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Sony has published an ultimate list of gaming-related terms that sheds light on some of the most commonly used video game terminology and slang.
You’ve probably heard a number of these over the years, but there’s a handful of terms that are often reserved for specific game genres. “Ganking”, which refers to any in-game death caused by a group of assailants, isn’t something I’ve heard very often, and I’ve never encountered the term “kiting”, the tactic of leading an enemy into a more suitable area for combat, either.
You can sift through the entire A to Z list of gaming terms on PlayStation’s website. Brush up on your general knowledge, or simply find out answers to those questions that you were too embarrassed to ask. Ever wondered what the difference between RPGs, JRPGs, ARPGs, and CPRGs is? Well, wonder no more.
Handily, Sony has provided detailed explanations of each term and even included associated phrases. For example, the definition of “loot” also points readers to “drops” and “RNG”, which are closely related. Some terms are also backed up by specific in-game examples, like how Destiny 2 has an “end-game”, and “hit points” are a mainstay in RPGs like Final Fantasy.
While some gamers might not see the need for such a list, there are plenty of people out there who may be puzzled by some of these terms that many of us take for granted. Again, if you don’t play particular genres like MMOs or first-person shooters online, you may have never encountered a term like “aggro” or “camping” before.
Sony’s gaming glossary also includes explainers on technical terms like ray tracing, frame rates, SSDs, and PS5 specific-tech like haptic feedback, so there’s plenty to learn if you’re not up to speed on the hardware side of things.
Now you know
Sony’s gaming glossary is definitely welcome and should help make more gamers, young and old, feel like they’re more part of the community. Hopefully, Sony will continue to update its list should new trends emerge, and it obviously doesn’t cover every gaming term out there; there’s no mention of dive-bombing from Gran Turismo 7. This is where an opposing driver will deliberately drive into another racer at high speed, ramming them off the track and potentially ending their race in the process.
Still, even if you’ve been a gamer for many years, there’s always something new to learn or something you may have missed in the general conversation, so at least there’s now a place where you can brush up on gaming lexicon.