I strongly believe console and PC gaming is for everyone, but let’s be honest: the jargony way people talk about video games can make it difficult to get into the hobby.
Unless you’re enmeshed in the video game world, a sentence like “the latest patch nerfed HP scaling on end-game mobs but made aggro proc OP” will make zero sense, but lots of gamers talk that way all the time. And it’s hard to get into a new game when every guide, article, YouTube video, or in-game chat message is full of words you don’t understand, from “roguelike” to “metroidvania.”
Thankfully, the folks at PlayStation have recognized this issue and created a “Gamer Dictionary” to help noobs parse all that jargon. Definitely bookmark the dictionary if you’re a new player, or if you’re trying to help someone get into games for the first time.
The dictionary contains an alphabetical sorting of over 100 gaming-specific words, phrases, and acronyms, and they’re all surprisingly helpful, even if you aren’t a total beginner. Some include explanations of technical terms like “Hit Box,” “Judder,” and “I-Frames”; slang phrases such as “gank” or “noob”; and acronyms like “GPU,” “K/D,” “OP,” and more. There are also simple explanations for common video game genres, so you’ll know the difference between an ARPG, a CRPG, and a JRPG.
It’s nice to have a one-stop resource where you can learn what it means to “git gud” or memorize ABCs of the RPG genre, but the list is missing explanations for several popular subgenres with annoyingly obtuse names like the aforementioned “metroidvania,” “roguelike,” and “soulslike.” Luckily, we have a guide that can help demystify these unhelpful video game genre descriptors.
I hope PlayStation continues to add to its Gamer Dictionary, but it’s already a helpful and necessary resource and I’m glad it exists. Recent NPD estimates show that three out of every four people in the United States play video games of some kind. While these figures include mobile and casual gaming, more people than ever are also playing on consoles or PCs, which inevitably means more people will be curious enough to try bigger, more immersive, and more exciting video games for themselves, too.
I’m excited to see companies take steps to make console and PC gaming more approachable—whether that’s Sony’s new gamer dictionary, Microsoft’s commitment to accessibility options, or Nintendo’s ever-broadening appeal via games like Nintendo Switch Sports, Animal Crossing, and Ring Fit Adventure.
[GameSpot]
