Online Gaming Abbreviations That Parents Might Be Confused About

There are plenty of balls to juggle as a parent, but one that many parents do struggle with is keeping up with the lingo of their children, especially if they are gamers. It seems like gamers have their own meta language that is difficult to decipher at the best of times.

Abbreviations are a key part of this lingo, too. If your child is a gamer and you feel the need to understand more about what they are saying whilst online, then this blog on common gaming abbreviations parents should know is here to help.

What does WP mean in gaming?

What does WP mean in gaming?

Gaming gets competitive and sometimes things get heated, but just like in any competition, both sides should exchange some pleasantries when the deed is done. A simple WP, “well played,” in the chat post game is a classy move.

What does FF mean in gaming?

 

FF refers to “friendly fire.” In first-person shooter games, you’ll likely see this used quite often. When the game gets frantic, sometimes a team member can accidentally shoot a teammate in the game.

FF acts as both an apology and warning to not shoot back because it was accidental. It may also refer to a player forfeiting.

What does OD mean in gaming?

 

This abbreviation refers to “overdose.” It’s a slightly nuanced reference and linked to gaming vernacular.

If content in a game is over the top or being pushed too hard by the developers of the game, gamers get tired of it and feel “overdosed” by it. This term may also just be used for disliked content or features, too.

What does NRG mean in gaming?

 

NRG refers to “energy.” A common feature within a game is a character’s energy level, so this abbreviation generally refers to that element.

In an eSports gaming context, NRG refers to NRG eSports – a professional eSports organization based in the U.S. Their players are some of the best and most famous in the world.

What does MTD mean in gaming?

 

In the game Overwatch, MTD refers to “main tank difference.” Because the game is played in teams, players will discuss a win/loss often in terms of their main tank difference to the opposition upon the completion of the game.

What does BG mean in gaming?

 

BG is a common gaming abbreviation parents should know for “bad game.” Players will use this when they are on the end of a particularly bad or one-sided loss. BG in the chat is an acknowledgment that they weren’t cut out for this one and were severely outmatched by the opposition.

What does NF mean in gaming?

 

NF has a few different meanings but most commonly will refer to “nice fight.” This makes it similar to GG for “good game” or WP for “well played.” Japanese gamers are more likely to use NF than other gamers.

Other users may use NF to say “not funny.” Usually this is an indication that they’re not amused by a loss, or a joke at their expense.

What does LFT mean in gaming?

 

LFT stands for “looking for a team.” In a gaming lobby, players who aren’t in a team, are looking for a new one, or have just started the game will look for a team to join. So LFT is like saying “for hire.”

When professional gamers post LFT, it can be seen as quite a big deal as their experience and expertise will be in high demand.

What does KOS mean in gaming?

 

This abbreviation is for “kill on sight” and is used to indicate that players should kill another player as soon as they see them. It sounds rather menacing but is largely only used in first-person shooting games.

What does OT mean in gaming?

 

OT has two different meanings, depending on the online gaming community you are in. In sports gaming, it refers to “overtime” and is common in sports commentary.

In other games, it refers to “off tank” and is the role a player fills to take pressure off the main tank by drawing fire/attacks away.

What does TAS mean in gaming?

 

TAS is a common gaming abbreviation parents should know for “tool-assisted speedrun” (or “tool-assisted superplay”). This is when the game seemingly slows down, so a player can perform precise movements and actions. It makes for perfect gameplay in frantic and difficult situations.

What does RTS mean in gaming?

 

“Real-time strategy,” or RTS, is a common gaming abbreviation parents should know that refers to strategies used in strategy-focused games and turn-based games. Between turns, players must strategize what to do next.

What does CC mean in gaming?

 

This abbreviation refers to “crowd control” and is popular in MMORPG games. This means someone is literally controlling the number of players in a setting, so it doesn’t get too crowded. It’s intended to make gameplay more fun and safe when done correctly.

What does MUD mean in gaming?

 

A “multi-user dungeon” (or “multi-user domain”) refers to a space where users with many characteristics, roles, and classes play together. It’s often used in role-playing games.

What does PT playable teaser mean and how/when is it used in an online gaming or eSports frame of reference?

 

A PT (“playable teaser”) is a video game trailer that gamers can actually play in. It’s similar to a playable preview for a yet to be released game.

What does GC mean in gaming?

 

GC in a chat of a game or a lobby is a “good call” and is a sign of appreciation.

What does GZ mean in gaming?

 

The abbreviation of “congratulations” in a chat is GZ. Congrats is a common gaming abbreviation parents should know that is just a contraction of the word, and gamers further contract it by just using GZ.

What does LFM mean in gaming?

 

“Looking for more” is abbreviated to LFM. Players will use this when they need more team members to join up.

What does IGL mean in gaming?

What does IGL mean in gaming?

And our final abbreviation is IGL, which refers to the “in-game leader.” This person is the team captain, provides strategy and makes final decisions.

If you’ve been wondering what do the gaming abbreviations my kids use mean, then we hope this gaming abbreviation guide was helpful for you. These are some of the most common abbreviations you’re likely to hear from your child.

Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to tell them what an abbreviation is next time they don’t know.

Got any other good abbreviations from online gaming you want to share? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.