Esports has developed its own vocabulary at the intersection of competitive gaming language and traditional sports media. Understanding esports terminology is essential for following professional gaming — whether as a fan, a player, or someone dating a serious esports follower. This glossary covers the core terms across esports as a whole and the most-watched competitive titles.

Tournament Structure Terms

"Bo1/Bo3/Bo5" — Best of 1/3/5. The number of games played in a series. Important tournaments often use Best of 3 in group stages and Best of 5 in finals, meaning a team must win 2 or 3 games respectively to win the series.

"Double Elimination" — a bracket format where a team must lose twice to be eliminated. Commonly used in esports tournaments because it provides more games and a second-chance path.

"Group Stage" — the initial round-robin phase of a tournament where all teams play each other in their group. Top teams from groups advance to the playoff bracket.

"LAN" — Local Area Network. A LAN event is an in-person tournament where players compete on-site rather than remotely. LAN events are considered more prestigious than online competition because they eliminate network variable advantages.

"Playoff Bracket" — the elimination stage of a tournament following the group stage. Wins advance teams; losses (or two losses in double elimination) end tournament runs.

"Seeding" — the process of placing teams in brackets based on performance history. Higher-seeded teams typically receive easier early matches.

Performance and Analysis Terms

"ADR" — Average Damage per Round. A key performance metric in CS2 and similar shooters, measuring how much damage a player deals on average per round played.

"Farm" — accumulating in-game resources (gold, experience) to build toward a power advantage. "Getting ahead in farm" means getting more resources than opponents.

"Gank" — an unexpected attack from multiple players on a single target, typically using positional surprise. Common terminology in MOBAs and battle royale contexts.

"KDA" — Kills/Deaths/Assists. A basic performance ratio tracking how often a player kills opponents versus dying, plus assists on others' kills.

"Map Control" — controlling key areas of a map to gain information or deny opponents resources. A fundamental strategic concept across most esports.

"Objective Control" — prioritising capture of key game objectives (dragon, baron, bomb sites, etc.) over direct player combat.

"Rotation" — moving players from one area of the map to another in response to game events. "Rotating support" or "rotating to objective" is a common strategic call.

"Shotcaller" — the player who makes strategic calls for the team during play. The shotcaller's directions set the team's strategic response to changing game states.

Team and Organisation Terms

"Coach" — the strategic and analytical support for a professional team, who typically cannot communicate with players during matches but prepares strategy beforehand.

"IGL" — In-Game Leader. The player who makes strategic calls during the game itself. Different from a coach; the IGL is a player who also directs team strategy in real-time.

"Org" — Organisation. The business entity that owns and operates an esports team. Many esports organisations field teams in multiple games.

"Roster" — the current lineup of players on a team. Roster changes (adding, removing, or swapping players) are significant news events in esports.

"Sub" / "Substitute" — a player who fills in for a regular roster member, typically due to illness, performance issues, or lineup changes.

"Tier 1/2/3" — informal ranking of competition level. Tier 1 esports is the highest level of professional play in a given game; Tier 2 is competitive but below the top level; Tier 3 includes semi-professional and amateur competition.

Broadcast and Production Terms

"Analyst" — a broadcast team member who provides technical analysis of strategy and performance. Distinct from a commentator who provides moment-to-moment commentary.

"Casting" / "Caster" — the act of providing live commentary for an esports match. A caster describes the action and provides context; an analyst (or co-commentator) provides strategic depth.

"Desk" — the panel discussion segment of an esports broadcast, typically featuring analysts and former players discussing strategy, storylines, and predictions.

"Obs" / "Observer" — the player or production team member who controls the spectator camera perspective in broadcasts. Skilled observers are credited for broadcast quality.

"PGL/ESL/BLAST" — major esports event producers and organisers who run prominent tournaments across multiple games.

"VOD" — Video on Demand. Recorded broadcasts of matches, available for viewing after the live event. Essential for fans who cannot watch matches live.

Major Esports by Terminology

CS2 specific: "CT Side" (Counter-Terrorist, defensive); "T Side" (Terrorist, attacking); "Eco Round" (round where the losing team buys minimal equipment to save money for future rounds); "Force Buy" (buying weapons despite limited funds when an eco round would set up a bad position).

League of Legends specific: "Gank" (jungler attacking a lane opponent); "Recall" (returning to base to heal and buy); "Poke" (dealing damage from range without committing to a fight); "Dive" (attacking under enemy tower).

Valorant specific: "Spike" (the bomb equivalent); "Lurk" (a player moving independently to create pressure or get an off-angle); "A/B Site" (the two bomb planting locations on most maps).

Dota 2 specific: "Carry" (the player who scales into the late game and needs farm); "Support" (the player who prioritises enabling the carry over personal farm); "Roshan" (the major objective that drops a key item on death).

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is a LAN event in esports?

    A LAN event (Local Area Network) is an in-person esports tournament where players compete on-site rather than from their homes. LAN events are considered the most prestigious form of esports competition because they eliminate network latency variability, provide a live audience atmosphere, and require players to perform under the specific pressure of in-person presence.

  • What does Bo3 mean in esports?

    "Bo3" means "Best of 3" — a series format where the first team to win two games wins the series. "Bo5" means "Best of 5," requiring three wins. Finals and important matches typically use longer formats (Bo5) to provide more decisive results; earlier rounds use Bo3 to move the tournament forward efficiently.

  • What is an IGL in esports?

    IGL stands for In-Game Leader — the player who makes strategic calls during a match in real time. Unlike a coach, who provides strategy and analysis before and after matches, the IGL directs the team's responses to changing game situations while actively playing. Strong IGLs are highly valued and often build careers around their strategic leadership role.