Plain-language definitions
Gaming glossary.
A quick reference for terminology used across game design, online safety and responsible play.
Common terms
Definitions describe general usage. A specific game or platform may use a term differently.
- Accessibility
- Features that help people with different visual, hearing, motor or cognitive needs use a game.
- Account recovery
- A verified process for regaining access after a forgotten password or compromised account.
- Cooldown
- A waiting period before an action or ability can be used again.
- Difficulty
- The level of challenge created by rules, timing, opponents or available resources.
- Download source
- The website, store or service from which an installation file is obtained.
- Game mechanic
- A rule or interaction that determines what a player can do and what happens next.
- Gameplay loop
- A repeated sequence of player action, feedback and adjustment.
- In-game purchase
- An optional payment made inside or in connection with a game after initial access.
- Loot box or random reward
- A package whose contents are selected by chance and are not fully known before opening.
- Matchmaking
- A system that groups players for cooperative or competitive sessions.
- Microtransaction
- A relatively small individual payment for digital content, currency or features.
- Multi-factor authentication
- An account-security method requiring an additional factor beyond a password.
- Permission
- Access an app requests to a device feature or data, such as storage, contacts or location.
- Phishing
- An attempt to steal information by impersonating a trusted person or service.
- Progression
- The way a game represents development, such as new levels, abilities, options or story stages.
- Random number generator (RNG)
- A system used to produce unpredictable values for events or outcomes.
- Respawn
- The return of a character or object after removal or defeat.
- Self-exclusion
- A formal tool that blocks a person’s access to specified gambling services for a chosen period.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- A form of multi-factor authentication using two distinct verification factors.
- Volatility
- A description of how much and how often results may vary in a chance-based system; it does not predict a specific outcome.