27 Esports Terms To Know

Esports is an ever-expanding industry, offering an opportunity for gamers to play in tournaments and online with friends and competitors from around the world. If you’re new to Esports, there are several terms helpful to know so you don’t get lost in the digital jargon.

The more familiar you are with Esports communication, the easier to navigate tournaments, casual gaming, and more. For outsiders, it can feel tricky to get involved. Read on to learn about some of the most common terms in Esports.

1. Caster

Caster is a slang term for the commentator or broadcaster. It’s the person who analyzes and comments on Esports games as they occur live.

2. Esports

Esports is the general term for organized and competitive online gaming tournaments. They are becoming more and more popular amongst gamers.

3. Bootcamp

Bootcamp is a training session for a competitive Esports team.  Most of the time, teams will gather before an upcoming event at a nearby location to work together in person rather than online.

4. Esports Team

Also known as a team, this is a group of people who function as a unit in a tournament. They have a defined title and identity and can sometimes have a rotating roster of players.

5. Livestream

A livestream is a broadcast that can be viewed live thanks to its production through a live online streaming service. YouTube Live and Twitch are some of the most common livestream broadcast methods. 

Related: Investing in Esports: The Biggest Gaming Companies

6. Hacking

Hacking is a form of cheating in Esports. It utilizes external software to change something in the game to bring an advantage to a person or team.

7. Map

The map is the level or environment where an Esports event might happen. These can differ dramatically depending on the game, and within each game, there’s a large variety to choose from.

8. Roster

The roster is the group of players that make up a specific team at a given event. Some teams have a set roster, while others rotate in depending on the game.

9. Mobile Esports

Mobile Esports is an organized competition that occurs on mobile devices, which is on an even smaller scale. Smartphones and tablets are the typical devices for this gaming style.

10. Round

A round is a duplicable scenario. Teams must compete to accomplish a specific task, with one coming out on top. There are ample rounds, and the team that wins the most emerges victorious.

11. Series

A series is a set of maps or games played between two teams. It’s often a “best of” series, so the one to win the most of the scenarios of a series wins.

Related: When Did Esports Start?

12. Scrims

Scrims, short for scrimmages, are practice games between competitors. The results are private and are most often between teams that compete often in tournaments.

13. Showmatch

Showmatch is a friendly game between a few teams that isn’t part of any specific tournament or event. It’s not part of the official season of competition for any of the teams involved.

14. BR

BR stands for Battle Royale. It’s a genre where all players compete against each other to be the last one standing. There can also be team play. Everyone is confined to a smaller map area, where they must fight.

15. First Person Shooter

A First Person Shooter, otherwise known as FPS, is a game where players control their avatar in first-person and use firearm-type weapons to take down others. In other games, there are third-person perspectives, contrasting this one.

16. Fighting Games

Fighting Games are often 2D and use more hand-to-hand combat than many other game styles. They often use brawl-style fighting mechanics, so the game is confined to a single location on the screen. Fighting Games are referred to as FGC, Fighting Game Community.

17. Race to World First

Race to World First, otherwise known as RWF, is a game where players in a team must work together to be the first to get PvE content in-game. Usually, this happens when competition surrounds a game like World of Warcraft.

18. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena

A Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, or MOBA, is a genre where each player has a character with a one-of-a-kind defined ability. They control these characters in an arena, working to achieve specific objectives put forth in the game.

19. Shooter

A Shooter is a game that focuses on guns and shooting mechanics as the main form of tactical warfare for the players. One of the subsets of that is the “Hero Shooter” game, where characters also have specific powers and guns.

20. Real-Time Strategy

Real-Time Strategy, or RTS, is a game where players must work together and battle to gain control over specific spots on the map. They also destroy structures made by their opponents and try to make buildings of their own. It’s a very hectic gameplay style.

21. Speedrunning

Speedrunning is a game where players try to be the quickest to a specific objective or to complete a task. It’s high intensity, and players strive to access the fastest time, rather than being the last one standing.

22. Simulation Racing

Simulation Racing, also known as sim racing, is a simulated version of racing an automobile on a track. Most of the time, the cars chosen by players are based on vehicles in real life.

23. Sports Simulation

Sports Simulation, also known as Sports Sim, is a game where players play a version of a real sport. For instance, they could control real-life characters in a game of basketball or baseball.

24. Auto Attack

An auto-attack is an attack that doesn’t require the player to use any resources. There is a specific button pressed to target one enemy or opponent over and over.

25. Brush

Brush, or bushes, are parts of the map that interfere with vision. Sometimes, players can sit inside the brush and hide from their enemies.

26. Casting

In a game, casting is when a special ability is used. Casted abilities frequently require charging and aren't as easy to use as auto attacks. Casting can be the person commenting on the game, so this is a term that can be confusing for some and often depends on the context. 

27. Meta

Meta is a metagame, with multiple steps and methods of play. It involves any common strategies used by teams to try and win. Meta can also be used to refer to the metaverse. 

You May Also Enjoy: The 7 Biggest Esports Tournaments Coming Up in 2024