Glossary · Gaming & Media4K (Ultra HD)4K, or Ultra HD, is a display and video resolution of about 4000 pixels across, most commonly 3840 by 2160 on TVs, monitors and streaming services.Glossary · Gaming & MediaAdaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR)Adaptive bitrate streaming delivers video in several quality levels and lets the player switch between them as network conditions change, to avoid buffering.Glossary · Gaming & MediaAdaptive Sync (VRR)Adaptive sync, also called variable refresh rate, lets a display change its refresh rate to match the frames a GPU delivers, reducing tearing and stutter.Glossary · Gaming & MediaAspect RatioAspect ratio is the proportional relationship between an image or screen width and its height, written as width:height, such as 16:9 or 21:9.Glossary · Gaming & MediaBufferingBuffering is when a media player pauses playback to load more data because the incoming stream is slower than the speed the video or audio is being played.Glossary · Gaming & MediaCloud GamingCloud gaming runs a game on a remote server and streams the video to your device while sending your controls back, so local hardware needs are minimal.Glossary · Gaming & MediaDLC (Downloadable Content)DLC is extra content for a game, such as maps, characters, story chapters or cosmetics, distributed digitally after or alongside the main release.Glossary · Gaming & MediaEsportsEsports is organized competitive video gaming, played by professional or amateur teams and players in leagues and tournaments, often with live audiences.Glossary · Gaming & MediaFPS (Frames Per Second)FPS is the number of individual images a game or video displays each second, and it largely determines how smooth motion looks and feels.Glossary · Gaming & MediaGame EngineA game engine is a software framework that supplies the core systems for building games, such as rendering, physics, audio, input and asset management.Glossary · Gaming & MediaGame ModA game mod is a user-made modification that changes or extends a video game, such as new maps, characters, textures or rules, made with community tools.Glossary · Gaming & MediaGame ServerA game server is a computer or process that runs the authoritative state of an online multiplayer match and exchanges updates with all connected players.Glossary · Gaming & MediaHLS (HTTP Live Streaming)HLS is a streaming protocol that splits video into short segments listed in a playlist and delivers them over ordinary HTTP, with adaptive quality.Glossary · Gaming & MediaInput LagInput lag is the delay between pressing a button or moving a mouse and seeing the result on screen, produced by the whole chain of device, system and display.Glossary · Gaming & MediaLagLag is a noticeable delay between an action and its result, caused in online games by network latency or in any app by slow processing or rendering.Glossary · Gaming & MediaLoot BoxA loot box is a game item that players buy or earn and open to receive a randomized reward, a mechanic that is regulated differently across countries.Glossary · Gaming & MediaMatchmakingMatchmaking is the system an online game uses to group players into a match, balancing skill, connection quality, wait time and other factors.Glossary · Gaming & MediaMMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game)An MMORPG is an online role-playing game where very large numbers of players share one persistent world, developing characters and interacting in real time.Glossary · Gaming & MediaNPC (Non-Player Character)An NPC is any character in a game controlled by the game software instead of a human player, such as shopkeepers, quest givers, allies and enemies.Glossary · Gaming & MediaPodcast HostingPodcast hosting is a service that stores your audio files and publishes an RSS feed that podcast apps and directories use to distribute your episodes.Glossary · Gaming & MediaRay TracingRay tracing is a rendering technique that simulates how light rays bounce off surfaces to produce realistic reflections, shadows and lighting in 3D graphics.Glossary · Gaming & MediaTick RateTick rate is how many times per second a game server updates the game state and sends results to players, usually measured in ticks per second or Hz.Glossary · Gaming & MediaUnityUnity is a cross-platform game engine and development environment, widely used for mobile, indie and 2D or 3D games, with C# as its scripting language.Glossary · Gaming & MediaUnreal EngineUnreal Engine is a game engine from Epic Games, known for high-fidelity 3D graphics, a C++ codebase and a visual scripting system called Blueprints.Glossary · Gaming & MediaV-Sync (Vertical Synchronization)V-Sync is a graphics setting that holds frame output to a display refresh cycle, preventing screen tearing at the cost of some added input lag.