Basic gaming terminology that’s good for parents to know
Do you know what a noob or a skin is? Are you wondering what Robux are and why your child keeps asking for them?
Gaming is a world filled with its own unique terminology, which can seem confusing to outsiders like parents or anyone who is new to gaming. To help navigate this digital language, here’s a review of some common terms and expressions that gamers often use.
Reward systems, aesthetic customizations, communication tools, and digital marketplaces all have special terms and names that are essential for understanding the modern gaming experience. Take a look and make gaming conversations with your child run smoother.
Noob/Newbie:
Slang for a new or inexperienced player, often used in a slightly derogatory way.
Skin
A customization that changes the appearance of your character or their weapons. Buying new skins can be expensive. Some games offer a few basic skins for free, but purchasing skins allows you to personalize your character. Skins can be a big deal in gaming.
Loot box
A virtual grab bag containing random in-game items like weapons, abilities, or costumes - like skins. It usually costs real or virtual currency to open a loot box. The contents are revealed after purchase, with a small chance of including rare and valuable items, which has led to concerns about gambling-like behavior.
Battle pass
A ticket that gives the player new content that will help in the game. A battle pass can either be purchased or obtained for free in exchange for playing for a specified amount of time.
Discord
A chat program where you can talk and write with other players. It allows private chat rooms to communicate with teammates instead of using in-game chat.
Lag
A delay between a player’s actions and the game’s response, usually due to a slow internet connection or server issues, which can negatively impact gameplay.
POV
Stands for “point of view,” referring to the visual perspective through which players experience the game world, such as first-person (FPV), from the character's eyes, or third-person (TPV), viewing the character from behind or above.
Sandbox Games
A type of video game offering players a large, open-world environment with the freedom to explore, create, and interact with the game world in a non-linear way, often without specific goals or restrictions. Players can shape the world or gameplay experience according to their preferences, as seen in games like Minecraft.
Steam
A digital distribution platform for video games, software, and related content, offering a wide range of titles for purchase and download. It includes social features like friends lists, game communities, and achievements, making it a hub for PC gamers. Steam also offers communication features such as text and video chat, as well as options for recording and live-streaming gameplay.
Virtual currencies
Many games have their own currency you can buy with real money. Fortnite has V-Bucks, Roblox uses Robux, and Minecraft has MineCoins to give some examples. You can use these virtual currencies in the game to upgrade your experience. This could be to buy items to help you through a difficult level or decorations for your character or their weapons to stand out.
