Gamer's Guide to Common Words, Phrases, and Lingo Used by the Gaming Community

I was so excited to be able to play online games when I got first got my XBOX 360. However, I soon found out that the online gaming community was a completely different world of its own. If you are new to online gaming, you may find yourself confused by the various gaming terms that many of the players use. Here are some of the most common words, phrases, and lingo used by the gaming community.

Leet, also written l33t or 1337, is the official language of gamers that consists of special alphanumeric (consisting of letters and numbers) words and phrases that are most commonly used in the online gaming community. The "language" was originally developed by hackers to allow them to communicate with one another and avoid being discovered with the use of search engines.

Used in a sentence: "New players to the online gaming community should learn to understand leet speak."

Noob, also written n00b, is what experienced gamers call novice players. Derived from the word "newbie", it is probably one of the most commonly used gamer words. This title can refer to both players who are overall good players but new to a specific game or new players to online gaming altogether.

Used in a sentence: "That n00b hasn't begun to learn all of the tricks to this game."

W00t is, by far, the most commonly used word in the gaming community. In fact, w00t was ranked #1 on the 2007 Merriam-Webster's Words of the Year list, and was the first word recognized by the publication to consist of both letters and numbers. The word is used as a celebratory exclamation, and can be used similar to the words "Hurray!" or "Yeah!".

Used in a sentence: "W00t! We kicked that other team's butt!"

H4x, pronounced "hacks", is a leet word used for "cheats" or "cheat codes". It can also be used to refer to a glitch in a game that gives a player a significant advantage over their opponents.

Used in a sentence: "Where can I find the h4x that give access to every level in this game?"

GOTY (Game of the Year) is an award or acknowledgment that is given by various gamer websites, magazines, or other publications. The GOTY is usually selected based on overall popularity, advanced technology, or brilliant graphics.

Used in a sentence: "Uncharted 2: Among Thieves received the most GOTY awards for 2009"

MMOG (Massive Multiplayer Online Game) is a game type that has the capability to connect thousands of players who compete against each other in a virtual online arena. Some MMOGs have one virtual realm where players can all interact while others set up smaller private rounds of 10-20 players. There are also variations to the term to indicate the type of game being played. For example, MMORPG stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.

Used in a sentence: "World of Warcraft and Modern Warfare 2 are two very popular MMOGs"

Mezz, derived from the word "mesmerize" is a term commonly used to refer to a move or strategy in a game that stuns an opponent leaving them helpless or vulnerable to attach. It is a commonly used term in mythical games that let players cast spells or military-based games that use flashbang grenades to blind an opponent.

Used in a sentence: "Mezz'em with a flashbang grenade so they won't see you coming"

Retrogaming, usually popular with older gamers, is when players enjoy playing older, outdated game titles. A player who engages in retrogaming is referred to as a retrogamer.

Used in a sentence: "John is an avid retrogamer and enjoys playing some of the old NES titles."

Camping, a term commonly used in first-person shooter games, refers to an action where players hideout and wait for their opponent to pass by before launching a surprise attack. Camping is usually a tactic used by experienced players who know the playing map well and know where enemy opponents are most likely to show up.

Used in a sentence: "Be careful! That player usually camps on the balcony of that building."

Pwned, pronounced "owned" and commonly spelled pwn3d, is a term that refers to being defeated or killed by an opposing player.

Used in a sentence: "Man, I got pwn3d in that round!"

Bot refers to AI (artificial intelligence) or computer-controlled players in a game.

Used in a sentence: "Bots are usually easier to play against because they are usually more predictable than human opponents."

RROD, or Red Ring of Death, is a dreaded term that refers to hard drive failure in the XBOX 360. The failure is indicated when the green-ring light on the front of the console turns red. The unit will then need to be return to the manufacturer for repairs.

Used in a sentence: "My XBOX crashed, and I got the RROD."