Video Games Glossary

Possibility given to the player to make choices that have a perceptible impact on the experience or its consequences.

Cycle of recurring actions, such as exploring, fighting, gathering resources, then upgrading gear, that structures the experience.

Secret or developer-provided command altering certain rules, resources, or abilities; distinct from external cheating software.

Accomplishing the full set of objectives chosen by the game or community to consider content entirely finished.

Criterion that triggers success in a match, such as reaching a score, capturing a base, or eliminating an opponent.

Situation ending an attempt or preventing the game-defined objective from being achieved.

Evolution of complexity and demand throughout the game, determined by expected learning and obstacles encountered.

Playable excerpt of a game allowing one to experience part of it before or independently of its full release.

Progressive introduction of rules and interfaces during the first minutes or hours, ideally without excessively interrupting play.

Level of resistance opposed to the player by rules, opponents, timers, or resource constraints; it can be adjustable or dynamic.

Intentional secret hidden by the creators, often as a reference, gag, or unexpected feature.

Appearance of unscripted-in-detail situations resulting from the interaction of multiple rules or systems.

Adjustment of rules, resources, and abilities to limit undesirable imbalances between strategies, characters, or situations.

Visual, audio, or tactile response informing the player of the consequences of an action, event, or mistake.

Different conclusion reachable based on choices, conditions, or actions completed during the game.

Screen or state indicating that the attempt ends following a failure or exhaustion of ways to continue.

Feeling of being mentally engaged in the game's world or activity, not necessarily requiring realistic representation.

Game offering choices or paths that genuinely change the order, flow, or outcome of some sequences.

Experience whose environments or events follow a mostly predefined order, with limited route freedom.

Interactive work executed by a computing device, in which the player's actions influence images, sounds, or a system of rules.

Set of actions, rules, and reactions that concretely determine how a person plays and interacts with a game.

Ease with which the player distinguishes important information: enemies, dangers, objectives, interfaces, and possible actions.

Precise rule or action offered to the player, such as jumping, trading items, dodging, or building.

Distinct configuration of rules or objectives, such as campaign, survival, cooperation, or competition.

Mode prioritising progress through a scripted campaign, sometimes with its own difficulty or rules.

Mode designed for one active person in the game, even if a connection or community features remain available.

Spatial organisation offering a large explorable area with variable freedom of movement; it can still feature very directed missions.

Rule where a character's death permanently removes defined progression, sometimes the entire run.

New run started after a first ending while keeping certain unlocks, possibly with additional rules or challenges.

Result a mission, mode, or system offers the player to achieve, either mandatorily or optionally.

Gameplay session or attempt, notably when a game requires starting over from a recurring starting point.

Saved step allowing resumption after a failure; it does not always correspond to a permanent save.

Formal constraint determining what is allowed, forbidden, or triggers a consequence in the playable world.

Ability of a game to offer renewed interest across additional sessions through its choices, challenges, or variations.

Return of a character or object in the game after its disappearance, often from a defined point.

Common abbreviation for the programmed randomness influencing draws, events, or loot.

Structure favouring freedom of experimentation with systems or tools, with few or no imposed objectives.

Recording of a game state to resume the adventure or return to a saved progression.

Recording triggered by the game without explicit player action, at defined frequencies or moments.

Numerical value evaluating performance according to game-defined point criteria.

Continuous period during which a person uses a game, regardless of the rounds or attempts performed.

Symbolic reward recorded by the game or platform for a completed action, challenge, or step.

Set of interdependent mechanics whose interactions produce the situations encountered in a session.

Sequence or device intended to teach essential commands, rules, and mechanics.

Family of games primarily requiring immediate reactions, a sense of rhythm, or direct mastery of movement and combat.

Genre combining real-time interactions, movement, exploration, and progression through obstacles or puzzles.

Competitive shooter emphasising mobility, map control, and pickup-based resources in an arena.

Competitive mode gathering many participants with successive eliminations until a survivor or team remains, often in a shrinking zone.

Game in which the player progresses through levels by fighting successive groups of enemies, often in close combat.

Contemporary label for FPS inspired by the fast and labyrinthine codes of 1990s shooters; not an official historical category.

Form of shooter where the screen fills with projectile patterns to be read and threaded precisely.

Runner or dodger game with continuous progression and no fixed finish line, often increasing in difficulty with distance.

Puzzle game generally requiring understanding a closed environment and combining clues to escape.

Shooter in which the player enters a zone, gathers resources or completes an objective, and extracts, or risks losing equipment.

Shooter primarily presented through the controlled character's point of view, as if looking through their eyes.

Expression referring, depending on context, to an action game centred on many fights, or in some RPGs to a progression dominated by combat and loot.

Shooter whose playable characters have distinct abilities and whose team compositions structure the encounters.

Horror approach based on perception, ambiguity, or mental unease rather than only on adversaries and jump scares.

Family of games valuing consistent systems and multiple solutions to a problem, notably through interaction with the environment.

Genre where exploration, narration, and solving situations or puzzles play a central role.

Genre organised around duels or arena combat, with strikes, movement, and interactions specific to fighters.

Genre in which assembling elements and creating structures is the main activity or one of its pillars.

Genre centred on mastering competitive, timed, or opposed movement on a track or course.

Genre requiring actions to be synchronised with musical or temporal cues.

Simulation or playful interpretation of a sport, with rules more or less close to its real equivalent.

Game where one must maintain vital resources or conditions, often by exploring, crafting, and facing threats.

Genre in which aiming and using weapons or projectiles is a dominant mechanic.

Game requiring observation, gathering clues, and establishing links to solve a mystery or case.

Generally accessible and stylised racing game with short tracks, offensive or defensive items, and interactions between competitors.

Action-exploration sub-genre characterised by an interconnected world where new paths open using acquired abilities.

Genre built on movement and jumping between surfaces, often requiring timing or trajectory precision.

Adventure game controlled primarily by selecting objects, characters, or destinations with a pointer.

Genre centred on solving problems through logic, observation, assembly, or understanding rules.

Shooter where main progression or movement is automatically guided while the player focuses on aiming.

Action game combining continuous movement, jumps, and sustained shooting against many enemies.

Genre centred on shooting and dodging projectiles, often with a vehicle or character advancing through a constrained space.

Family of games inspired by certain Dark Souls conventions: demanding combat, enemy learning, and risk management; boundaries remain variable.

Gameplay favouring avoidance of detection, observation of patrols, and exploitation of enemy areas or behaviours.

Horror genre where exploration, vulnerability, uncertainty, and sometimes resource scarcity create lasting tension.

Shooter emphasising preparation, positioning, coordination, and shot consequences.

Shooter whose camera shows the character from an external viewpoint, often behind their shoulder.

Informal label for experiences mostly built on movement, observation, and narrative discovery, generally with few complex actions.

Strategy genre structured around four conventional goals: exploration, expansion, resource exploitation, and extermination or domination.

Role-playing game where combat requires commands executed in real time rather than being resolved exclusively through menus or turns.

Game in which units are recruited and positioned before largely automated battles, with strategy focused on composition.

Game whose battles are organised primarily around cards with specific effects and rules.

Management game in which one plans and develops a city, its infrastructure, economy, or population.

Colony simulation whose management of inhabitants, events, constructions, and shortages creates unforeseen situations.

Computer role-playing game associated with traditions of choice, stats, dialogue, or party control; usage of the term varies between communities.

Game simulating romantic relationships through interactions, choices, and affinity systems; not always the same as a visual novel.

Game or mechanic in which cards are acquired, removed, and combined throughout a run to evolve one's strategy.

Game centred on repeated exploration of dungeons, labyrinths, or floors, with combat, loot, and progression management.

Game giving broad influence over a world or population, sometimes indirectly rather than controlling each individual.

Strategy game covering large-scale political, economic, diplomatic, or military systems, generally over a long time span.

Game in which resources or progression largely continue to accumulate without constant player input.

Game based on cumulative numerical growth, often through upgrade purchases and automated mechanisms.

Game where participants have fundamentally different roles, means, or objectives rather than identical tools.

Game whose main interest lies in mastering a vehicle and its physics, not necessarily requiring competition.

Game centred on administering a system, business, population, or resources toward defined goals.

Game designed with an explicit pedagogical purpose, in addition to its possible entertainment function.

Creation combining several families of mechanics, none of which alone describes the experience.

Cross-cutting category where writing and story progression form a major part of the experience.

Label historically associated with Japanese role-playing games and certain staging or progression conventions; it does not describe a single system.

Online game or environment accommodating a large simultaneous population, not necessarily imposing RPG systems.

Online multiplayer role-playing game gathering a persistent population or many players in a shared world.

Competitive arena generally opposing two teams around heroes with abilities and map objectives.

Game designed for short, collective sessions, favouring immediately understandable rules and social interaction.

Genre historically inspired by Rogue, often associated with generated levels, restarted runs, and high lethality; no universal boundary is agreed upon.

Label used for games borrowing roguelike elements while often introducing progression kept between runs; non-standard usage.

Role-playing game where one plays a character or party progressing through stats, skills, equipment, and progression choices.

Strategy game where units, resources, and buildings are managed while action continues without waiting for each decision.

Game designed with a primary non-recreational purpose, such as learning, awareness, research, or training.

Intermediate form between technical simulation and arcade game, often used to describe certain racing experiences.

Genre aiming to represent the functioning of an activity or system, with widely varying degrees of fidelity.

Game whose interactions, relationships, and routines of characters form the main substance of the experience.

Strategy game in which players or factions take their decisions in turns according to sequencing rules.

Role-playing game organising combat around positions, movement, and tactical decisions, often on a grid or turn-based.

Game in which the player places and upgrades defences to prevent enemy waves from reaching a target.

Interactive work primarily based on text, illustrations, and dialogue, with more or fewer choices.

Interface presenting abilities to unlock following a structure of branches, prerequisites, or point expenditures.

Fundamental value of a character, such as strength or intelligence, influencing several abilities or calculations.

Return to previously explored areas, sometimes to open new paths using recently acquired abilities.

Chosen combination of stats, skills, equipment, and synergies defining a playstyle; 'build' also means a software build elsewhere.

Items or resources recovered from an enemy, in a chest, or as a reward for an activity.

Representation or play space containing the locations, objectives, and areas traversed by the player.

Archetype defined by skills, role, or progression path, such as warrior, mage, or healer.

Creation of items from gathered materials according to recipes, plans, or assembly rules.

Appearance or obtainment of a reward following an action; may refer to a drop rate.

Resource expressing an item's wear and possibly requiring it to be repaired or replaced.

System of production, circulation, exchange, and destruction of resources and currencies within a game.

Set of items worn or used by a character to modify protection, attacks, or abilities.

Points earned by performing actions and often used to advance a character or account.

Voluntary repetition of an activity to accumulate experience, equipment, or currency predictably.

Prolonged repetition of actions to progress, often with low variety or modest yield.

Central space from which one accesses several activities, zones, or missions, and to which one regularly returns.

System for storing and consulting the items, resources, and equipment held during a game.

Adjustment of opponent or reward power based on the player's or zone's progression.

Stage directly contributing to the game's central progression or dominant storyline.

Unit of exchange specific to a game or account, earned, bought, or awarded according to the business model.

Advancing to a progression tier potentially granting stats, abilities, or new possibilities.

Segment of a game or progression tier of a character; the meaning depends on context and should be distinguished from map.

Additional condition that is not required to succeed in the mission but may unlock a reward.

Optional element hidden or scattered through a level and tied to a discovery or completion goal.

Limit or stat influencing the quantity of items that can be carried and sometimes character mobility.

Resource granted through progression and used to unlock or improve an ability.

Mechanic offering a new progression cycle after a reset in exchange for lasting bonuses or unique advantages.

Scripted or systemic objective given to the player, often including steps, conditions, and rewards.

Optional mission distinct from the main objective, which can enrich the world, progression, or character relationships.

Category distinguishing items by obtainment frequency or intended value, without guaranteeing actual effectiveness.

List of ingredients, quantities, and conditions needed to create an item or piece of equipment.

Resource or benefit granted based on a daily login or action, according to calendar rules.

Voluntary or automatic return of certain stats, resources, or steps to their initial state.

Feature allowing redistribution of a character's points, talents, or stats after they have been chosen.

Delimited period during which content, rankings, or progression rules are renewed.

More precise orientation of a class or character, obtained by choosing particular talents or equipment.

Quantified value characterising a character, item, opponent, or game system.

Series of consecutive days or matches meeting a condition, often valued by a counter or rewards.

Weighted list of rewards a system can produce according to defined conditions and probabilities.

Probability associated with obtaining a given item in an eligible attempt.

Accelerated movement between known locations, generally through a menu or transport points.

Identifiable portion of the world defined by its geography, rules, danger level, or technical streaming.

Action of aiming using the sight or optic of a weapon, often with a change in field of view.

Level of threat or attention a character generates from game-controlled opponents.

Mechanism built into the game that eases aiming based on inputs; it should not be confused with a cheating aimbot.

Movement or signal preceding an attack and giving information about its direction, timing, or power.

Effect that simultaneously hits an area or several targets within its perimeter.

Action that absorbs or reduces a hit, often at the cost of stamina, resistance, or maintaining a posture.

Particular opponent, usually more elaborate or resistant, serving as a notable challenge at a stage of the game.

Mode or sequence pitting the player against several successive bosses, often with little exploration in between.

Temporary or permanent effect improving a statistic, ability, or action conditions of a character.

Chain of jumps used to maintain or modify speed thanks to a game's movement rules.

High amount of damage dealt in a very short time, as opposed to sustained output.

Allowed interruption of one animation or action by another, used notably in fighting games.

Chain of hits or actions whose transitions produce a coherent sequence that is hard to interrupt.

Retaliation performed after or during an opponent's action, sometimes gated by a parry or timing window.

Effect hindering the actions of a target or group, notably by slowing, immobilising, or stunning.

Mandatory delay before being able to reuse an ability, item, or action.

Attack benefiting from a multiplier or additional effect according to a specific probability or condition.

Effect temporarily reducing an ability, statistic, or action option of a target.

Damage applied to targets in a zone; the name describes the impact and not necessarily every AOE effect.

Damage applied progressively after an effect, such as poison, fire, or bleed.

Measure of the amount of damage dealt over time, used to compare attacks, equipment, or offensive roles.

Resource consumed by physical actions such as running, attacking, blocking, or dodging, and usually regenerated.

Action allowing one to avoid an attack through movement, temporary invulnerability, or a combination of both.

Frames during which a character does not take certain damage, often during a dodge or animation.

Rule allowing a player's attacks to damage their allies or teammates.

Role specialised in restoring survival resources and sometimes in removing negative effects.

Volume or zone calculated to detect a collision or strike; it can differ from a character's visible outline.

Firing method that immediately checks a trajectory or ray instead of simulating a projectile's continuous movement.

Time during which a hit character cannot act normally as a result of the attack's impact.

Zone where a character can actually receive damage, distinct from volumes used for their attacks.

Feature that keeps a selected target in view to orient the camera, attacks, or follow-up on the opponent.

Resource used to cast spells or special abilities; its name and behaviour vary by game.

Intermediate special opponent, more demanding than a regular enemy but distinct from major boss fights.

Defensive action performed with precise timing that can deflect an attack or open a counter-attack.

Recognisable sequence of actions or movements in an enemy that can be anticipated through observation.

Stat or mechanic determining resistance to interruption and stagger during an animation.

Object or entity whose trajectory is simulated after firing, possibly with speed, drop, or lifetime.

Value representing a character or object's resistance to damage, whose depletion often means defeat.

Movement imposed on the weapon or aim after a shot, influencing mastery of subsequent shots.

Practice and attempt to finish a game or objective as quickly as possible, following the rules of a timed competition category.

Imbalance caused by hits that may interrupt enemy actions or open an opening.

Special condition applied to an entity, such as freeze, poison, sleep, silence, or invisibility.

Lateral movement performed without necessarily turning the viewpoint, common in action and shooter games.

Role improving team performance through healing, protection, information, or control, not limited to healing.

Role consisting of absorbing, avoiding, or deflecting attacks to protect the team.

Ability intended to draw or force an opponent's attention toward a character, depending on the threat system.

Localized impact on a target's head, to which some games attribute specific damage or effects.

Visible indicator announcing an attack's future area to allow the player to react.

System classifying a character's values or behaviours along moral or ideological axes defined by the game.

Character, group, or force opposing the protagonist's main objectives within the story.

Structure linking the lines and choices of a conversation through branches and conditions.

Set of events and works considered official within the continuity of a given franchise.

Player decision producing a lasting or identifiable effect on the plot, relationships, or world.

Decision that changes the presentation or a line of dialogue but not substantially the systems or outcome of the story.

Staged sequence, real-time or pre-rendered, during which direct control is generally reduced or suspended.

Interruption of a story at a moment of tension or uncertainty intended to maintain anticipation.

Integrated in-game encyclopedia gathering information on characters, locations, creatures, or events discovered.

Character accompanying the protagonist, able to assist in combat, talk, or influence the story's evolution.

Interactive conversation where the proposed responses can alter relationships or events.

Exchange whose lines adapt to game variables, events, stats, or prior choices.

Organised group within the world with a specific identity, interests, or relations with the player.

Conclusion that intentionally leaves major questions unanswered or allows multiple interpretations.

Interface listing the objectives, hints, and stages of missions in progress or completed.

Horror device triggering a sudden fright, often through a sudden appearance or sound effect.

Body of knowledge about the fictional world: its history, peoples, events, rules, and traditions.

Narrative voice or source whose information is intentionally incomplete, biased, or misleading.

Conveying information through locations, objects, traces, or layout rather than direct verbal exposition.

Designing how story, mechanics, space, interfaces, and player choices together produce meaning.

Character controlled by the player and associated with direct actions or decisions.

Character in the game world not directly played by the player, generally driven by scripts or AI.

Main character or central figure around which the story is organised, whether playable or not.

Mission whose flow includes multiple paths or outcomes based on decisions and conditions.

Story the player retrospectively builds from events generated by systems, without being written scene by scene.

Indicator evaluating how a character is perceived by a faction or community, sometimes gating interactions.

After-the-fact modification of established facts in a series' universe to ensure or redirect continuity.

Organisation of a game's events, characters, and conflicts, with a structure that can be fixed or interactive.

Value recording a choice or situation to later adapt dialogue, missions, or endings.

Work of designing the coherence of a universe: geography, cultures, conflicts, technologies, and functioning of its institutions.

Technique that immediately displays the likely result of an input before server confirmation to reduce perceived latency.

Mode where several players pursue common objectives by helping each other or sharing resources.

Ability for players on different platforms to participate in the same online matches.

Continuity of levels, items, or account-bound unlocks across multiple versions or platforms of a game.

Ability to continue the same save across multiple compatible platforms or devices.

Communication break preventing a player from continuing an online session normally.

Gap between states simulated on multiple machines, leading to contradictory positions or events.

Display dividing one screen into several views, generally one per local player.

Ranking system based on match results and estimated levels; some games use derivatives.

System placing players in line to join a match, server, or capacity-limited activity.

Lasting organisation of players sharing identity, coordination, or objectives; the name depends on the game.

Architecture where participants' machines exchange data directly, with or without intermediary services.

Machine or player responsible for creating or administering a session, sometimes also running the simulation.

Separate copy of a space or activity, intended for a limited group of players within a larger world.

Variation in packet transmission delay, likely to cause an impression of irregularity.

Perceptible delay in inputs or synchronisation, possibly due to network, server, or performance issues.

Server-side adjustment to reconcile received actions with past states, notably for shots.

Local network allowing communication between nearby machines without requiring an Internet-accessible game server.

Delay between an action or data emission and its perception or acknowledgement; it can come from the network or system.

Waiting and configuration space where participants gather before launching a match.

System that automatically forms matches by grouping players according to defined criteria.

Transfer of match responsibility to another participant when the initial host leaves the session.

Value estimating a player's competitive level to improve matchmaking; its calculation varies by game.

Environment whose state or progression continues beyond a given player's session.

Mode allowing several people to participate in the same environment or linked matches, locally or online.

Multiplayer on the same hardware or proximity network, not necessarily going through the Internet.

Set of communication, synchronisation, and compensation mechanisms used in a multiplayer game.

Group of players gathered to play, communicate, and join activities together.

Loss of part of the data transmitted over the network, potentially causing desyncs or erratic movements.

Round-trip time measured between a device and a network service, usually expressed in milliseconds.

Mode or situation where players primarily face opponents and challenges controlled by the game.

Mode or situation where human players face each other directly.

Mode mixing player-versus-player combat and game-controlled dangers in the same space.

Long or demanding cooperative activity generally requiring collective organisation and multi-step objectives.

Competitive mode whose results affect a rank, division, or ranking score.

Procedure allowing rejoining a match after an interruption, if rules and infrastructure allow.

Geographic or logical zone chosen to host matches, possibly affecting latency and available populations.

Method that predicts some inputs and briefly re-simulates past states when remote data arrives.

Effect of a character snapping back to a corrected position after divergence between client and server.

Software or machine maintaining a shared state, rules, or services needed for multiplayer sessions.

Instance responsible for hosting a match without requiring a participating player to also act as host.

Partition of an online world constituting a distinct population or set of servers.

Frequency at which a server simulates or updates its game state, distinct from the number of frames displayed on screen.

Abbreviation of 'away from keyboard' indicating that a player is momentarily absent or inactive.

Secondary character created or used in addition to a player's main character.

Increase in power or performance; may also refer to a speed-up or a ranked-boost service depending on context.

Strategy of staying in one location for a long time to watch an area or ambush opponents.

Player whose performance contributes dominantly to a team's success; may also mean 'to carry' a match.

Occasional player or experience designed for relatively light engagement; the term does not measure intrinsic skill.

Tactic that exploits a weakness, shortcut, or unexpected interaction to overcome a challenge with low risk.

Decisive successful action in a difficult situation, often when victory seems compromised.

Return in a match after a significant disadvantage, up to overturning or balancing the outcome.

Player seeking to discover or finish all challenges and content considered for exhaustive completion.

Use of a game's unintended behaviour to gain an advantage or produce an unusual result.

Repeatedly offering kills or advantages to the opponent, intentionally or otherwise depending on the situation.

Aggressive message or online argument seeking verbal confrontation more than constructive exchange.

'Fear of missing out': fear of missing a time-limited event, reward, or offer.

Coordinated or surprise attack against a target, often from numerical superiority and without a fair frontal engagement.

'Good game': phrase commonly used to acknowledge a match, sincerely or sometimes ironically.

'Good game, easy': phrase used to claim a win was easy, often perceived as provocative.

'Good luck, have fun': wish of good luck and enjoyment addressed to participants before a match.

Observable anomaly in a game's behaviour or display, not necessarily a blocking failure.

Behaviour aimed at deliberately disrupting other players' experience rather than playing toward the collective objective.

Variable expression designating a player highly invested in time, knowledge, or expectations; not an official category.

Tactic of luring an enemy while staying mobile to avoid their attacks while dealing damage.

'Looking for group': message indicating a player is looking for partners for an activity.

Character, class, or role the player mainly uses or masters.

Image, expression, or reference from gaming that circulates and transforms within communities.

Set of strategies and choices considered effective at a given moment in a community; their value changes with updates.

Optimisation strongly favouring certain characteristics over others to reach a targeted performance.

Voluntary reduction of an element's power or effectiveness through a balance change.

Person new to a game or community; the term is generally more descriptive than 'noob'.

Often pejorative term for a person considered inexperienced or clumsy; not to be confused with the neutral 'newbie'.

Qualifier for a weapon, ability, or strategy considered too strong relative to the other options.

Action of drawing one or more enemies toward one's group to trigger combat under chosen conditions.

Abrupt departure from a match driven by frustration or anger.

Secondary account used by an experienced player, often at a ranking lower than their actual level.

Elimination of an opponent shortly after they respawn, sometimes before they can reposition.

Information revealing a narrative element or discovery that some people prefer to encounter for themselves.

Informal qualifier for a match or player that is particularly competitive and demanding.

State of frustration disrupting a player's decisions and performance after a series of unfavourable events.

Set of harmful behaviours in a community, such as insults, harassment, or deliberate sabotage.

Person or intervention aimed at provoking reactions by deliberately disrupting a conversation or match.

Player who intensely tries to win or optimise; the word can be descriptive or mocking depending on context.

Elimination of an entire group or collective failure generally forcing a rematch.

'Well played': compliment meaning that an action or performance was well executed.

Person responsible for studying strategies, compositions, and results to prepare a team or commentate on a competition.

Confrontation of the best of three or five games: the first to win the required majority takes the series.

Structure that distributes tournament matchups and determines opponents as results come in.

Recording of images produced during a session, to be distinguished from performance capture of actors in production.

Commentator who describes and explains the unfolding of an esports match live.

Discussion area associated with a broadcast, where viewers react in real time.

Short video segment cut from a stream or capture to be shared separately.

Supervisor helping players structure their training, communication, and tactical decisions.

Format where participants generally need two losses before being eliminated from the tournament.

Organised selection procedure of characters, maps, or units following a defined order and rules.

Tournament format where a loss generally means elimination from the competition.

Organised competitive practice of video games, with players, teams, rules, competitions, and sometimes professional activity.

Resource detailing mechanics, choices, and methods to progress or reach an objective.

Short excerpt selecting a remarkable, funny, or decisive action from a match or broadcast.

Ratio or set of statistics based on kills, deaths, and assists; the exact formula depends on the game.

Physical gathering where participants play together, historically by connecting their machines to a local network.

Video or series showing a person playing, generally accompanied by commentary and reactions.

Feature allowing observation of a match without controlling a participant; a broadcast delay may limit information-based advantages.

Set of rules and interventions aimed at governing behaviour and exchanges in a community.

Graphic layer overlaid on the game to display scores, camera, commentary, or stream information.

Update likely to change the balance, strategies, or rules applicable to a competition.

Selection and exclusion phase of characters, maps, or options before a competitive match.

Group format where each participant meets every other according to a defined schedule.

Organised practice match between players or teams, intended to prepare for a competition.

Position assigned to a participant based on ranking or organisational criteria to compose a bracket.

Person broadcasting their gameplay sessions or associated content live on a platform.

Distribution of an audiovisual stream live or on demand, notably to share a match.

Set of matches organised according to rules to determine a ranking or a winner.

Recording of a live broadcast viewable after airing; the term does not only refer to a movie service.

Documented path explaining how to finish a game or section, in text or video form.

Visual or functional cue suggesting what an element allows to do, such as a ledge indicating a climbing opportunity.

Mechanism that limits gaps by slowing leaders or helping struggling participants.

Mechanism by which an initial advantage makes it easier to obtain further advantages, creating a cumulative effect.

Mechanic that hides unexplored areas or areas outside the current line of sight in a strategy game.

Rule allowing a trailing player to reduce the gap without guaranteeing they will regain the lead.

Option that outperforms others in most situations, potentially reducing strategic diversity if unintentional.

Progression of understanding and mastery of systems required or facilitated by the game.

Choice presenting understandable consequences and options that are genuinely different from the player's perspective.

System dynamically adjusting enemy spawns, intensity, or events based on parameters observed during the match.

Organisation of gains and expenditures of points, items, or currencies to create trade-offs between actions.

Perceived continuity between actions, information, and obstacles, or state of balanced engagement between challenge and mastery depending on context.

Discipline that defines the rules, mechanics, objectives, interactions, and structure of the experience offered to the player.

Professional who designs or adjusts a game's rules, systems, and experiences in collaboration with other teams.

Obstacle preventing access to an area or feature until a condition or ability has been obtained.

Document presenting the game's intentions and systems, evolving with the project and rarely sufficient on its own to ship the game.

Use of randomness in creating or selecting elements; can be part of a broader procedure.

Provisional construction of a level with simple grey or white volumes to test flow, scale, and combat before final art.

Complete lock preventing the player from continuing or interacting normally, often due to a software failure.

Organisation of spaces, obstacles, objectives, and progression rhythms to support the game's mechanics and intentions.

Specialist who builds playable paths and situations, then adjusts them based on playtest feedback.

Reduced version including the features needed to test a product hypothesis; not to be confused with a vertical slice.

Planned alternation of tension, exploration, learning, rest, and rewards throughout the experience.

Session where people play a build to observe understanding, engagement, difficulties, and ergonomic issues.

Creation of spaces, events, or content through algorithms and rules rather than fully manual placement.

Improvements or content kept between several runs, common in games with repeated attempts.

Experimental version created to test an idea or mechanic before committing to full production.

Mechanism that removes currency or items from circulation to control their accumulation.

Relationship between the danger accepted by an action and the potential benefit obtained in return.

Artificial adjustment of competitors' behaviour based on performance gap; distinct from network-induced positional pullback.

Value initialising a pseudo-random generator to reproduce a result sequence under the same conditions.

Use of landmarks, lighting, or compositions to draw attention toward a relevant path or action.

Maximum mastery level that is effectively useful or differentiating in a game system, distinct from ease of access.

Initial skill level needed to obtain baseline results in a game or with a character.

Situation where the game keeps running but progression becomes impossible without reloading or restarting.

Mechanism that injects currency or items into a game's economy.

Governed collection of usage and operational data used to study progression, errors, or performance.

Portion of the game representative of the targeted quality and functioning, combining several disciplines within a limited scope.

Informal label for productions of intermediate scale between small projects and blockbusters, with no universal budget threshold.

Informal designation for productions typically backed by large budgets and teams; it is not an official label.

Professional who gives movement and expression to characters or objects through poses, curves, and animation systems.

Ordered list of tasks, features, and fixes planned for a product or team.

Artist designing and producing the appearance and models of characters, in coordination with animation.

Shared production of a game between several studios according to a division of disciplines or features.

Person managing exchanges and information between the game team and its community within a defined editorial framework.

Musician creating the music pieces accompanying actions, atmospheres, or events of the game.

Artist producing visual explorations to define characters, architecture, objects, or moods before production.

Period of particularly intense, often prolonged work, imposed or accepted to meet production deadlines.

Creator or studio producing outside the usual structures of major publishers; financial and editorial independence vary.

Person responsible for the aesthetic choices and visual coherence of environments, characters, interfaces, and effects.

Person responsible for the coherence of the artistic, narrative, or gameplay vision and its major arbitrations.

Person responsible for technical directions, tools, and architectural constraints on a project.

Company that finances, supports, distributes, or markets a game under varying agreements with the studio.

Developer specialised in the engine's core systems, such as memory, rendering, or execution.

Artist creating the environments, props, and sets that compose a game's visual spaces.

Contractual delegation of tasks to an external provider, for example for artwork or quality assurance.

Reference developer who organises technical decisions and supports the programming team in a domain.

Work of adapting a game to languages and cultural contexts, combining translation, integration, and verification.

Contractual or internal stage used to verify that a set of expected deliverables has been produced.

Organised sequence of steps and tools used to create, validate, and integrate a game's assets.

Finalisation or correction phase preceding delivery; its scope varies and does not replace post-launch maintenance.

Research, prototypes, scoping, and technical or artistic preparation phase before intensive production.

Person coordinating resources, schedule, and production decisions to move a project forward.

Phase of creating and integrating content and features intended to form the final game.

Developer implementing the rules, controls, abilities, and interactions needed for the playable experience.

Tester responsible for identifying, documenting, and reproducing game defects against defined criteria.

Author of texts, dialogue, and narrative elements taking the project's interactive constraints into account.

Set of features and content a project commits to producing within its budget and schedule constraints.

Progressive extension of requirements beyond the initial plan without proportional adjustment of resources or deadlines.

Person handling most of a game's creation alone, possibly with contractors for some tasks.

Creator of sound effects and their integration or behaviour in the interactive environment.

Short, planned work period in some agile management methods, followed by a review of the result.

Organisation responsible for all or part of a game's design and technical or artistic production.

Specialist bridging artists and programmers, notably responsible for shaders, tools, and graphics pipelines.

Pathfinding algorithm that uses accumulated costs and an estimate of the remaining cost to explore possible routes.

Contract defining how software components exchange commands, data, or services.

Hierarchical structure organising an agent's decisions based on evaluated conditions and actions.

Name of a visual scripting system in Unreal Engine; the term can also refer more generally to a technical plan.

Function called following an event or at a defined point in a software operation.

Volume or shape used by the engine to detect physical contacts between entities.

Reusable module attached to an entity to provide functionality, such as a collider or movement system.

System preserving the history of code and files to coordinate changes and revert to a previous state.

Routine that can suspend and resume execution to coordinate actions spread out over time.

Automation of the delivery of validated builds to test or production environments following a defined process.

Computation determining whether two shapes or trajectories meet and can trigger a reaction.

Property of a simulation that produces the same results from the same states and inputs, essential to certain synchronisations.

Architecture separating entity identifiers, component data, and systems operating on that data.

Tool that allows placing, configuring, and testing spaces and objects without rewriting the engine's logic.

Signal indicating that a condition or action has occurred and possibly triggering other behaviours.

Library or development structure providing components, without necessarily constituting a full engine or editor.

Engine entity representing a game element, sometimes associating position, rendering, or behaviour components.

System that automatically reclaims unused memory regions, sometimes causing pauses.

Organisation of memory allocation, use, and release to limit errors and overhead.

Set of techniques driving agent behaviour or system adaptation; does not require machine learning.

Software combining code editing, execution, debugging, and programming tools.

Recurring automation of checks or compilations as changes are added to a shared project.

Model describing several possible states of an entity and the conditions allowing transitions between them.

Methods learning behaviours or predictions from data, sometimes used in game tools or systems.

Interfaces made available so creators can modify or extend a game within an explicit technical framework.

Software suite providing reusable functions to run a game's systems, scenes, rendering, and interactions.

Subsystem computing approximate physical movements and interactions between objects or characters.

Representation of walkable surfaces used to compute paths through an environment.

System organising non-player characters' schedules and activities based on the world's time and rules.

Computation of a route to a destination while avoiding or going around expected obstacles.

Simulation or approximation of movement, gravity, forces, and collisions to produce reactions in a world.

Building logic through nodes or connected blocks rather than exclusively typing code.

Test firing a mathematical ray into a scene to identify intersected objects, useful for shots, aiming, or selection.

Object simulated by a physics engine with properties such as mass, velocity, and response to forces.

Set of objects and settings organised as a content unit in an engine, possibly forming a level or menu.

Program or sequence of commands driving behaviour, an event, or a feature of the game.

Set of tools, libraries, and documents intended for development on a given platform or technology.

Transformation of game data into a recordable or transmittable format, used notably for saves.

Parallel or concurrent execution unit allowing distribution of computations under certain synchronisation constraints.

Common term for a combination of 2D and 3D aspects or techniques, whose definition varies according to presentation and mechanics.

Representation organised primarily along two axes; the technique used does not impose a particular type of gameplay.

Representation of objects and spaces along three geometric dimensions, generally observed through a virtual camera.

Base colour map of a surface, used in some PBR workflows without including certain lighting effects.

Approximation of the darkening in areas where the environment reduces exposure to ambient light.

Set of choices defining the palette, shapes, mood, and aesthetic coherence of a game.

Prior computation of information such as light, shadows, or normals to be stored for faster rendering.

Stylised rendering method producing flat tones and value transitions evoking certain cartoons or comics.

Assembly of several visual layers or passes to obtain the final image or a specific effect.

Detailed geometric model using many polygons, frequently used during sculpting or texture creation.

Assembly of existing visual elements to quickly build a more complex object or environment.

Texture storing precomputed lighting for some surfaces of an environment.

Approach using relatively few polygons, for technical constraints or a deliberate aesthetic style.

Set of parameters and textures defining how a surface reacts to lighting and rendering.

Geometric structure composed notably of vertices, edges, and faces used to represent a 3D object.

PBR parameter indicating how much a surface behaves optically like a metal.

Texture encoding local orientations to simulate surface detail without proportionally increasing geometry.

Movement of decor layers at different speeds to suggest depth in a 2D scene.

Approach to materials and lighting based on models inspired by the physical behaviour of light.

Representation technique making depth and distances appear in an image, according to chosen projection rules.

Reconstruction of 3D objects or surfaces from multiple photographs taken at different angles.

Graphic technique voluntarily constructing images at the pixel scale, with precise control of shapes and palette.

Geometric face of a mesh, generally triangulated before being processed by rendering units.

Parameter representing a surface's roughness and influencing specular spread in PBR rendering.

Acquisition of a real object's shape to produce a digital three-dimensional representation.

Program executed during rendering to compute geometry, pixels, or other visual effects along the chosen pipeline.

2D image or sequence of images representing an object or character in a game; it may be animated.

Sheet grouping several images of the same character or of different objects to facilitate their use.

Ground surface representing relief, generated or sculpted and dressed with materials and decor elements.

Element of a digital texture, analogous to a pixel but expressed in the texture's image space.

Image or data used to modify a surface's appearance: colour, apparent relief, material properties, etc.

Large image grouping multiple textures to facilitate loading or reduce certain rendering costs.

Small reusable graphic element used to compose floors, walls, and environments by assembly.

Grid of tiles visually or logically describing a portion of a level, often in two dimensions.

Organisation of a mesh's vertices and edges, important for deformation, performance, and clarity.

Assignment of 2D coordinates to the surface of a 3D object to apply textures to it.

Tool for distributing and managing plants and trees, often with distance-based optimisation.

Elementary point of a mesh containing a position and possibly colour, normal, or texture data.

Element of a discrete volume, used to represent or modify 3D objects and worlds.

Axonometric projection where the three axes show the same reduction, frequently imitated in fixed-camera games.

Filtering that improves the sharpness of textures viewed at an oblique angle, particularly on distant surfaces.

Techniques that soften jagged edges and other sampling artefacts.

Grouping of compatible rendering operations to reduce setup costs and state changes.

Luminous halo added around intense areas to reproduce or stylise light diffusion.

Component or step limiting overall performance, such as the CPU, GPU, storage, or network.

Processor executing general logic, scripts, simulations, and system tasks, in cooperation with the GPU.

Elimination of the computation or rendering of invisible or irrelevant elements to save resources.

Camera effect rendering certain distances sharp and others blurry according to a focus plane.

Command sent to the GPU to draw part of the scene, whose cost depends on the hardware and context.

Rate of display or production of images, not to be confused with the abbreviation for first-person shooter.

Limit imposed on the number of frames per second to control consumption, heat, stability, or synchronisation.

Regularity with which frames are computed and presented, key to the perception of fluidity.

Time required to produce a frame, often expressed in milliseconds to analyse irregularities.

Technique that eliminates objects outside the virtual camera's visible volume.

Set of lighting effects from indirect light bounces within a scene.

Specialised processor executing massive operations useful for rendering and other parallel computations.

Representation and display capable of handling an extended luminance range; the result depends on the entire chain.

Delay between a physical input and its visible effect on screen, including several processing steps.

Selection of more or less complex representations of an object based on distance, importance, or rendering cost.

Set of progressively reduced texture versions to improve filtering and performance at distance.

Effect simulating the integration of movement during exposure, sometimes adjustable for comfort.

Technique avoiding the rendering of objects hidden by other objects in front of them.

Modification of content or system to reduce its compute or memory cost while preserving the desired result.

Rendering method statistically following many light paths to approximate global illumination.

Instrumented measurement of a system's time or memory cost to identify bottlenecks.

Temporary memory used by a device to hold data and programs needed for execution.

Transformation of projected geometry into fragments or pixels to form an image.

Family of methods simulating light paths to compute reflections, shadows, or lighting with varying levels of accuracy.

Number of pixels making up the produced or displayed image, such as 1920x1080.

Definition at which the engine renders the image before any upscaling to the output resolution.

Visible artefact when several frames are presented during a single display scan.

Progressive loading of assets during play to limit wait times and memory needs.

Perceptible irregularities in display rhythm, even when the average frame rate appears high.

Family of techniques aiming to reconstruct a high-definition image from less detailed information or multiple images.

Anti-aliasing method using information from several successive frames, sometimes introducing blur or trails.

Time required to transfer and prepare data before accessing a space or feature.

Producing a higher-definition output image from a lower-resolution render through interpolation or reconstruction.

Feature aligning frame emission with the display's refresh to reduce tearing, sometimes at the cost of latency.

Memory accessible to the GPU for textures, geometry, buffers, and other rendering resources.

Technology allowing a compatible display to adapt its frequency to the source's frame rate.

Organised change of poses, positions, or parameters over time to bring objects and characters to life.

Computed mix of several animations to produce transitions or combine actions.

Movement computed dynamically from rules, constraints, or conditions rather than fully predefined.

Method where a character's overall movement derives from its animation data rather than from movement imposed separately.

Provisional assembly of images or poses, optionally accompanied by sound, to test the flow of a sequence.

Predefined variation of a model's geometry used notably for facial expressions.

Off-centre framing placed behind the character, common in some third-person shooters.

Framing controlled by the game to stage an event or guide the gaze at a specific moment.

Camera placed or oriented according to a predefined viewpoint, sometimes changed per area or situation.

System that lets the player control the orientation or position of the camera within the intended limits.

Software device determining the framing, position, orientation, and projection of the image seen by the player.

Angle covered by a virtual camera, whose setting modifies the perception of space and sometimes comfort.

Capture of facial expressions to animate a virtual character's face.

Determination of the final pose of an articulated chain from the rotations of its joints.

Computation of joints bringing a limb toward a target position, such as a hand on a handle.

Computation of intermediate values between several key poses or frames to produce a transition.

State of an object or character recorded at a specific time to guide an interpolated animation.

Recording of a real actor or object's movement to guide a digital model's animation.

Capture combining movement, expression, or acting to recreate a performance in a digital scene.

Action requiring the press of a button within a deadline or at a specific moment during a scripted sequence.

Physical simulation of a character's body, often activated after a fall or being knocked out.

Set of virtual bones and controllers allowing manipulation of a 3D model for animation.

Association of a mesh's vertices with joints so that it deforms during animation.

Sequence of images preparing a sequence to plan framing, rhythm, movements, and shot transitions.

Visual perspective placed at the played character's level or perception, without a persistent external camera.

Perspective showing the controlled character from an external, free or guided camera.

Set of continuous or occasional sounds that build the acoustic perception of an environment.

Programmed decrease in the level of an audio source according to its distance from the virtual listener.

Sound originating from a source located within the game's world, such as a radio, a door, or a character.

Specialised software bridging game events and the playback, mixing, or adaptation of audio content.

Sound heard by the player but not coming from a source belonging to the fictional world, such as some music themes.

Sound processing giving an impression of origin, distance, and movement of sources around the player.

Set of audio files and metadata grouped together to be loaded and triggered by the game.

Sound segment designed to be repeated continuously or according to a defined sequence.

Supervision of interpretation, rhythm, and coherence of vocal performances during recording.

Recording and integration of voices performing characters in a given language or version.

Automatic reduction of one source's volume, such as music, when an important voice is playing.

Measure or perception of average sound level, useful for balancing comfort and consistency across content.

Dynamic adjustment of volumes and processing between music, dialogue, and effects depending on the situation.

Music whose layers, intensity, transitions, or structure evolve in response to game actions and states.

Attenuation or alteration of a source when an obstacle is placed between it and the virtual listener.

Set of musical compositions associated with a game, sometimes released separately as an album.

Vibratory or tactile signal associated with an action, impact, or game information; a possible complement to audio feedback.

Persistence and set of reflections of a sound evoking the dimensions and materials of a space.

Sound associated with an action or event, such as a footstep, a collision, or a menu opening.

Technique producing headphone cues close to those perceived by the ears in a real space.

Isolated track or grouping of music tracks allowing a piece to be recomposed in layers during gameplay.

Very short musical or sound intervention emphasising an event, reveal, or achievement.

Organised passage from one theme or musical state to another, sometimes synchronised to the tempo.

Narrative voice or commentary heard without the speaker necessarily appearing in the scene.

Feature that helps locate a route or objective via visual, audio, or haptic cues.

Option adapting certain constraints, such as speed, damage, or action windows, without enforcing a single definition of difficulty.

Spoken description of important visual elements when they cannot be inferred from existing sounds.

Information alerting to the presence of themes or effects that may disturb certain audiences before they encounter them.

Input interface using gestures or presses on a screen to directly control game actions.

Option increasing the visual distinction between texts, objects, indicators, and backgrounds.

Set of parameters allowing separate modification of challenge aspects rather than choosing a single global level.

Information overlaid on the game view, such as health, minimap, ammo, or objectives.

Interface integrated into the fictional world, such as a counter on equipment worn by the character.

Information displayed only for the player without physically existing in the world, such as a floating gauge.

Option reversing the relationship between the controller's vertical movement and the camera's vertical direction.

Option allowing an action to be activated either by holding a key or by successive presses.

Symbol indicating a destination or task, sometimes with a distance and direction cue.

Set of commands offered based on the object, situation, or interface element currently selected.

Interface distributing commands around a centre to quickly select an action or item.

Reduced representation of an area displayed during play to aid orientation and localisation.

Setting replacing or modifying virtual spiders to limit a fear trigger for some players.

Set of settings aimed at making certain information more discernible; simple colour filters are not always sufficient.

Configuration allowing the main commands to be performed with one hand or a reduced input set.

Spoken reading of interface elements to allow access to menus and displayed information.

Ability to navigate menus and commands using keys without relying on a pointing device.

Ability to suspend the action at will, when technical or multiplayer constraints allow it.

Sensitivity to lighting effects, flicker, and rapid contrasts, considered in design and visual settings.

Settings that may reduce discomfort, such as FOV, motion blur, and camera movement options.

Function allowing actions to be assigned to different keys or buttons according to the player's preferences and needs.

Parameter modifying the ratio between the input device's movement and the cursor's rotation or speed.

On-screen transcription of spoken dialogue, sometimes accompanied by speaker information.

Text also representing relevant sound information, such as sound effects, important music, or speaker indication.

Technology transforming speech into text, notably to improve access to voice conversations.

Technology converting text into synthetic speech, sometimes used for interface or chat.

Set of elements allowing the player to view information and perform commands, such as menus and indicators.

Overall quality of the player's interaction, including understanding, comfort, efficiency, and satisfaction.

Property making usable objects distinct from the decor through contrasts, symbols, or alternative feedback.

Range of analog movement ignored to prevent unintended actions when the stick returns toward its centre.

Program or cheating device that automates aiming at targets, distinct from in-game aim assist.

Tools and procedures designed to detect or prevent cheating practices in a game.

Temporary or permanent suspension of an account's access to a feature or service for defined reasons.

Software defect producing incorrect, unexpected, or non-compliant behaviour with respect to a defined requirement.

Defect preventing the execution of an essential feature or normal progression, depending on the test context.

Unexpected termination of a game or program following a failure.

Capture of technical data produced during a crash to help diagnose its origin.

Search for and correction of the cause of an issue in code, data, or system behaviour.

Tool allowing inspection of execution, variables, and call stack to understand a failure.

Exploitation of a defect to illicitly copy items or resources in a game.

Erroneous detection treating legitimate activity as forbidden or suspicious behaviour.

Apparent halt of execution or display during which the game no longer responds normally.

Small update published quickly to resolve an important issue without waiting for a larger version.

Recorded sequence of events used to analyse the behaviour of a game, server, or tool.

Update modifying the software to fix defects, adjust balance, or improve some behaviours.

Document presenting changes brought by a version, such as fixes, new features, and balance changes.

Order of handling for a task or defect based on risk, objectives, and available resources.

Set of methods used to control a game's conformity and reliability during development and maintenance.

Document describing the issue, context, reproduction steps, expected result, and actually observed result.

Degradation of response time, fluidity, or resource consumption after a change.

Set of steps and conditions allowing an observed defect to be triggered again.

Measure of a defect's technical or functional impact, distinct from the urgency assigned to its correction.

Governed collection of crash reports to track the frequency and characteristics of failures.

Verification executed by program to repeatedly check expected behaviours or results.

Check of requirements imposed by a platform before publication or update of a game.

Test measuring the behaviour of a service or game as the number of users or requests increases.

Verification of operation on different hardware configurations, system versions, or peripherals.

Verification that a change has not reintroduced a defect or degraded a previously working feature.

Verification that a feature behaves as intended under defined conditions.

Use of means forbidden by match or platform rules to obtain an advantage.

Convention identifying releases of a game or its components to track their evolution.

Weakness of software or service that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability.

Cheating technique revealing opponents or information normally hidden by obstacles.

Release or access to a game still in development, whose content and features may evolve.

Development build still incomplete, used to test core systems before content is finalised.

More advanced build intended to detect issues and gather feedback, without guaranteeing full stability or completeness.

Test phase reserved for selected or invited participants according to defined conditions.

Test phase accessible to a relatively wide audience under the publisher's conditions.

Service offering the discovery, acquisition, and sometimes management of games and downloadable content.

Identifiable assembly of code and resources produced for testing, validation, or distribution; distinct from a character build.

Code used to add or unlock a licence on a given service, subject to its conditions.

Official information announcing a game's availability and providing elements for the public or press.

Update available at launch or around the first day of a game's release.

Date or time before which people with press access contractually commit not to publish certain content.

Voluntary reinterpretation of a game under the constraints or aesthetics of older hardware.

Gradual release of a version according to users, devices, or regions.

Delivery of a game by download or digital service, without mandatory physical media.

Sale of games on physical media such as a cartridge or disc, sometimes with supplementary downloads.

Module or content distributed separately from the base game, free or paid, such as missions, characters, or items.

Technical mechanism governing access or copying of software; its constraints vary by publisher.

Commercial name for a version bundling improvements or content, whose scope depends on the publisher.

Commercial 'Game of the Year' label used for a sometimes enriched re-release; it does not necessarily attest to receiving an award.

Software reproduction of another hardware or system's functions to run programs designed for it.

Agreement or situation limiting a game's availability to certain platforms, territories, or periods.

Availability reserved for a defined period before potential release on other platforms.

Significant additional content enriching a base game, sometimes sold separately or requiring ownership of it.

Announced or effective shutdown of infrastructure needed for some game features, distinct from its removal from storefronts.

Version approved as the basis for manufacturing or release; it may be followed by patches on launch day.

Game designed to receive regular content and activities, often with online infrastructure and ongoing support.

Continuous management of a game's content, events, balance, and services after release.

Technical adaptation of an existing game to run on another platform or architecture.

Purchase or reservation made before a game's announced commercial availability.

New commercial release of an already released title, with or without technical improvements or new content.

Restart of a franchise redefining its continuity, approach, or fundamentals; not necessarily a new version of a specific game.

Version intended for release if final checks do not reveal a defect justifying a new build.

New production of an earlier game rebuilding a significant portion of its content or systems, sometimes with new mechanics.

Version generally keeping the original game and modernising aspects like resolution, textures, sound, or performance.

Ability of a newer platform to run games designed for a previous generation, natively or through adaptation.

Presentation of planned developments and their schedule, which may remain indicative.

Offer granting entitlement to a selection of future or seasonal content according to a defined scope; distinct from a battle pass.

Publication of a game on multiple platforms or territories on the same announced date.

Work of fixes, compatibility, and assistance ensured after a game's initial release.

Game compiled or designed to run directly on a given platform without relying exclusively on emulation of another.

Transaction made within an application or game to obtain a feature, currency, or digital content.

Game designed primarily to promote a brand, product, or advertising campaign.

Metric relating revenue to only the users who paid during the analysed period.

Metric relating a period's revenue to the number of users included, according to a specified method.

System of seasonal rewards unlocked through progression, often split into free and paid tracks.

Acquisition expenses divided by the number of customers obtained, according to the costs and population considered.

Proportion of users or subscribers who stop playing or paying over a given period according to the definition used.

Code granting access to a game for press or review purposes, without determining the editorial independence of a publication.

Transition of a user from one stage to another, such as visit, signup, download, or first purchase.

Content that mainly changes appearance, animations, or presentation rather than stats or game rules.

Number of accounts or users considered active on a given day according to a specified measurement definition.

Icon informing about a type of sensitive element, such as violence or language, alongside a recommended age.

Contract presenting the conditions of use of software or services to end users.

North American game rating body, with age categories and content descriptors.

Mobilisation of public contributions to finance a project, with varying rewards or conditions per platform.

Model granting access to the base game without initial payment, with optional monetisation or other revenue sources.

Model offering free access to part of the product and charging for additional features, services, or content.

System of random draws of items or characters, inspired by Japanese capsule machines, sometimes using purchased currency.

Agreement allowing the use of an existing universe or brand to create or distribute a new product.

Contractual authorisation defining the permitted uses of a work, brand, or technology in a given context.

Virtual container whose contents are random or uncertain before opening; some are paid and others earned in-game.

Estimate of revenue or margin contributed by a user over the whole relationship with the product.

Number of distinct accounts or users considered active over a month according to the chosen method.

Purchase of content, resources, or an advantage within a game, sometimes via an intermediate currency.

Offer periodically charging for access to a game, catalogue, or set of services, under specified conditions.

Internal currency mainly earned by playing, often distinct from a premium currency.

Internal currency generally obtained for real money or occasionally granted, used to acquire certain content.

Model requiring payment to access the game, through purchase, subscription, or other commercial condition.

Controversial label for a model where real spending provides in-game advantages that may affect competition or progression.

European system of age advice and certain sensitive content, without evaluating game difficulty.

Mechanism guaranteeing or increasing the probability of a reward after a certain number of unsuccessful draws.

Model in which the base game is generally acquired through an initial payment, independently of any additional content.

Set of rights attached to creations and distinctive signs, whose scope depends on works, contracts, and laws.

Insertion of advertising messages or formats into a game's interface, world, or services.

Measure of the share of users who return after a first activity, calculated over a defined period or cohort.

Contractual arrangement splitting revenue between multiple parties according to a defined formula and scope.

Organised or massive accumulation of ratings and reviews intended to influence a game's perception, sometimes for reasons unrelated to its quality.

Visual modification of a character, vehicle, or equipment, with no necessary effect on playable stats.

Marketing term for a user whose spending is exceptionally high; the usage can be dehumanising.

Adding a game to a tracking list on a storefront, often studied pre-release as an interest indicator.

Overlay of digital elements on the perception of the real environment, on a screen or specialised device.

Physical media inserted into a console to provide a game's data, using technology specific to each generation.

Keyboard using individual switches for its keys, appreciated in various uses but not strictly required for gaming.

Execution of a game on a remote server with video transmission and input feedback over the network.

Gaming machine primarily designed to be used with an external display in a fixed location.

Device allowing multiple usage modes, notably handheld and connected to an external display.

Standalone device combining controls, screen, and gaming hardware for mobile use.

Set of digital directions allowing precise commands on four main axes and their combinations.

Physical media read by laser, such as CD, DVD, or Blu-ray, used to distribute some games.

Indication of a mouse sensor's sensitivity in counts per inch; not a direct measure of player accuracy.

Controller inspired by arcade cabinets, combining a joystick and large buttons for fighting games.

Input measuring variable pressure, notably for accelerating, braking, or modulating an action.

Distinct graphics chip generally with specialised resources and sometimes its own video memory.

Graphics chip integrated into a processor or SoC, often sharing part of the system memory.

Sensor measuring the rotation speed of a device, used notably for orientation or aiming.

Compact computer combining a screen and physical controls for gaming in a portable form factor.

Mechanical hard drive offering persistent storage with generally higher access times than an SSD.

'Hands on throttle and stick' setup combining a joystick and throttle, used notably in flight simulation.

Directional control lever, standalone or integrated into a pad, used to drive movement and axes.

Furniture or device dedicated to one or more games available in public venues.

Peripheral combining buttons, sticks, or triggers to transmit the player's actions.

Games designed or adapted primarily for smartphones and tablets, with specific interfaces and constraints.

Combination of real and virtual elements that can spatially interact depending on the device's capabilities.

Computer used for gaming, configurable according to compatible systems, components, and peripherals.

Frequency at which a peripheral transmits its state to the host device, generally expressed in hertz.

Feature streaming a game running on one's own machine to another connected device.

Mechanical resistance or torque applied to a peripheral to simulate physical effort and interactions.

Tracking of three translations and three rotations, allowing position and orientation of a device to be detected.

Mouse equipped with sensors and settings suited to certain gaming uses, with configurable sensitivity and buttons.

Flash-memory storage whose fast access can reduce certain loading times.

Directional input measuring gradual tilt, useful for moving a character or camera.

Estimation of a headset, controller, or body part's movement and orientation in space.

Controller reproducing the rotation of a car steering wheel, often with pedals and force feedback.

Technology allowing one to perceive and move through an immersive environment using a headset and adapted inputs.

Speedrun category that imposes a set of completion criteria defined by the community, which do not necessarily match the in-game counter.

Informal term for software that is no longer sold or supported; its abandonment does not automatically place it in the public domain.

Speedrun category aiming to finish the final objective without requiring all optional content, subject to the applicable rules.

Research studying the objects, versions, traces, and material contexts of video games to understand their history.

Low-level software responsible for initialising or running hardware, sometimes required by emulation systems.

Archiving of files and dependencies needed to understand or rebuild software, according to associated rights.

Collaborative resource describing a game's mechanics, strategies, or lore, with quality and reliability varying by governance.

Operation or result of copying data from a medium or component to a digital file.

Program that reproduces enough of a system's behaviour to run software designed for it.

Game created by fans based on or in the spirit of an existing work; using protected elements may require authorisation.

Creation event during which participants produce a game or prototype in a limited time, often around a theme.

Speedrun category forbidding certain exploitable defects according to a list of rules that varies per game.

Software or game developed by individuals for a platform, often outside its official publishing circuit.

File reproducing the data structure of an optical disc, useful for archiving or execution depending on the required authorisations.

Video game work whose version or data is no longer publicly accessible, sometimes despite documented existence.

Modification created for an existing game, adding or replacing content, rules, or interfaces.

Activity of creating, installing, or maintaining modifications made to a game.

Progressive loss of compatibility with newer systems due to technical changes, dependencies, or discontinued services.

Preservation of software, media, code, documentation, and execution conditions to maintain access to gaming heritage.

Modification or mode redistributing items, abilities, or locations according to rules, often from a reproducible seed.

Practice of discovering or replaying older games and systems, on original hardware or by other means.

Digital copy of memory or cartridge data, whose use and distribution conditions depend on applicable rights.

Unofficial modification of a game distributed as a ROM image or patch, possibly changing levels, graphics, or rules.

Artistic and technical community producing real-time audiovisual demonstrations, historically tied to micro-computing.

Community-run service replicating or replacing official online infrastructure; its status depends on the content and authorisations used.

Run constructed using tools that precisely control inputs and states to explore theoretical performance.

Space integrated into some platforms for publishing, discovering, and installing compatible community creations.

Set of remote services handling accounts, saves, matchmaking, storefront, or data required by the game.

Offering that provides ready-to-integrate infrastructure for accounts, statistics, or online services.

Full or partial support of a physical controller, sometimes requiring key configuration.

Linking of multiple platform identifiers to share certain services, purchases, or progression elements according to the rules.

Save synced to a remote service to restore progression on compatible devices.

Interface displayed while resources or a zone are being prepared, sometimes showing tips and information.

Distribution allowing access to part of the game before all content has been downloaded.

Interface whose layout or commands adjust to the device, preferences, or abilities of the user.

Game whose features relying on official servers have become inaccessible after their shutdown.

Title available on several device types, without guaranteeing cross-play between their users.

Mode offering a controlled environment to work on mechanics, combos, or strategies without the constraints of a regular match.

Functionality allowing play without an active Internet connection, possibly after installation or prior validation.

Feature allowing control of framing, pose, or filters to capture images of the game world.

Recording of a match as video or simulation data allowing later review.

Central service listing or coordinating available servers and sessions without necessarily hosting each match's simulation.

Data transfer that continues while a game, menu, or other task remains usable.

Requirement of a persistent connection to launch or use a game, even when some activities appear solo.

Version where some content has been removed or modified by the publisher's decision or regulatory constraint.

Edition adapted or distributed in a territory with specific languages, content, or commercial constraints.