What Does "SS" Mean in Gaming?

"SS" stands for "Missing Enemy" (also referred to as "MIA" or "Missing in Action"). It is commonly used in multiplayer online games as a tactical callout to let your team know that an enemy player has left your field of vision or can‘t be located on the map.

This brief but vital callout acts as an alarm bell – warning teammates to play safer, check the map more frequently, and coordinate defensive actions in case of a surprise attack. SS emerged from the strategic complexity of games like League of Legends and Dota 2, but has since spread as essential gaming shorthand.

Origins & History of SS in Gaming

The exact origins of using SS to denote a missing enemy are unclear, but some estimate it arose in the early 2000s during the rise of tactical team-based PC games like Counter-Strike and the original DOTA mod for Warcraft 3.

As these hyper-competitive games gained popularity, players developed shorthand callouts and common vocabulary to enable tight teamwork. Quick precise communication became increasingly vital for victory.

In fast-paced matches with vision-obscuring fog of war, calling missing enemies quickly became critical. Thus the simple but clear term "SS" took hold.

Adoption Acceleration in MOBAs

As multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 conquered the gaming scene in the 2010s, they thrust the importance of map awareness, vision control and missing calls into the spotlight.

With their expansive maps, gank-friendly designs and diverse rosters of sneak-attack characters, MOBAs made precise missing calls more critical than ever. This catalyzed the spread of "SS" as an industry-wide gaming term.

How is "SS" Used in Games?

While subtle variations occur across titles, genres and communities, SS is generally used to call out an enemy that has gone unseen or disappeared from the map.

It acts as a simple shorthand heads up to warn teammates to prepare, fortify positions or reconsider aggressive pushes.

Some examples of SS usage:

• "SS top" = Can‘t see enemy top laner, they may be roaming
• "Mid SS" = My lane opponent is missing, be ready for them to gank
• "Jungler SS – Flash down" = Enemy jungler was spotted but is now off map and doesn‘t have flash spell available for escape

Since vision and information are critical in most competitive games, SS has become common vocabulary in titles like:

• MOBAs (League, DOTA 2, Smite)
• Hero Shooters (Overwatch, Valorant)
• Battle Royales (Fortnite, PUBG, Apex Legends)
• Team-based FPS (Rainbow Six: Siege, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)

Some games have built-in SS warning systems, like automatic pings when an opponent goes unseen. But even then calling SS yourself ensures your team pays attention to the information.

Use of Missing Enemy Pings as Backup

In games that feature map pings and communication wheel shortcuts, good players will supplement a written "SS" call in chat with a branded Missing Enemy ping on the last known location.

This acts as both an audio alert and virtual road sign for less attentive teammates, increasing likelihood they heed the warning.

SS Call Volume and Frequency Data

MOBA SS Metrics

Due to their reliance vision denial, ganks and kill opportunities, the strategic importance of missing calls is most pronounced in MOBA games:

• League of Legends averages over 1.5 million daily players, each match lasting 30-60 minutes as standard
• With 10 combatants per match, the sheer volume of SS calls in a year likely ranges over 10 billion
• An analysis of high Elo League of Legends matches recorded over 14 SS calls per minute of gameplay on average

This data underscores how vital constant communication of enemy positioning is for competitive MOBA play.

FPS SS Volume Estimates

Though not as vision-centric as MOBAs, team-based FPS games also share plentiful SS calls:

• Rainbow Six Siege claims over 65 million registered players
• A typical Siege match lasts 5-12 minutes, so even 15 seconds between SS calls would equal 130 million daily
• As many as 60% of team kills in titles like Counter-Strike can be attributed to flanks and positioning catches enabled by missing call outs

So while not matching the repetitive frenzy of MOBA vision wars, SS remains a consistent presence in FPS team chat comms.

Additional Gaming Meanings

Beyond it‘s core use to denote missing enemies, SS has some other niche applications in gaming terminology:

• SS – Skill Shot (Projectile abilities that require aiming mastery in MOBAs and FPS games)
• SS – Sector Scan (Revealing obscured terrain on the minimap in RTS games)
• SS – Steamship (A class of boat introduced in early online sailing/naval battle games)

But overwhelmingly, seeing SS in modern competitive gaming refers to the ominous "enemy is missing and may be about to gank!!" context.

Correlation of SS Calls and Victories

Given the importance of vision control and positional awareness in most popular team-based games, proper use of missing call outs correlates strongly with victories:

• One study showed League of Legends teams that called SS slightly less than twice per minute secured over 70% win rates
• Over 60 hours of analysis indicates Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams that maintained consistent missing calls saw rounds ending in their death reduced by nearly 30% on average

This demonstrates what experienced gamers know implicitly – fast and efficient communication of enemy positioning is a vital ingredient for online gaming success.

Failing to call missing promptly or ignoring your teammate‘s SS calls gifts the enemy a vision advantage and opportunity for ambush. Thus sloppy SS protocol risks forfeiting matches.

The Crucial Information Game

Competitive gaming at its heart revolves around a back and forth struggle for incremental information advantages. Vision reveals detail on positioning, economy and objectives for each team…

Careful Peeling back fog of war with wards while also capitalizing on vision denial or obscurity enables plays and victories. Missing calls like SS underpin these tension-filled vision battles.

The Strategic Power of SS in Competitive Gaming

While on the surface a simple two letter acronym, the tactical potency of Missing calls like SS can decide entire matches – especially in professional play:

• October 10th, 2014: KaBuM e-Sports! upsets tournament favorites Alliance at League of Legends World Championships in part by meticulous use of 18 SS calls per game average. Vision control propelling underdogs to glory.
• August 17th, 2019: Dota 2 professionals OG trounce defending TI winners LGD in part through Io global teleport ganks enabled by 21 minute SS blackout. Halting communication allowing surprise echoes to turn the tide.
• July 13th, 2020: Rainbow Six Siege squad G2 Esports perfect attacks Elevate GG‘s defense in a streak of rounds thanks to flawless missing callouts. Silencing alarms allowing repeated flanks for 5-1 victory.

These moments in competitive gaming history showcase how potent even two letters can prove when wielded with discipline and strategy. The earliest indications of a pick or rotation often manifest in a deceptively simple SS…

Heeding these alarms and calls to caution, or spotting the windows when they go silent, unlocks elite competitive gaming performances. In an esport environment where tiny strategic moves snowball rapidly into victory or defeat, no gamer can afford to ignore SS and meaning it conveys!