Playing
- NPC
- Non-player character: anyone in the game controlled by the computer rather than a person.
- HUD
- Heads-up display: the health bars, maps and other information drawn over the game view.
- Checkpoint
- A point the game returns you to after you fail, so you do not start over.
- Save
- A record of your progress. Some games save automatically; others ask you to save by hand.
- Spawn
- To appear in the game world, at the start or after being defeated.
- Boss
- A tougher opponent, often at the end of a level or chapter.
- Grinding
- Repeating a task many times to earn experience, items or currency.
- Quest
- A task or mission with a goal and usually a reward.
- Tutorial
- The opening section that teaches the controls step by step.
Playing with others
- Co-op
- Cooperative play, where players work together toward the same goal.
- PvP and PvE
- Player versus player, against other people; player versus environment, against the computer.
- Local and online
- Local multiplayer happens on one device or in one room. Online play connects over the internet.
- Split screen
- Two or more players share one screen, each seeing their own section.
- Matchmaking
- The system that finds other players of similar skill for an online match.
- Cross-play
- Playing online with people on different platforms.
- Lobby
- A waiting area where players gather before a match starts.
- Toxic
- Hostile or abusive behavior from other players. Mute, block and report it.
Technical terms
- Frame rate (fps)
- How many images the game draws per second. Higher looks smoother.
- Resolution
- The number of pixels in the image. Higher looks sharper.
- Lag
- A delay, usually from a slow connection, that makes online play feel unresponsive.
- Ping
- A measure of the delay between your device and the game server, in milliseconds. Lower is better.
- Patch
- An update that fixes problems or changes a game after release.
- Input lag
- The delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen.
- Cloud save
- Progress stored online, so it can be restored on another device.
- Mod
- A fan-made change to a game. Use mods only from trusted, official sources.
Buying and spending
- DLC
- Downloadable content: extra levels, stories or items added after the main game.
- Free to play
- Games that cost nothing to download and earn money from in-game purchases.
- Microtransaction
- A small in-game purchase, often for currency or cosmetic items.
- Cosmetics
- Items that change how something looks without changing how the game plays.
- Loot box
- A random pack of items bought or earned without knowing the contents.
- Battle pass
- A seasonal track of rewards earned by playing, often with a paid tier.
- Early access
- A game sold while it is still being finished, which may change a lot.
For more on settings words such as V-sync and field of view, see display and audio settings. For spending controls, see parental controls.