LORE, GANK, KITING,… THE GAMER’S DICTIONARY 🎮

Even if you’re a seasoned player, let’s admit that sometimes all these terms, the gaming lingo, can leave us a tad bit confused. The technical jargon can easily bamboozle the newbie. But fret not! This article is here to guide you through this maze of vocabulary. And to be completely honest, I was over 30 when I found out what “lore” meant… Don’t hold it against me! 😀

MOBA PLAYER LINGO 🕹️ Players have crafted their own language, a kind of slang, enabling them to communicate swiftly and efficiently during matches. It’s a crucial element of the gaming experience, helping players coordinate, strategise and swiftly react to in-game events.

• Lane: These are the primary paths on a MOBA’s map that lead to the enemy’s base. Typically, there’s a “top lane”, a “mid lane”, and a “bot lane”.
• Gank: An ambush where one or more players surprise an opponent, often by leaving their own lane.
• Jungle: Area of the map between lanes, populated by neutral monsters. Players, especially “junglers”, venture here to slay these creatures, gaining experience and gold.
• Boss or Epic Monster: Powerful creatures usually found in the jungle. They grant significant benefits when defeated but often require team coordination.
• Adversary: In MOBA’s context, this refers to an enemy champion controlled by another player or sometimes AI-controlled minions advancing along the lanes.
• Champion: The character a player controls. Every champion boasts unique abilities and playstyles.
• Level: In MOBA, every champion generally starts at level 1, levelling up by amassing experience. Reaching a new level often enables skill enhancement or acquisition.

VIDEO GAME TECHNICAL JARGON 💽 Beyond player language, the gaming realm is also brimming with technical terminology. This vocabulary is used to depict game mechanics, game types, and other industry-specific nuances.

• Game as a service: A business model where games are provided on a subscription basis rather than being sold as singular products. Players pay a monthly or annual subscription to access the game.
• Stand alone: A game that can be played by itself, without needing other games or expansions. Opposite of a game that’s part of a series or requires add-ons.
• DLC: A downloadable content extension offering access to new levels, features, characters, etc.
• Old play: Playing older video games, often on obsolete consoles or operating systems.
• Lore: Within games, lore comprises the background stories and information breathing life into the game’s universe.

ENGLISH TERMS IN THE GAMING WORLD 🌍 Numerous gaming terms are in English, despite many players not being native speakers. These terms have been embraced by the gaming community, becoming integral to gaming jargon.

• Hitbox: Indicates a character or object’s area in a game that can be hit or affected by attacks or actions. It determines whether an attack lands.
• Farming: In English, this can translate to “cultivating” or “farming”. In MOBAs, for instance, it signifies the act of slaying minions or monsters to gather gold and experience.
• Buff/Debuff: A “buff” is a temporary character attribute enhancement, while a “debuff” is a temporary reduction or weakening. Commonly used in RPGs and MOBAs.
• Cooldown: Directly translated as “cooling”, it’s the period required before an ability or spell can be used again post-activation.
• Kiting: Describes the tactic of attacking an enemy while maintaining distance, usually moving and luring the foe behind.
• Nerf: When a game element (often a character or skill) is deemed too strong, it might be “nerfed”, meaning weakened or made less effective by game developers.
• Meta: Short for “metagame”, this alludes to the “strategy of the game beyond the game”. Refers to the tactics, characters, and strategies presently popular or perceived as most effective.
• FPS (First Person Shooter): Denotes first-person shooter games. In such games, players view the game world as if through their character’s eyes. Notable FPS examples: Counter Strike and Call of Duty.
• HP (Hit Points): Hit Points, or HP, gauge the amount of damage a character can sustain before being defeated or dying. In fighting games like Street Fighter, a character’s health bar visually represents their HP.
• Controller: English for “game controller”, denoting the device a player uses to govern their in-game character’s actions.

GAMING SLANG AND POPULAR PHRASES 🗣️ Over time, players have formulated their unique jargon, often a mix of English and game industry-specific terms. These phrases are frequently used in online game chats and discussion forums.

• GG (Good Game): A common English expression used post-match to commend fellow players for a game well played.
• Noob: A derogatory term for a newcomer or a player lacking skill. Derived from the English “newbie”.
• Pwned: A slang term, typically denoting a player entirely defeated or dominated by another.
• AFK (Away From Keyboard): Indicates that a player is momentarily away from their console or keyboard.
• Rage Quit: When a player exits a game prematurely due to frustration or anger, often post-defeat.
• GGWP (Good Game Well Played): An extended form of “GG”, complimenting opponents on an especially well-executed match.
• GLHF (Good Luck Have Fun): Often voiced at a game’s onset to wish all players good luck and enjoyment.
• Feed/Feeder: A “feeding” player unintentionally gifts points, gold, or experience to the opposing team through repeated deaths. A “feeder” is thus someone making this blunder.
• Carry: A player “carrying” their team plays a major game impact, typically achieving numerous kills and spearheading strategies.
• Squishy: Refers to a character easily killed due to low health or defence.
• Tank: A character type designed to withstand significant damage and shield less sturdy allies.
• DPS (Damage Per Second): Indicates either a character’s per-second damage output or a damage-focused character type.
• Loot: Rewards or items acquired after vanquishing a foe or completing a quest.
• Grind: Repeatedly undertaking an in-game activity (like monster slaying) to earn experience, gold, or other perks.
• Buff: A character’s temporary or permanent stat or ability enhancement.
• Camper: A player stationed at a specific, often concealed spot, to effortlessly kill passing opponents, typically in shooter games.

The gaming universe is undeniably rich and enthralling. However, for novices, the gaming jargon might seem perplexing. With this lexicon, we hope you’re now better equipped to venture into the video game world.

GL HF 😉