much fun.”

Noob(ie)
A term for anyone who’s new, bad, or just had the audacity to play in your lobby today. Often shouted after you dominate someone or whispered shamefully when you’re on the receiving end.

NPC
"Non-Playable Character." They’re the background actors of your game world, delivering epic quests like, “Find my missing sheep” or “Bring me 10 mushrooms.” Unlike bots, they won’t teabag you after winning.

NT
“Nice Try.” The polite way of saying, “You failed miserably, but at least you gave it a shot.” Pro tip: It’s infinitely more fun when used sarcastically.

Nuke
That giant explosion you set off to annihilate everything in your path. Sure, it’s overkill for one guy, but subtlety is for noobs.

O

Omnimovement
When your character defies the laws of physics and becomes an all-terrain vehicle: swimming like a fish, climbing like a spider, and soaring like a falcon. It’s the game devs’ way of saying, “We stopped trying to make this realistic—enjoy.”

OP
“Overpowered.” That character or weapon so absurdly strong it feels like the devs handed them a cheat code. Usually gets nerfed the moment you figure out how to use it.

Oof
The sound effect that perfectly encapsulates your latest failure. Fell off the map? Oof. Walked into an obvious trap? Big oof. It’s gaming shorthand for, “Yikes, buddy.”

One-shot
That magical moment when your attack lands so hard the enemy evaporates into regret. Fun for you, infuriating for the poor soul on the receiving end.

Open-world
A massive playground where you can go anywhere, do anything, and inevitably spend 40 hours chasing chickens instead of saving the kingdom. Priorities, right?

Optimize
The painful process of tweaking your build, settings, or gameplay to eke out an extra 2% damage, because clearly, that’s what’s holding you back from greatness—not your aim.

Overheal
When you slap every healing potion on yourself even though you’re barely scratched. Just in case the final boss suddenly turns into Godzilla.

Overkill
Using a rocket launcher to kill a cockroach because subtlety is overrated. Bonus points if it’s followed by maniacal laughter.

P

Party game
The ultimate test of friendship disguised as fun. Games like Mario Party exist to remind you that your friends can be petty jerks when a star is on the line.

Patch
A digital Band-Aid developers slap on a game to fix bugs, add features, or completely ruin your overpowered main. Patches: because nothing screams "balanced" like perpetual tweaking.

Peel
When your tank sacrifices themselves to save your squishy DPS teammate because someone didn’t bother learning how to dodge. Expect no gratitude, only blame.

Permadeath
When the game says, “You mess up, you stay messed up.” A fun concept for masochists who think losing 100 hours of progress is a great time.

Ping
The universal excuse for sucking. "I missed that shot because of lag!"—not your aim, of course.

Platformer
Where you defy gravity with pixel-perfect jumps and inevitable rage-quitting. It’s all fun and games until one mistimed leap sends you back to square one.

Point-and-click
Where you explore a world of puzzles and witty dialogue by clicking everything in sight. It’s the gaming equivalent of rummaging through someone else’s junk drawer.

PVE
You vs. the computer’s not-so-clever AI. It’s like bullying, but with fewer moral implications.

PVP
Where your skill is tested against other players, and every defeat is clearly because of lag, hackers, or bad matchmaking.

Pwn
The OG typo that became a badge of honor. If you pwned someone, they’re crying in the corner while you bask in the glory of your keyboard mastery.

Q

QQ
A gamer’s way of saying, “Stop whining, you big baby.” The two Q’s do look like crying eyes, but they’re also how losers type after getting obliterated.

QTE (Quick-Time Event)
That moment when a game says, "Press X to not die," while you’re busy sipping your coffee. A universal reminder that developers think you need anxiety in your cutscenes.

Quest
A glorified to-do list with better rewards. Sure, it’s “heroic” when it’s in a game, but it’s still fetching random junk for NPCs too lazy to grab it themselves.

Queue
The time sink you endure for the privilege of being destroyed by players twice your skill level. Bonus points if it’s a 45-minute wait for a 5-minute game.

Quicksave
That magical button you spam every two seconds because you don’t trust yourself—or the game. Ironically, it always fails you at the worst time.

Quickscope
When snipers decide that aiming is for cowards and reflex shots are cooler. Pull it off and you’re a god. Miss, and you’re just another wannabe.

R

Ragequit, RQ
Where you leave a game before it’s over, defeated by unbearable frustrated rage. Bonus points for dramatic exits and controller throwing.

Rekt
“Wrecked,” destroyed, utterly pwned. Usually reserved for moments when someone gets so annihilated they need a post-game hug.

Respawn
Your glorious second chance at life, only to repeat the same mistakes and die again.

Rez
Short for resurrection. When your teammate brings you back to life, only for you to immediately test their patience by dying again.

RNG
Random number generator. If something is RNG-based, it’s like rolling dice with your luck. Spoiler: The dice are always cursed.

RPG
Role-playing game. Where you pretend to be a hero while collecting every useless trinket you can find. Famous examples include Final Fantasy, Zelda, and Skyrim.

RTS
Real-time strategy. A genre where you manage armies, resources, and objectives in real-time. Also, a genre that proves you can’t multitask to save your (or your troops’) lives.

Rush
An all-out attack strategy executed at lightning speed, or at least fast enough to confuse your opponent into fumbling their defenses.

Ranked
The special hell where you climb (or fall) through the competitive ladder to prove your worth—or to confirm you belong in Bronze forever.

Roll
(1) The blessed moments when RNG gods decide to be nice.
(2) Your in-game strategy of frantically dodging attacks like a pro—or a flailing maniac.
Roadmap
The developer’s polite way of saying, “Here’s what we might do if we don’t forget this game exists.”

S

Sandbox
A game where you can run wild in an open world, crafting, building, or generally ignoring all responsibilities. Think of it as a digital playground—no teacher, no rules, but probably some griefers.

Scrub
A charming term of endearment (not) for players who are apparently so bad, their mere existence drags down the game’s quality. Often used by people who peaked in 2007 Halo 3 lobbies.

Sidequest
The delightful distractions from your main quest. Usually involves fetching irrelevant items for NPCs with emotional baggage.

Skin
Cosmetic outfits for your character, bought with real money or in-game currency. Because nothing screams "pro gamer" like a neon-colored banana costume.

Smurf
An alternate account for highly skilled players to dunk on noobs. It’s like wearing a disguise to a kid’s soccer game just to score 20 goals.

Speedrun
The art of blasting through a game as fast as possible. Pros do it in minutes; the rest of us accidentally speedrun dying in under 30 seconds.

Spells/Skills
The flashy abilities that make your character special. Usually what you’ll spam before realizing you’re out of mana.

Strafing
The sacred shooter skill of moving sideways while shooting, ensuring you look cool as heck while dodging enemy fire. Bonus points for dramatic jump strafes.

T

Tank
A role on a team, usually played by a character whose class is also called "tank." Tanks have high defense stats and strong defensive spells. They "tank" damage, shielding their "squishier" teammates, whose job is often just to deal damage while the tank soaks up all the hits. You know, the usual.

Tank Meta
The glorious art of everyone playing tank characters because they’re the only ones getting the job done. Enjoy your team full of "squishy" DPS characters who’ll never get a chance to shine while the tanks are just... tanking.

Teamwipe
When your entire team is wiped out, either by a particularly savage enemy or your own sheer incompetence. Congrats, you’ve achieved the digital equivalent of tripping over your own feet at a marathon.

Throwing
Intentionally sabotaging your own team’s chances to win. Maybe you're just tired of playing. Or maybe you’re secretly trying to teach your teammates the harsh realities of life in the game world... by throwing the match and getting everyone killed. Either way, you're a problem.

Tilt
When you're so frustrated, you might as well be wearing the "angry gamer" hat. This is when your mental state takes a nosedive and you just start playing terribly. It’s not you, it’s the game… or the fact that you lost to a guy who’s still using a controller from 2005.

Turbo Mode
The setting that makes everything go way too fast. It’s like someone handed you a Red Bull and told you to play Rocket League—nothing’s ever been this intense, and you may or may not need a nap afterwards.

U

Ult
Short for “Ultimate.” This is the big, flashy, “I’m about to save or ruin the game for my team” ability that charges up and is often the deciding factor in a match. It’s either the most glorious moment in your gameplay or the tragic flash of a misclick.

Uptime
The opposite of downtime, this refers to the amount of time you are actually doing something productive and meaningful in a game. It’s not just staring at your inventory screen or waiting for a respawn—we're talking action.

Uninstall
A tragic but somewhat satisfying decision when a game has broken your spirit one too many times. It’s like a breakup. You tried to make it work. You really did. But sometimes, walking away is the best decision for your sanity and your free time.

V

Vanilla
Vanilla refers to games in their original untouched form, free of mods or tweaks. In contrast, when games are played with mods, they might be called “modded”, eg, “modded Minecraft”.

Vape
A slang term used to describe those moments when you're basically just sitting there with a high-powered weapon, casually cleaning up the battlefield while everyone else around you is freaking out. You’re vaping the competition like it’s no big deal. This, of course, also depends on how good your aim is. If it’s bad, it’s more of a vaporized kind of thing.

Vandalism
In the gaming world, it’s the digital equivalent of graffiti. Whether you're smashing someone else’s build or throwing trash on the floor in a multiplayer game, it’s basically an invitation to get reported. If you’re the kind of player who enjoys this, congratulations, you’ve found your niche—ruining the fun for everyone else.

Variety Pack
A group of different types of players in a match. You’ve got your tank, your healer, your damage dealer, and the guy who’s playing with one hand while watching Netflix with the other. It’s the “everything but the kitchen sink” approach, and it’s either chaotic fun or total disaster, depending on how well you all sync up.

Viral
When something in the game (or in the gaming world in general) blows up on social media like a bad meme. Your highlight reel gets shared everywhere, and suddenly, you’re a legend—or you’ve just created a viral fail. Either way, people are talking about you. Good or bad, it’s definitely "viral."

Victory Royale
The holy grail of winning in some battle royale games. You’ve survived, you’ve triumphed, and you’re just a little too smug about it. The rest of the players? They’re out there nursing their wounds and their egos. But not you—you're basking in your glorious solo win.

Vibe Check
This isn’t just about your mood; it’s about your whole team’s mood. Are they in it to win it? Or are they just here to casually ruin your experience while playing a game? If you’re the one asking the vibe check, it’s probably because you sense the emotional and mental breakdown of your team incoming.

W

W
The simplest form of victory. It’s a letter, and it’s the only one that matters when you’ve destroyed your enemies, crushed their hopes, and made them weep into their keyboards. You get the W, they get the L, and everyone else pretends like they didn’t see it coming.

Waggle
You know that thing you do when you’re so desperately trying to avoid the inevitable death, moving your controller like you're trying to start a fire? That’s waggle. It’s the dance of the hopeless, and it rarely works—kind of like pressing the "skip cutscene" button 20 times and hoping for a new ending.

WASD
The keys you love to hate, the ones that make you feel like a keyboard god, even though you’re just as likely to run into a wall and get fragged as you are to make it out of the spawn room. WASD is life for anyone playing on PC, even if you end up accidentally hitting Caps Lock and yelling at your teammates instead of typing.

Wallhack
In the same vein as x-ray vision for cheaters. You can see through walls, which sounds like a cool superpower until you realize you're now the most hated person in the server. And no, this isn’t a legitimate strategy—it’s a way to ruin someone else’s fun while pretending you’re the main character in a “gamebreaking cheat” movie.

Wipe
When the entire team is destroyed so thoroughly that the game considers it a full-on reset. You get wiped, and your dream of victory gets flushed away faster than your patience. It’s the ultimate humiliation and also the moment when you realize you’re about to experience another 15-minute loading screen.

Wombo Combo
A move that, when executed perfectly, completely obliterates your opponents and makes them question every life decision they’ve made. It’s the kind of thing that inspires memes, and you'll be the one getting the meme-worthy clip if you land it. If not, you’re just the person who got obliterated by it and will forever be known as "that guy."

WoW
Short for World of Warcraft, aka, the game that’s been around longer than some of your relationships. If you’ve ever stepped foot in it, you know it’s the place where time goes to die and your social life gets replaced by hours spent grinding dungeons, farming for loot, and pretending you’re not addicted.

Wreck
To destroy, dismantle, or demolish, usually in the context of gameplay. If you wreck someone, they’re left questioning their skills, their life choices, and why they even bothered trying. You just dropped the hammer, and they’ll be picking up the pieces—emotionally and figuratively.

X

XP
Short for “experience points,” these are the points you gain from doing literally anything in a game that’s vaguely productive. Kill some mobs? XP. Collect some treasure? XP. Complete a quest you’ve been ignoring for hours? You guessed it—XP. It’s basically the game’s way of telling you that you're getting somewhere… even if it’s just slightly better at dying.

X-Games Mode
When you do something insane in a game that no one should have been able to do—like pulling off a combo in a fighting game that defies all logic and physics. It's the kind of stunt that would make your character look cooler if it wasn’t for the fact you’ll probably get killed right after it. Still, you can pretend you did it on purpose.

X-Rating
The kind of game rating you don’t usually see on anything you can buy in mainstream stores. This isn't about sexy content (well, mostly), it's about the extreme difficulty, absurdity, or shocking violence in a game that makes you question your life choices. You can handle this, right?

Y

Yolo
"You're only living once" – and apparently, that means dying a lot in a video game. YOLO is often shouted as the battle cry before doing something incredibly stupid, like charging into the enemy base alone because why not? You’re gonna respawn anyway, right?

Y-axis
The vertical axis. When someone says “watch out for the Y-axis,” it means you're about to get shot from above or below, and you didn’t even see it coming. Welcome to 3D games, where the Z-axis is also involved, and you’re still trying to figure out what’s going on.

Z

Zerg
To “Zerg” is to throw a huge number of low-cost units at your opponent in the hopes that quantity will outmatch quality. It’s a classic strategy, mostly used when you have nothing better to do, or you're just trying to overrun your opponent with sheer numbers. Spoiler: it's often incredibly frustrating when it’s used against you.

Zoning
Not as in “I’m zoning out,” but “zoning” as in controlling an area of the map to keep your enemies out. In MOBAs or strategy games, this is the art of denying space and making the enemy feel like they’re constantly being pushed back. It’s the digital equivalent of drawing a line in the sand, except the sand is your opponent's soul.

Zero Health
The point where your character’s HP is so low you’re basically one bullet away from death—except for that last miracle health pack you’ve been praying for. It’s the perfect definition of a clutch moment, where your hands are sweaty, your heart’s racing, and you still somehow manage to make it out alive... or you don’t.

Zombie (Mode)
An enemy that just won't die, no matter how many times you shoot it in the head. Zombies in games are like the guests who never leave. Just when you think they’re dead, they pop back up for more, forcing you to waste all your ammo on something that doesn't even make sense to kill anymore.

Zoomer
A slang term for a younger generation of players, often stereotypically associated with being overly aggressive in multiplayer games, much to the dismay of “boomer” players. The Zoomer’s natural habitat is their Twitch stream and YouTube videos, showing you how much better they are at games than you’ll ever be.