First-Person Shooter (FPS) is a video game genre that refers to shooter games played from the first-person perspective. Three of the most popular FPS titles include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, VALORANT, and Rainbow Six: Siege. In this glossary of terms for FPS games, we outline some of the most popular terms used.
What is First-Person Shooter (FPS)?
First-Person Shooter, commonly abbreviated as FPS, refers to combat video games that are played from the viewpoint of the character the players are controlling (first-person perspective).
The three most popular FPS titles in esports currently are Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), VALORANT, and Rainbow Six: Siege.
ACE
When a player kills all members of the opposing team single-handedly in a single round on a map. This term is also used in MOBA games such as League of Legends.
Agent (VALORANT)
The term used to refer to the characters in VALORANT.
AWPer (CS:GO)
The AWPer uses the Arctic Warfare Police (AWP) sniper rifle, which is an expensive yet highly accurate and deadly weapon. Those who play the AWPer role are highly skilled CS:GO players who can have a huge impact on the game.
Bombsite
The location within a game where players attempt to plant and successfully detonate a bomb to win a round within a match.
Camper
Players who stay still in one place rather than roam around the map to find and defeat opponents.
Counter-Terrorist side (CT-side) (CS:GO)
The defensive team in CS:GO. Their objective depends on the game mode but mostly involves killing all members of the Terrorist (T-side) team, stopping them from planting their bomb or rescuing hostages that they have captured.
Defuse
The Counter-Terrorist or defending side will need to ‘defuse’ the bomb planted by the Terrorist side to win a round.
Economy Round
Also referred to as an ‘eco round’, it describes a team spending little to no in-game resources on weapons or equipment to maximise the amount of in-game money they have for future rounds.
Frag
The act of aggressively attacking an opponent and killing them.
Kit
The equipment that is used to defuse the bomb in many FPS games.
Long (CS:GO)
When approaching or entering the bomb site in a CS:GO game there are two pathways a player can take – the long path in or the short path. Going Long refers to taking the long path.
Operator (VALORANT)
The Operator or ‘OP’ is a bolt-action sniper rifle and is very expensive to purchase in-game, a reflection of its power and the advantage it gives to players using it.
Pistol Round
The initial round of a half, which occurs at the beginning and halfway point of a match. Each player only has the default amount of money and can only afford to buy pistol weapons.
Round
A specific subsection of time within an FPS game. Games like CS:GO and VALORANT will have multiple ‘rounds’ within a match.
Short (CS:GO)
When approaching or entering the bomb site there are two pathways a player can take – the long path in or the short path. Going Short refers to taking the short path.
Terrorist Side (T-Side) (CS:GO)
The offensive team in CS:GO. Their objective depends on the game mode but mostly involves either killing all members of the opposing team or planting a bomb to blow up the CT-side’s base.
