Esports Terminology
What you need to know
As popular esports games change, so does the terminology that is associated with it. Below is a list of terminology that is still in use across a number of platforms and games.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| GLHF | A way of starting a match - good luck have fun. |
| Ranked | A level of Esports where players play against people their own level. |
| GG | A way of saying 'good game' at the end of a match. |
| Farming | Doing something repetitively to gain in game currency or experience. |
| Picks | Choosing your character at the start of a ranked game. |
| Bans | Removing characters from the pool so your opponents can't pick them. |
| Toxic | A player who acts in an unsportspersonlike way |
| Box | In a racing game, taking your car to the pit stops. |
| Trash Talk | Being abusive to your opponents or your team mates. |
| Report | The process of punishing toxic or players that are cheating. |
| Carry | A member of your team who is playing extremely well. |
| Clutch | An unexpected display of skill performed by a player to win |
| Forfeit | To quit your game early / surrender to the opposing team. |
| LAN | An internal multiplayer match played on a closed network. |
| Smurf | A player who plays ranked matches on an account with a lower rank. |
| Crowd Control | Performing an action on a player making them unable to perform an action for a set time |
| Tilted | To be negatively affected which then impacts your ability to play a game |
| Meta | A popular or common team composition used within a game |
| Ace | Defeating the whole opposing team within a single round |
| Feeding | When a single player gets the most gold and experience allowing them to carry a match |
| Ganking | Attacking a player who has put themselves in a vulnerable position. |
| Jungler | A role within a MOBA that is responsible for roaming and killing NPCs. |
| Pinching | When a player hits the ball at the same time as a wall or another player. |
Level 6 Questions
Below is a selection of questions with marking schemes to help you prepare for your Level 6 exam.
REMEMBER: Every question can be adapted to use The 3Ts of Esports.
Identify examples of esports terms and provide examples of their usage. (3 Marks)
The format for this answer should be as follows:
Thing: A brief introduction into what Esports terminology is and that a specific game has lots of terminology.
Term: Choose three suitable pieces of Esports terminology, keep them simple, keep them well known.
Tell: Provide an example for each term showing how it would be used in context.
Example Answer
Esports has lots of terminology that players use during competitive games such as Rocket League.
GG – At the end of the match, I typed “GG” to the opposing team.
Clutch – My teammate scored in the final few seconds, so I said, “That was clutch!”
Forfeit – We were losing 6–0, so our team decided to forfeit the match.
Provide examples of esports terms and explain what they mean. (3 Marks)
The format for this answer should be as follows:
Thing: A brief introduction into what Esports terminology is. You could even relate this to a specific game to make the rest easier.
Term: Choose three suitable pieces of Esports terminology, keep them simple, keep them well known.
Tell: Explain each piece of terminology.
Example Answer
Esports terminology is language used by players to communicate and describe things that happen during competitive games such as Rocket League.
GG – Means “good game” and is usually said at the end of a match.
Forfeit – When a player or team surrenders before the match has finished.
Clutch – When a player performs well under pressure to win a difficult situation.