A Bug: A bug of the highest priority (a bug that must be fixed, else the game cannot be released).
AAA Game: A game that earns a place among the top ten selling games in the marketplace. Usually this sort of t
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS): Professional membership organization serving the interactive entertainment development community, th
Accounts Payable: The department of a large company whose function is to make payments to vendors and contractors. The
Accounts Receivable: The department of a large company whose function is to send bills to companies that owe money. There
Acquisition: The purchase of a company or IP. Derivative of 'acquire.'
Action Game: Any game that requires fast reflexes on the part of the player.
Adventure: Adventure games tend to be quest based, and include exploration, puzzle-solving, and expansive story
Adventure Game: A game that involves exploration, character interaction, story, and puzzle solving. Different from a
Aftermarket: Phase that occurs after post-production. The game is now in the marketplace, and opportunities now e
Agent: A person or company who represents (acts on behalf of) talent or intellectual property owners. An ag
Aggro: Jargon, derived from the word 'aggravation' can be either a noun or a verb referring to the possibi
Alpha: Term used for a phase of development in the process of making an electronic game. Exact definition v
Alt: An abbreviation for 'alternate' usually used to describe an 'alternate character,' meaning a differe
American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA): Represents the manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of the coin-operated amusement industry (ar
Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA): Organization for the amusement, music, entertainment & vending industry (arcade games, jukeboxes, pi
Analog control: Unlike digital control, which simply registers a button push or joystick direction, analog control i
Analog stick: Sometimes called a 'thumbstick,' an 'analog stick' is an input device for a video game controller, a
Anime: Japanese cartoon drawing style typified by short characters with large eyes. In video games, this st
Anti-Aliasing: A programming technique (or hardware capability) that automatically smoothes jaggy edges, and is esp
Approval: There are three kinds of approval processes in the game industry: (1) A publisher must approve (acce
Arcade: Games described as being 'arcade style' or being of the genre known broadly as 'arcade games' fall i
Arcade Game: A stand-alone game, in either a standing cabinet or a tabletop (sometimes countertop) cabinet, or so
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The routine or algorithm that controls the actions and movements of the npcs in a game. May be very
Assets: (1) Graphic files, movie files, sound files, music files that are used to make a game. (2) Skills an
Assistant Producer: Job title for someone involved in the management of a game project (either at a developer or a publi
Associate degree: According to www.universities.com, this is a degree 'that requires completion of an organized progra
Associate Producer: Job title for someone involved in the management of a game project (either at a developer or a publi
Attract Mode: Most evident in early consoles like the Atari 2600, this mode causes a game not being played to cycl
Avatar: The third-person character in a videogame, such as Grand Theft Auto, that the player controls.
Awesomeness: Often used in two different, quite contradictory ways. 1) As an an indication of an unprecedented le
B Bug: A bug of second-highest priority. Whereas an 'A' bug absolutely must be fixed, it is conceivable to
Bachelors Degree: According to www.universities.com, a degree 'that requires completion of an organized program of stu
Backwards compatibility: This refers to the ability of new technology to run software designed for an earlier iteration of ha
Baduk: Korean name for the game of go.
Beta: This is a stage in the development cycle of a game. When a product is described as being a 'beta' or
Beta Test: Not to be confused with Q.A. Beta testing is usually done to get user feedback to aid in the final t
Bind: A term that can one several meanings. Firstly, it can refer to a specific in-game action being assig
Bit: In the early 90's, this term was often used to indicate the technical capabilities of a console. For
Borked: Slang for 'broken,' and often used ironically, or humorously. Is derived from a combination of thing
Boss: An enemy in a game that is typically larger, and more challenging to beat than others. Typically a '
Boss Monster: Larger-than-life enemy character met at ends of stages, and especially the end of the last stage, of
Bot: An autonomous computer controlled character or opponent, used to mimic the effect of other human pla
Box and Docs: The package and instruction manual for a game that's to be sold in stores. Involves quite a bit of e
Brand Manager: Someone who's responsible for managing a brand. For instance, there's a guy who makes sure that all
Bricked: Used to describe a device that no longer functions, such as a console that will no longer turn on. O
Buddy List: Exactly what it sounds like it might be: a list of friends whose user names are known and saved for
Buffed: When a character or object in a game is made more effective, or useful due to a change in the game's
Bug: A problem, usually one that can be fixed by changing some code.
Bundling: The practice of including software together with new hardware for sale in a store or catalog.
Business Model: The manner in which a particular type of business earns its money. A game developer's business model
Business Plan: A document that outlines all aspects of how a business is to be run, from money to be spent to money
Button mashing: This is the act of randomly hitting buttons on a game controller without knowing the correct actions
Buyer: The person who places orders for a game to be sold in a store chain.
C Bug: The second-lowest priority of bug. Whereas 'A' bugs absolutely must be fixed and 'B' bugs are damagi
Camera: In most 3D games, the player's point of view tends to change, often on-the-fly. For example, in Tomb
Cartridge: The casing and hardware containing a video game software program.
Casual: The term 'casual game' is used to describe a category of video game designed for a mass audience. Th
Casual Gamer: Someone who may or may not be into hardcore video games but who may well be interested in playing ga
Cel-shading: A graphical style designed to make a video game look more like a comic book or cartoon.
Charge Attack: Typically found in 2D one-on-one fighters, a move that requires the player to hold the joystick in o
Charge Attack: Typically found in 2D one-on-one fighters, a move that requires the player to hold the joystick in o
Cheat: Though originally a code or sequence of button presses that would allow players to skip levels, or a
Cheated Death: A term used to describe how you miraculously survived a hopeless situation. Often seen in games like
Cheated Death: A term used to describe how you miraculously survived a hopeless situation. Often seen in games like
Choppy: Usually used to describe the quality of the animation in a game, indicating that it is of uneven qua
Cinematics: A term used to describe the non-interactive scenes in video games that help tell the story.
Circlestrafing: Circling an opponent in a first-person shooter game to disorient him and evade attack.
Clan: A group of players who regularly play together in a particular online multiplayer game.
Clipping: A computer science technique for not showing parts of objects that should be obstructed by another o
Closed Beta: When a game is said to be in a state of 'closed beta' it is being tested by a set of individuals kno
Co-op: Abbreviation for the term 'cooperative' which is used to describe gameplay where players work togeth
Code: Short for 'source code,' that which a programmer creates.
Code Release: The point in the development of a game at which the game is deemed finished, ready for manufacture.
Combo: In one-on-one fighting games, a string of moves that can be executed in rapid succession. In some ga
Compatible: (1) The ability for a game to be used on more than one hardware configuration. (2) The ability for a
Component cable: Component video cables allow your console to be connected to your television in a way that results i
Component Video Cable: Currently the state-of-the-art in console video cables, separates the video into three wires that ca
Composite Video Cable: A video cable with a single yellow plug (usually along with the red/white audio cables). Produces be
Computer graphics (CG): Graphics created and displayed on a computer, as opposed to graphics created by hand on paper.
Concept: The basic idea behind a game. The central point of difference between this and other games. Sometime
Console: The generic term for video games hardware that is plugged into a television, such as the Nintendo Wi
Controller: This is the generic term to describe the input device for controlling video games.
Cosplay: Short for 'costume play.' The practice of dressing up like a character from a game, movie, or manga.
Creative Director: A job title for someone who has responsibility for (or management authority over) artistic and/or de
Creep: Popular term to describe monsters in a game. Originates from the Warcraft series of strategy games.
Cut Scene: A non-interactive animation, often accompanied by voice and/or music, to further the storyline betwe
D Bug: The lowest category of bug. Whenever someone uses the phrase, 'It Would Be Nice If' in discussing a
D-pad: An abbreviation of 'direction pad,' which is typically a flat, cross shaped button that is used to c
Debug: The process of fixing a bug, or sometimes of merely determining the source of a bug so that it can b
Debug Station: May be used to refer to one of two different kinds of hardware. A 'debugger' is a machine formerly u
Demo: A truncated version of a game, intended to entice players to shell out their hard-earned bucks to bu
Demo Disc: A CD created with the intention of showing off the services or talents of a creative individual or c
Demo Reel: A videotape, cassette tape, or CD created with the intention of showing off the services or talents
Design Director: Job title that may be used in some game companies to refer to a game designer who has risen to a hig
Designer: A person who creates, who designs. By contrast, a person who executes, who builds a thing based on a
Developer: Usually used to refer to a company that builds games but does not publish or distribute them. May al
Development: Sometimes refers to the entire process in which a game is made. Sometimes used mainly in reference t
Development Kit: A collection of software utilities, documentation, and sometimes hardware that enables a programmer
Difficulty Switches: Only available on the Atari 2600, these two console switches allowed you to set separate skill level
Digital control: Until the mid-90s, most video game controllers were digital, only registering each direction or butt
Director: Job title that varies from company to company. Usually refers to someone higher than a producer but
Distribution Deal: A contractual arrangement between the creator of a game and a publisher. Getting a game developed an
Distributor: A company that gets games onto the shelves of stores and onto the pages of catalogs, but does not do
Double-Jump: In certain platform games, you can perform a second jump after the first while in mid-air, allowing
Downwardly Compatible: A game machine that still supports games that were made for its predecessor game machine, such as th
Drafting: Term used in racing (and consequently racing games) for tucking behind another car and taking advant
Dual Shock: The brand name for the playstation controller, so called because it features dual analog sticks, and
Easter Eggs: Hidden features inside of video games. The first Easter Egg was a hidden room inside the Atari 2600
Educational Game: A specific type of game made primarily for the purpose of teaching younger players.
Edutainment: A game that teaches and also entertains.
Emulator: A piece of software that allows a piece of hardware to run software intended for use on a different
Encryption: In games, this usually refers to a technology that's used to prevent the unauthorized publication of
End User: The person who buys a game for the purpose of playing it. A product starts with the developer, then
End User License Agreement (EULA): The legal 'contract' that an end user of a computer software program ostensibly agrees to (by clicki
Engine: A software package that enables the creation of a game without having to create every line of code f
Eroge: A type of erotic Japanese video game.
Executive Producer: A high-level manager (one step below a Vice President) responsible for managing producers.
Executive Summary: A very short written description. Depending on the scope of what's being described, may be as short
Experience Points: In role-playing games or adventures, 'experience points' (often abbreviated to XP) are awarded for s
External: Refers to a separate company or to a location not in the same building or building complex. If someo
Face palm: The act of slapping your forehead with the palm of your hand in a gesture of exasperation.
Fanboy: A term used to describe an individual that is completely devoted to a particular franchise, product,
Fatality: In one-on-one fighting games, the typically gruesome act of killing your opponent after defeating hi
Finishing Move: An action at the end of a fight that strikes the final, fatal blow in a particularly showy fashion.
First Party: Used in the video game business to refer to games published by the console hardware manufacturer (So
First Person Shooter: Used in reference to the point of view in a video game. In a first-person game, the player sees the
Flicker: Common in early video game consoles, this problem made the objects look transparent and hard to see,
Flight sim: A game that realistically simulates flying an aircraft.
Flow chart: A visual representation of how a software program or routine should work. Flow charts use circles fo
Force feedback: True force feedback is when a controller is engineered to provide powered resistance against the mot
Frag: A term associated with shooting something in a first-person shooters, usually a human-controlled opp
Fragging: Killing another character in a first-person shooter game. Derived from U.S. military slang. Gamers g
Frame Rate: A term that describes the smoothness of motion in a game. The image on a television screen is really
Frames Per Second (FPS): FPS is an Abbreviation for 'Frames Per Second,' which is the measurement for the number of times an
Freeware: Software that's distributed for free, usually over the internet. Not a business model that'll get th
Friend code: This is Nintendo?€™s method of identifying players on the Wii console, and DS handheld when conn
Full Motion Video (FMV): Popularized by the Sega CD in the early 90s, FMV games allowed the player to interact with live or c
Game Design: At the risk of attracting controversy again, here goes. Game design is 'the act of defining a game i
Game Designer: A person who engages in game design. A person who defines games in detail, or who defines the detail
Game Genie: A product popular in the early 90?€™s that allowed you to enter 'cheat' codes into games.
Game Mechanic: Play pattern. For example, a crossword puzzle entails a different player activity than does a card g
Game screens: Still images of the game, seen online or in magazines.
Game Shark: A product that because popular in the late 90's that let you use 'cheat' codes on your games.
Gameplay: The term is sometimes spelled as two words rather than one. And the term can be used in a sentence i
Gamer: A person who is facile with games. Especially, someone who plays games professionally. (Term is not
Games 411: Reference guide for game related businesses that lists everyone from companies, artists, music produ
Gaming: Usually use in reference to gambling activities, such as those which take place in casinos. (Term is
Genre: Term used to classify, categorize, or pigeonhole games by different types of gameplay (action games
Glory Seeking: Taking a particularly dangerous course of action for the opportunity to score bonus points. For exam
Glory Seeking: Taking a particularly dangerous course of action for the opportunity to score bonus points. For exam
God Game: A strategic game, usually viewed from above, so called as it allows the player to affect both the wo
God Mode: A mode that makes the player completely invincible, and usually accessed by some kind of cheat code.
Gold: (1) Sometimes used to mean that a game has reached a high level of sales. Exact numbers may vary dep
Gold Master: A copy (usually on a CD or DVD these days) of the game in its final incarnation, after Q.A. has cert
Gone Gold: When a game is said to have 'gone gold' it means that it is complete, and has been submitted for man
Graphic Designer: A person who creates graphics for games, game advertisements, box art, website, etc.
Griefers: This is a slang term to describe people that intentionally cause grief or problems in an online mult
Grind: A term used to describe the repetitive gameplay that must be endured to gain access to later stages
Hack: A game that 'reuses' code from an older game to create a new game. Usually the hack plays much the l
Handle: An alias used by a gamer.
Hardcore: Term used to describe the level of engagement or fandom with a game, or genre of games. 'Hardcore ga
Hardware Manufacturer: Company that manufactures game systems (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft).
Headset: A combination of headphones and microphone, used to facilitate in-game voice chat. Similar to (or in
Headshot: The act of shooting an enemy or opponent in the head.
High Concept: A very short statement of the basic concept or 'hook' of a game. The high concept of the Steven Sega
Homebrew: A brand new game designed and programmed from the ground up by one or more classic game hobbyists. U
Hook: A very short statement of the basic concept or 'high concept' of a game. The hook of GTA Vice City i
HUD: A game?€™s HUD, or 'Head-Up Display' is the method in which important information (like health,
Hyperspace: Popularized in Asteroids (1980), causes you ship to disappear and reappear in a random location. Use
Instances: These are areas of online games such as World of Warcraft where a party is engaged in a specific que
Inverted Look: Where the movement used to look up or down is inverted, so as to work like a flight control stick. W
Inverted Pyramid: A writing practice begun by news reporters during the American Civil War. Reporters sending news by
Invincible: A mode where the player cannot be harmed by either combat, or the environment, that is usually acces
Isometric View: Instead of viewing the action directly from above or directly from the side, an isometric view allow
Janky: A derogatory term used to describe something that is 'not quite right.' Very often associated with g
Joypad: Another name for game controller.
Joystick: A type of game controller most commonly associated with flight simulators, where the player moves a
Junket: A press event where companies show their wares to the press, and provide entertainment.
Kart Racing: A genre popularized by Super Mario Kart (SNES, 1992), involves a group of cartoon characters racing
Keypad: Many early-80s video game controllers had a 3?—4 set of numbered buttons built into them. Some sys
Kill stealing: A dishonorable practice in which a player steals the awards that another player has received for kil
Kiting: As in 'flying a kite.' This is a popular method of killing bad guys in online games, whereby the pla
Lag: While playing online, 'lag' is the effect seen and felt when an action occurs later than expected be
Leet: Slang term derived from the word 'elite,' and used to describe a player?€™s prowess. The term is
Level: Video games are usually broken into bite-size chunks called 'levels,' 'stages,' or 'missions.' Diffe
Level Design: The art or practice of designing levels, stages, or missions, often by means of mod tools or level e
Level Editor: A program or tool created by the makers of a game, for use in creating new levels, stages, or missio
Level up: By completing in-game tasks, and being successful in combat in a role playing game or adventure such
Licensed Developer: A company who makes games under the permission of the hardware manufacturer. For example, a develope
Licensed Game: A game based on a property that isn't owned by the publisher. For instance, THQ made a Battlebots ga
Licensed Publisher: A publishing company that has secured permission (from a platform holder) to publish games on a part
Line Producer: Definition may vary. The producer of a game usually works at a publisher, and a line producer may wo
Localization: The process of making changes to a game so that it appeals to the players in a part of the world oth
Look and Feel: Based on the legal principle of 'trade dress.' Someone might make a video game that plays roughly si
Loot: Stuff collected or 'won' when successfully completing parts of game. It also describes beneficial it
Lore: Term used to describe the extensive backstory generated for a video game world.
Manga: The Japanese word for comics and printed cartoons. The term is often used to characterize a specific
Market Penetration: The ratio of installed base versus population. (People who buy a product vs. People who do not.)
Marketing: (1) The practice of working to maximize the sales of a product, sometimes by advertising to the end
Meatshield: A player that puts himself in harms way in order to assist other players.
Middleware: A software package that enables a programmer or programming team to build a game or assets for a gam
Minimum System Requirements: Computer games only (does not apply to console games). A written description of the lowest operating
Mob: Mob is short for 'mobile object' and is a term frequently used in mmorpgs to describe non-player cha
Mod: This comes from the abbreviation of the word 'modification,' and it is applied to extra pieces of co
Modeler: An artist who creates 3D objects or figures.
Motion capture: A technology used to record the movements of real actors so that their in-game counterparts appear t
Multi-tap: A device used to connect multiple controllers (typically four) to a single input. Used to facilitate
Multiplayer: A game that more than one person can play at the same time.
Multiplayer game: A videogame where more than one person can play at the same time using computer networking or a game
Nerfed: When a character or object in a game is made less effective, or useful due to a change in the game's
Newbie or Noob: Term used to describe an inexperienced player, or to be derogatory about another player?€™s skil
Object Code: What Source Code becomes after being compiled. You can play object code, but you have to compile sou
Open Beta: A phase of testing for an online game (pre-release) where members of the public are invited to parti
Open world: This is a game world that allows players to roam freely, and break out of the typically linear struc
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM): Some computers and game machines come 'bundled' with software (including games). When a game is bund
Overlay: Included with many older console games, overlays are a thin piece of plastic that slides over the bu
Own: The act of dominating (and often humiliating) another player, or character. Often misspelled as 'pwn
Pack-in Game: A game that comes packaged with a system. For example, the NES pack-in was Super Mario Bros, and the
Paddle: Atari 2600 controllers that consist of a knob that can turn and a single fire button. These controll
Party: A group of players working together in an online game.
Peripheral: A piece of hardware (such as a hard drive, or memory card) that is added to a computer or video game
Permadeath: A blend of 'permanent' and 'death.' The act of a player choosing to have his character be killed off
Pixel: A single point in an on-screen graphical image.
Pixelated: The effect whereby the individual pixels in an image are very apparently visible.
Platform: The term 'platform' describes a specific hardware set, and is another way of expressing the term 'sy
Platform Game: A game that requires you to jump on platforms of various sizes. These games also typically involve c
Platformer: A style of gameplay typified by a mix of running, jumping, and fighting. The style of game often inc
Play Pattern: Game mechanic. For example, a crossword puzzle entails a different player activity than does a card
Polygons: Small individual shapes that fit together to form complex 3-D objects. Detailed 3D objects are compo
Port: A version of a game made after the initial release, so that owners of a different platform could als
Post Production: A phase in the creation of a game that occurs after all the graphics, sounds, and code have been cre
Post-Mortem: A detailed analysis written after completion of a game project, the purpose of which is to learn and
Power up: An object collected in a game that provides an immediate benefit to the player, such as enhancing ce
Pre-Production: A phase in the creation of a game that precedes the creation of the graphics, sounds, and code. Duri
Production: A phase in the creation of a game that involves the work of artists, programmers, actors, musicians,
Production Coordinator: A job title for a person involved in the management side of things - lower than an Assistant Produce
Programmer: A person who writes software.
Proof of Concept (POC): An early iteration of a game, created with the intention of determining the feasibility of a gamepla
Prototype: Term may be used differently in different situations and by different people. Usual meaning: an earl
Publisher: A company that pays for the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of a game.
Publishing Deal: A contractual arrangement between the independent creator of a game and a publisher. Getting a game
Pwned: To 'pwn' is to 'own.' A slang term that implies dominance over, or humiliation of another player. Th
Q and A: Question & Answer. An entirely different thing from 'Q.A.' Often, after a speech, the speaker will o
Quest: A task given to the player with a game, often yielding some form of reward.
Racer: A genre of video games that involves racing any kind of vehicle.
Raids: A term used primarily in online games such as World of Warcraft, and it describes a large group of p
Rapid-Fire: Allows you to shoot fast and continuously by tapping the fire button, or in some games, simply holdi
Real-Time: Normally used to describe combat sequences, the action does not stop to allow you to enter commands.
Realm: A description used in online games to describe a game world that only exists for the players within
Release: (1) When spoken by someone involved in developing a game: Code release (game is declared final and i
Requirements: A term used in engineering projects to set forth criteria that a project must satisfy. Also applies
Resolution: A term that describes the level of detail in a game's graphics. An image on a television screen is a
Resolution: A term that describes the level of detail in a game?€™s graphics. An image on a television scree
Respawn: A term oftened associated with first-person shooters, describes the act of returning to the field of
Respawning: The re-creation of a player?€™s character or some other entity at the end of a round or after th
RF (Radio Frequency) Cable: A low quality signal sent over coaxial cable (used for cable TV). These cables were commonly used fo
Rhythm game: This is a broad term used to describe music and movement games that rely on rhythmically repeating s
Role Playing Game: A type or genre of game in which the player takes the part of a character. Usually a turn-based game
Role-Playing Game (RPG): Lengthy, slow moving game with elaborate storylines that involve going on a quest and developing one
Rush: In both real-time strategy, and first person shooter games a 'rush' is a fast attack used very early
S-Video Cable: A video cable that produces better video quality than a composite cable, but not as good as a compon
Sandbox: A game with an open world that provides players the freedom to tackle gameplay challenges in many di
Save Point: A location in a game at which the player can stop, save the game, and on a subsequent play session p
Screenshot: A still image of a game.
Script: Might be used to mean a variety of things or acts. A script might be a particular type of code that
Scroller: Also called a scrolling game. The onscreen display acts like a window onto a digital world, scrollin
Shell: The part of a game that comprises the entrance and exit points. Usually also includes the main menu
Shmup: Abbreviation for the term 'shoot 'em up' an alternative term for the more commonly used 'shooter.'
Shooter: A game where the primary gameplay mechanic is shooting at things.
Shoulder buttons: Found on the controllers of most modern systems, these can be found on the side of the controller th
Shoulder buttons: Found on the controllers of most modern systems, these can be found on the side of the controller th
Side-scroller: A game where the action is typically rendered using two-dimensional graphics in a scene that 'scroll
Sim: Abbreviation of 'simulation.' It's also the name given to the virtual 'people' the Electronic Arts'
Simulation: This is a type of game that models a real life situation or technology and requires the player to ma
Simulation: A game that mimics some real life activity.
Sixaxis: The brand name for the motion-sensitive playstation 3 controller, so called because it has the abili
Skin: The outward appearance of something, whether a character in a game, or even a piece of gaming hardwa
Slow-down: When more objects are on the screen than a system can handle, the game tends to slow down, often to
Smart Bomb: Popularized by Defender (1981), instantly destroys all enemies visible on the screen. Games that off
Sound Designer: A person who creates audio for games.
Source Code: That which the programmer writes (usually in C++), which gets turned into Object Code after having b
Spoiler: Information that discloses vital plot or gameplay details in an unwelcome, or premature fashion.
Sprite: Animated images that form objects or characters in 2D games. These were used in most video games unt
Sprite: Animated images that form objects or characters in 2D games. These were used in most video games unt
Stealth: This is a type of game that relies on patience, and avoiding detection to complete mission objective
Strafing: In first-person shooter games, sidestepping or tilting one?€™s body to the side to make a better
Strategy: A game where forward thinking, and decision-making skills are rewarded over quick reactions or good
Strategy Guide: A document that outlines the specifics needed to complete a video game. Strategy guides can be found
Survival Horror: A genre popularized by Resident Evil (Playstation, 1996), a survival horror game is typically a 3-D
Swarming: In both real-time strategy, and first person shooter games 'swarming' is a fast attack used very ear
Switchbox: Used with older video game consoles, this device allows you to switch between game and television si
Tactical: A term typically used to describe turn-based strategy games, or action games that require significan
Tank: Used as both a noun, and as a verb. A 'Tank' is a character or player whose primary role is to absor
Teabagging: A display of dominance performed during online multiplayer games. The victorious player will straddl
Technical Director: A person who manages programmers. There's more to it than that, but I'm tired of writing at the mome
Technical Support: (1) Aid provided by a game company (either a middleware provider or a hardware manufacturer) to the
Tempting Fate: A generally unwise decision involving toying with an enemy in order to gain the opportunity to score
Tempting Fate: A generally unwise decision involving toying with an enemy in order to gain the opportunity to score
Test Lead: Also 'Lead Tester.' An experienced tester who leads other testers by example. One step below Test Ma
Test Manager: A manager of testers and lead testers. Responsible for handling personnel issues, equipment needs, a
Tester: An individual who analyzes and reports findings on the playability of a game. Testing is a paid job
Texture Mapping: The programming technique that draws graphical patterns on polygons. This allows smooth surfaces to
Third-Person: A point of view that lets you see the character you are controlling. The opposite of first-person.
Top-down: A description of a game in which the action is viewed from above.
Track-ball: A special controller that contains a ball the size of a pool ball that you roll with your hand. This
Treatment: A 10-20 page document that provides highlights about a game concept. Describes the game's characters
Trick: An alternative term for 'cheat.'
Trolling: A troll is someone who is deliberately provocative in an attempt to stir up controversy. The act of
Turbo: The ability to speed up for a short stretch, this is common in racing games. In some games, it?€�
Turn-Based: A tactical or strategic game where the player is able to consider moves before making them, much lik
Twink: A 'twink' is a player or character that is disproportionately powerful for its level in an online ga
Uber: Term meaning 'the ultimate' derived from the German word for 'above.' Something described as the ube
Uninvite: The act of removing a player from a party.
User Interface: The connection points between the 'game' on one side and the 'user' on the other. There are two aspe
Vertical-scroller: A game where the action is typically rendered using two-dimensional graphics in a scene that 'scroll
Voice Over: Recorded dialogue overlaid upon an animated scene.
Waggle: Generalization used to describe the physical gesticulations required in games that make use of motio
Wankfest: Derogatory term for an uninteresting gameplay experience.
Wiimote: Nickname for the Nintendo Wii remote controller. The Wiimote is a slim, wireless unit that is unique
Wiki: A wiki is a website that allows users to collaborate on the creation and editing of content, and is
WOOT: Slang used to express excitement or happiness. There are numerous spellings of 'woot,' including tho
Workaround: A strategy for avoiding a problematic area of a game, or a bug that appears to make life difficult.
Writer: (1) Person who creates story text or a story dialogue script. (2) A technical writer (one who writes
Xbox Live: Microsoft?€™s online gaming service for the Xbox 360 (and original Xbox) console. The service co
