Within the gaming industry, there are lots of acronyms. This is because there is a large amount of terminology surrounding the technological side of gaming, but they can also relate to different gaming types and genres. Here is what FPS can mean in gaming.
There are two definitions for the shorthand in question, so we will explain both.
First Definition
The first meaning of FPS is frames per second because, just like in movies, games have frames. If you have ever heard of a player complaining about frame dropping, this is when the frames in a game slow down and cause the graphics to lag or become jittery.
It is extremely annoying at the best of times but is even more of a concern these days with regards to eSports. Each frame can literally be the difference between winning a match in a multiplayer online game and losing that very same match.
Second Definition
The second meaning for FPS is first-person shooter. This is where you play as a character, and you can see directly through their eyes whilst shooting.
Many people enjoy first-person shooters as it feels as though you are directly in the shoes of the character you are playing as. It is the most immersive way to experience a game, and it is the only format for the likes of VR games.
Third-person shooter is another type of viewpoint that you can encounter, and this is where the camera is over the shoulder of the character, or far enough behind so that you can see most of the character's body and the environment surrounding them.
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Hi there! I'm Hannah and I am a guide and news journalist for PGG. My gaming adventures started back in '98 and I have been an avid gamer ever since. You will usually find me playing the likes of The Last of Us, Days Gone (I like zombies), the GTA Series and The Sims to name a few!