PC gaming terms, explained for Australian players

How this reference is organised

Most confusion about PC games is about vocabulary rather than technology. A store page says a game needs "8 GB VRAM recommended", a launcher asks you to "activate" an account you thought you had already made, and a shop inside the game sells a currency that is itself used to buy something else. Each of those phrases has a fairly settled meaning, and once you know it the decision in front of you usually becomes simple.

So the glossary sits at the centre of the site. It defines each term in two or three sentences and then gives a worked example: a short, concrete scenario showing the term doing its job. Six longer guides then deal with the areas where readers most often get stuck, from reading a specification sheet to raising a problem with a seller. Wherever a guide uses a defined term, it links back to the glossary rather than defining the word again.

Twelve terms worth knowing first

These come up in almost every sign-up and purchase decision.

• Game clientThe program you install on your own computer to run the game.
• LauncherA separate program that installs, updates and starts one or more games.
• Account activationThe step that confirms a new account, usually through an emailed link.
• Multi-factor authenticationA second proof of identity on top of your password.
• Minimum requirementsThe lowest hardware a developer says will start and run the game.
• VRAMMemory on the graphics card, separate from the computer's main memory.
• Operating system supportWhich of Windows, macOS or Linux the developer actually supports.
• Premium currencyAn in-game currency bought with real money and spent inside the game.
• Loot boxA purchasable item whose contents are decided by chance.
• ClassificationThe Australian rating that tells you who a game is legally suitable for.
• Consumer guaranteeA protection under Australian Consumer Law that a seller cannot sign away.
• PhishingA message pretending to be from a trusted service in order to obtain your login.

A worked example: checking a game before you install it

Here is the sequence we would follow for any PC game, using only information that the vendor publishes and your own computer can tell you. It avoids the most common disappointment: installing a large download that will not run.

1. Confirm the platform. Find the vendor's list of supported operating systems. If you use Linux and Linux is not listed, stop here; workarounds exist for some games, but they are unsupported and may conflict with a game's terms. See operating system support.
2. Read your own specifications. On Windows, Settings On Windows, the System section of Settings shows the processor and installed memory.gt; System On Windows, the System section of Settings shows the processor and installed memory.gt; About shows the processor and installed memory. On a Mac, "About This Mac" in the Apple menu shows the chip and memory. Write them down.
3. Compare against the published minimum and recommended lines. Match like with like: processor against processor, memory against memory, graphics against graphics. Our guide to reading system requirements explains each line.
4. Check free disk space. Many games need noticeably more space during installation and updates than the finished install occupies.
5. Read the account terms. Online games almost always require an account. Note the minimum age the vendor sets and whether the terms allow sharing an account in a household.
6. Look up the classification. Search the Australian Classification Board's database before anyone under 18 plays. See classification and age ratings.
7. Look at how the game makes money. Before you spend anything, find out whether the game sells currencies, subscriptions or chance-based items. See in-game purchases explained.

None of these steps requires you to give anyone your details.

Money inside games, in brief

A game may cost nothing to download and still be built around spending. The usual pattern is a premium currency bought in bundles with real money, which is then exchanged for items, time-limited subscriptions or chance-based rewards. Because the currency sits between your money and the thing you want, it can be hard to tell what an item actually costs in Australian dollars. Converting in-game prices back into AUD before buying is a useful habit.

Chance-based purchases deserve particular care, because you cannot know in advance what you are paying for. Our purchases guide covers them in detail.

Ages, classification and settings at home

In Australia, games are classified under a national scheme administered with the Australian Classification Board, which publishes a searchable database of decisions. The classification is the authoritative guide to who a game is suitable for; a vendor's own minimum account age is a separate rule and may differ from it. We do not state classifications ourselves; the database is the place to check.

For households with children, the eSafety Commissioner publishes guidance for parents and carers on online gaming, including chat, contact with strangers and in-game spending. Operating systems and launchers also have their own family settings, which our classification guide describes in general terms.

Official Australian help, and what each body does

Knowing which body is responsible for a problem saves time.

• Australian Cyber Security Centre (cyber.gov.au): practical guidance for individuals on securing accounts and devices, and a way to report cybercrime.
• Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre: information on current scams and a place to report one. Fake "free item" offers and account-selling scams are a recurring theme in gaming.
• ACCC: the regulator for the Australian Consumer Law, including the consumer guarantees that apply when you buy goods and services.
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: privacy rights, including what to do if a company mishandles your personal information.
• eSafety Commissioner: online safety, including reporting serious online abuse.
• Australian Classification Board: classification decisions for games, films and publications.

Entries in this reference

• Glossary

  Definitions with worked examples, from account activation to VRAM.

• Reading system requirements

  A specification sheet decoded, with a line-by-line example.

• Game accounts and launchers

  Sign-up, activation, multi-factor authentication and recovery.

• In-game purchases explained

  Currencies, subscriptions and chance-based items, priced in AUD.

• Classification and age ratings

  Where to check a rating and how household settings work.

• Digital games and consumer rights

  What to do when a game or purchase does not work as it should.

• World of Warships: what our source states

  A short, factual entry with a disclosed paid link.