Gamer Terms Explained – GG, FTW, and More

Everything in this world has its particular lingo. In baseball there are phrases such as “this dude drops tanks” meaning he hits the crap out of the ball. There is specific legal jargon, such as the terms “de jure” and “de facto” which mean something. Gaming is no different. Gaming has its own lingo, and if you want to consider yourself a true gamer, you need to polish up on your vocabulary.

Let’s start with some basics. While “GG” could mean a number of things in the real world, from “go girl!” to Charlie Brown’s catchphrase “good grief,” “GG” simply means good game. If you’ve had a hard fought multiplayer battle, you may want to message your opponent telling them it was a good game. This shows your respect for their gameplay and that you admire their skills.

“FTW” is another basic term. It means “for the win”. It is most often used as an exclamation right before winning an online match and is an expression of great excitement and energy. For instance, if you were playing a game in online multiplayer and there was one more person left on the other team, you might shout “FTW” before pelting your opponent with bullets.

Some of my favorite gaming terms are “noob” and “scrub.” You do not want to be called either of these words. This term describes someone who is usually new to the game and has no idea what they are doing. A “noob/scrub” is unskilled and easy to defeat. Their play style is atrocious and you hope and pray that this person winds up on the other team. Scrubs are easy targets to talk trash to. Don’t be a scrub.

Perhaps the only thing worse than a scrub is a “camper”. I absolutely hate campers. A camper usually describes someone in an online shooter who chills in the same area the entire time. They wait for people to come to them and will hang out in a corner or atop of stairs so they can kill people when they enter the area. Campers are extremely frustrating and taking them out is a tremendous feeling. I have some advice for you campers out there. Go join the Boy Scouts, your camping skills will be more appreciated there than in the online gaming community.

A term that seems self-explainable is “pwned.” Originating from World of Warcraft, pwned just means owned. After whooping some serious tail in online matchmaking, you may taunt the other players, shouting through your mic “you just got pwned!” It is a phrase that has taken over the world of gaming and you are guaranteed to hear it at some point.

One of the worst things about online matchmaking are “lags.” A lag is when your actions aren’t in sync with the actual game due to internet issues. You will be trying to shoot or run but the game won’t respond in real-time. Lags can be insanely frustrating, especially if you are on a roll or kill streak in a match. Make sure your wi-fi connection is solid to avoid lags ruining your online experience.

Another term used in gaming, and other areas of life such as movies and tv shows, are “Easter eggs.” No, these aren’t actual eggs that the Easter bunny leaves out for you to scavenge for. These Easter eggs are hidden jokes, references, or nods to something within a game. For example, in Batman: Arkham Asylum there was a secret map of Arkham City behind some walls you had to blow up. Arkham City was the sequel to the game, and the map was a nod to what was coming in the future. Pretty cool stuff!

Now that your vocabulary has been enhanced, go out into the virtual gaming world an practice your language skills. Call someone a scrub and search for those Easter eggs. Practice makes perfect, and if you want to perfect your gamer lingo, you need to practice. Find a matchmaking lobby and talk smack through your mic until your voice gives out. Just whatever you do, please do not be a camper.