Pwn: Bettor.com’s guide to popular Video Game terms and phrases
Readers will find the world of gaming and its various sub-cultures a diverse and intriguing experience. There are many gamers out there who are familiar with the gaming jargon, which has become a second language for gamers even in the real world, but for
those who do not yet know of the rich dictionary of gaming terms they need not worry as Bettor.com has them covered.
Already defining the term ‘Noob’ and the implications of using the word in various games (which can be found by clicking
http://www.senore.com/Noob-Bettor-coms-guide-to-popular-Video-Game-terms-and-phrases-Feature-a83555), it is now time to move on to a less offensive, yet equally humiliating term:
Pwn
Gamers like to keep things simple and starting a word with the vowel ‘O’ is a bit of an effort and wastes valuable time, which could be used to further embarrass a gamer. Pwn is derived from the English word ‘own’, but to make shouting it at one’s opponent
easier, the ‘O’ is replaced with a ‘P’.
The term also has past, present and future tenses, with Pwned, Pwning and Pwn making up all the possible ways one could vary the word. Usually the word ‘Pwn’ is preceded or followed by a stream of obscenities and abuse.
Keeping it as family friendly as possible, we will try to attempt giving readers suitable examples.
If a player is trying to dominate a player psychologically and trying to get the opponent ‘pumped up’ or ‘on edge’, he may say, ‘I’m going to Pwn your candy a**.’ The phrase may be followed by a number of vile and often unheard of abusive terms. The gaming
community is, after all, a colourful bunch.
If a player has just beaten a player, or pulled off an impressive kill, he may say ‘I just Pwned you! You sad little girl!’ The latter part is, again, replaced by abuse, which would give Howard Stringer a run for his money.
Lastly comes the bragging, and among friends it is used in a lighter sense, but against hardcore players ‘swearing rounds’ and promises to meet each other's mothers at odd hours would follow. ‘Remember that time I Pwned your a** in (mention the game).’
Again there are many variations as to how the average gamer could use the term. Sadly though, it seems the term Pwn is slowly fading away, as fewer gamers are using it in popular triple A titles. They will still get the odd reaction and cause slight humiliation
to the ‘Pwnee’, but not to the extent it once could.
Players who play Modern Warfare and other Call of Duty games barely respond to someone claiming they have Pwned them, choosing to ignore the statement, mute the player and get on with the game. Not out of decency or wanting to do the right thing, but rather
because the term has been used so much that it has lost its effect.
Like calling former Manchester United player Djemba Djemba a flop, over and over again, it loses its effect and people move on to more creative and colourful names to call the useless pile of trash.
In the end, the days of ‘Pwn’ are numbered, like Latin and Greek, as it is replaced with newer more refined terms. It seems ‘Pwn’ became a victim of its own success.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect the official editorial policy of Bettor.com
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