A glossary of PC gaming terms

Short definitions of the words that appear on store pages, launchers, sign-up forms and in-game shops, each with a worked example showing the term in an everyday decision.

Maintained by the BHP CONSULTING editorial team. Last reviewed 1 October 2026.

Each entry has the same shape: a definition in plain language, then a worked example. Definitions describe general usage across PC games; a particular game's own help pages take precedence for that game.

Account activation

The step that turns a newly registered account into a usable one. It usually means clicking a link sent to the email address you registered with, and sometimes entering a code. Until it is done, many services will not let you log in or will limit what the account can do.

Worked example: you register on a game's website, install the client and try to log in, only to see "account not verified". The fix is almost always in your inbox, or in the junk folder. If no email arrives, check the address you typed before asking for another link; a single wrong letter is the usual cause.

See also: multi-factor authentication; the guide to accounts and launchers.

Apple silicon and Intel Macs

Macs sold in recent years use processors designed by Apple; older Macs use Intel processors. Some games are built for one type, some for both, and some run on Apple's own chips through a translation layer. A game listed as "supports macOS" may still specify which of the two it supports.

Worked example: "About This Mac" shows either a chip name beginning with "Apple" or a processor beginning with "Intel". Match that against the vendor's macOS requirements, which often list the two separately.

Battle pass

A paid, time-limited reward track. You buy the pass, then unlock rewards by playing during a season. When the season ends, unclaimed rewards are generally lost.

Worked example: a pass costs a set amount of premium currency and runs for a fixed number of weeks. If you will only play on weekends, estimate whether you can realistically reach the rewards you care about before buying.

Classification

The Australian rating given to a game, film or publication, such as G, PG, M, MA 15+ or R 18+, with consumer advice describing the content. Decisions are published by the Australian Classification Board, and the classification is the authoritative guide to who a game is suitable for.

Worked example: before a teenager in your household installs a game, search the Classification Board's database for the exact title. Note the rating and the consumer advice, which explains the reason for it, for example references to violence or in-game purchases.

Consumer guarantee

A protection under the Australian Consumer Law that applies automatically when you buy goods or services from a business, such as the requirement that goods be of acceptable quality and match their description. A business cannot remove these guarantees by writing its own terms. The ACCC publishes guidance on how they work.

Worked example: a store's page says "all sales final". That wording does not override the consumer guarantees, which still apply if the product has a fault. It may still be a lawful policy for change-of-mind returns, which the guarantees do not cover.

End-user licence agreement (EULA)

The terms you accept when you install software or create an account. For games, it typically covers who may hold an account, what you may and may not do in the game, and what happens to virtual items if the account is closed. Note the Australian spelling: the noun is licence, the verb is license.

Worked example: you want to sell an account you no longer use. Read the agreement first; many games prohibit transferring accounts, and doing so can lead to the account being closed.

Free-to-play

A business model in which the game can be downloaded and played without an upfront price, with revenue coming from optional purchases inside it. The label describes how the publisher charges, not whether spending is required to enjoy the game, and the balance varies widely between titles.

Worked example: a store page calls a game free-to-play. Before deciding, look at what the in-game shop sells and whether purchases affect progress or only appearance. This site does not label any specific product as free-to-play unless our source says so.

Game client

The program installed on your own computer that runs the game. For online games the client talks to the publisher's servers, which hold your account, progress and purchases. Because the important data lives on the server, reinstalling the client does not normally lose your progress.

Worked example: your game crashes after an update. Uninstalling and reinstalling the client is safe in most online games because the account data is not stored locally, although local settings such as key bindings may need to be set again.

Graphics driver

Software that lets the operating system and games use your graphics hardware. Graphics manufacturers release updated drivers regularly, and a game's support pages often name a minimum driver version.

Worked example: a newly released game shows graphical glitches on your computer. Updating the graphics driver from the manufacturer's own website is usually the first fix a support team will suggest.

Invite code and bonus code

A code entered at sign-up or in a game's shop that adds items to an account. Codes are usually limited to new accounts, to certain regions and to a stated period. A code that has passed its end date should be treated as expired.

Worked example: a website lists a code with an end date that has already passed. Do not rely on it. Treat any site asking for your login details in exchange for a code as a likely phishing attempt.

Latency (ping)

The delay, measured in milliseconds, for data to travel between your computer and the game server. Distance matters: Australian players connecting to servers on another continent will see higher latency than those on a local or regional server.

Worked example: a game offers several server regions. Choosing the one geographically closest to Australia usually gives the lowest latency, though it may also affect which players you are matched with.

Launcher

A program that installs, updates and starts games. Some publishers use their own launcher; others distribute through a shared storefront. You may need an account with the launcher as well as with the game.

Worked example: you install a game and are asked to sign in twice, once to the launcher and once to the game. These can be the same account or two separate ones; the publisher's help pages will say which.

Loot box

An item, bought with real money or with currency that can be bought with real money, whose contents are decided by chance. Because you do not know what you will receive, it is harder to judge value than with a direct purchase. Paid chance-based items are relevant to Australian classification, which is why the Classification Board is the place to check how a particular game is rated.

Worked example: a shop sells a container for a set price "with a chance of rare items". Ask the question the other way round: how much would you be prepared to spend if you never received the item you want?