PC gaming glossary
From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
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The following is a list of common technical terminology and its respective definitions, as used in reference to video games and gaming-related software. You may link to a specific definition by adding an anchor to the page name (e.g. Gaming_Glossary#Abandonware). Note: Definitions with spaces in their titles must be anchored using "_".
Software
Licensing
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discontinued software for which there is no support, or whose copyright ownership is unclear. Sharing abandonware is usually considered copyright infringement, however in practice copyright holders rarely enforce their abandonware copyrights. | Re-Volt | ||
| Software released or distributed without its corresponding source code - only the binaries of a computer program are distributed and the license provides no access to the program's source code. | Origin | ||
| Software Libre, Libre Software | A video game or piece of software which the consumer can use, study, modify, copy and redistribute without restriction. | Linux | |
| OSS | Software (usually free) available in source code form, permitting users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software. | Wine | |
| A video game or piece of software licensed under the exclusive legal right of the respective copyright holder. The user is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification or redistribution. | TERA | ||
| A piece of software whose intellectual property rights have expired, been forfeited, or are no longer applicable. |
Revenue Models
| Terminology | Abbreviations/Synonyms | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payware | Software that is produced for a user to purchase, or that serves commercial purposes. | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | |
| A freely available preview or demonstration of an upcoming or released video game, often limited to a selected fraction of the full game's content, in order to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version. | Naval War: Arctic Circle demo version | ||
| F2P | Any video game that has the option to play indefinitely with no charge. | Age of Empires Online | |
| Pay-For-Perks | A business model in which users may play a video game without charge, but can access extra or more advanced features for a fee. | Microsoft Flight | |
| Software which is available for free use - however it is usually packaged with one or more restrictions on usage rights. | Steam | ||
| Trialware, Demoware | Software provided free for use for a limited 'trial period' before purchase, often restricted in functionality, availability and convenience. | EVE Online | |
| A video game or piece of software for which the user must pay a repeat subscription fee (usually monthly or yearly) to obtain continued access to. | World of Warcraft |