50 Video Gaming Terms & Lingo Every Gamer Needs to Know 

Written by Adorama
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Published on July 6, 2022
video gamers in tournament
video gamers in tournament
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Do you know what MMO, FPS, AoE, FTW, and DPS stand for? Don’t worry — you’re not alone if you don’t know. Those terms and the 45 more in the list below are video gaming terms and lingo, but they’re not so hard to understand. 

If you’re a newcomer to the video gaming world, you may find yourself completely lost in a sea of new video games, terms, and definitions and an ocean of acronyms. Additionally, avid gamers often forget how complicated it can be for newcomers to figure out the language.

With this handy dictionary of video gaming lingo, you’ll be well versed in gamer-speak and ready to communicate with other players in your favorite online games. 

Video Game Genres

There are nine different basic game types, each with a completely different gameplay style, goals, and level of intensity. 

  • Third-Person Shooter (TPS): A shooter game where your vantage point is a camera behind the character you control. 
  • First-Person Shooter (FPS): A shooter game that puts you inside the character you control.
  • MMO: A massively multiplayer game where hundreds or thousands of players share the same persistent online world. 
  • RPG: A single-player role-playing game where you level-up a character over time to take on more powerful foes. 
  • MMORPG: A massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
  • MOBA: Multiplayer online battle arena — a fast-paced, highly competitive game where you command a single hero or champion as part of a team.
  • RTS: Real-time strategy games. Fast-paced tactical action games 
  • SIM: Simulation games simulate real experiences, such as racing or flying. 
  • CCG: Collectible card games are digital versions of classic card games. 
  • 4X: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate games are strategy games where the goal is to take over the world. 
  • Sandbox: A non-linear game with an open world that you can explore freely.
video gamer gaming screens
Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash

Video Gaming Terms, Slang & Lingo

You’ll encounter many different terms in video games that may or may not be easy to understand. This glossary should help you quickly make sense of the jargon.

1-UpAn extra life
AddsAdditional monster summoned by one you’re fighting
AggroWhen a monster is aggravated and focused on you
AFKAway from keyboard
AimbotA cheat mechanism that auto aims for you
AoEAn area of effect attack, meaning an attack with a 360 degree spread
BoABind on account. An in-game item that is tied to your account
BoEBind on equip. An in-game item that you can’t trade after you’ve equipped it
BotsA computer-controlled AI player; sometimes used as an insult referring to new, unskilled players
Buff / DebuffA buff adds powers to your character; a debuff removes powers from your character
CampTo hide and wait for enemies
CB / OBCB – Closed Beta, OB – Open Beta. Both are games that you can try before they’re properly released for sale
CDCooldown: the recharge time after using a special power
DPSDamage per second: a calculation of how much damage per hit and how fast you attack
DungeonA closed-off area of a game with powerful enemies and big rewards
EXP / XPExperience points: the points you earn for completing tasks to increase your character level
FoVField of view: the range of peripheral vision on screen
GG“Good game”
GlitchesA bug in the game that may give a player an advantage.
GrindCompleting repeated tasks to gain XP points
HPHealth/Hit Points: the measurement of how much life your character has left
HUD / UIHeads-up Display / User interface: the display of your player status, skills, and spells
KDR / KRKill-to-death ratio/kill ratio is the number of enemies you killed compared to the number of deaths you had
LagA network or rendering delay that slows your game’s response time
LootItems that drop from enemies or that you find while exploring
ModA mod is a modification that alters the game in some way
MPMana / Magic points allow you to perform magical abilities
NerfA game update that limits the power of a strong weapon or ability
NPCA non-player character that often furthers the story of the game
Noob/NewbieAn inexperienced newcomer to a game
PingThe time measurement in milliseconds between the player’s console/computer and the host server
OPOverpowered: a weapon or ability that is disproportionately powerful compared to other game items
PvEPlayer vs Environment; when you fight a non-player enemy
PvPPlayer vs Player; when you fight another player’s character
QTEA Quick Time Event is a video game section that requires timed button presses
RagequitWhen you quit a game in rage after losing a match
RaidA raid is a team-based mission, usually in a unique dungeon, including significant boss encounters
SkinA cosmetic change to the appearance of your character
TagA player’s online name. In MMORPGs, tag also refers to identifying a target enemy from a group
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