What Does "OG" Mean in Gaming Slang?

If you‘ve spent any time in online gaming circles, you‘ve likely come across the term "OG." In gamer slang, OG stands for "Original Gangster" – used to denote veteran status and prestige in the gaming community. But what exactly does it mean to be an OG gamer? What‘s the origin of this slang term and how has its usage evolved in gaming culture? Read on for a full breakdown.

The Origins of OG

• OG arose over 30 years ago as shorthand for "Original Gangster" in the context of hip hop culture and inner city gangs.

• It referred to veteran members with seniority in a gang or hip hop collective. They were the trailblazers setting the trends for others to follow.

• As hip hop culture grew mainstream, the term OG became more familiar – a shorthand for paying respect by acknowledging "old school" status.

How Did Gaming Pick Up on OG Slang?

Gaming borrowed hip hop slang as games grew in cultural influence. Arcade cabinets were often set up in seedy locations in the 80‘s/90‘s – the only spots that would host them. Gang presence meant gamers adopted terms like OG from the surrounding culture.

As the table below shows, use of OG in gaming skyrocketed in the 2000s as online multiplayer took off. It became a badge of honor for early pioneers of influential games:

Calling a gamer an OG pays respect to their veteran status. It acknowledges the trailblazing contributions that made them a pillar of the community.

What Makes a Gamer OG Status?

The criteria for OG status in games includes:

• Early adoption – Being among the very first to play or master an influential game. The earliest pioneers.
• Mastery – Reaching the highest skill levels through extensive practice and setting records.
• Influence – Shaping the culture and meta around a game through tactics innovation, content creation, or other contributions.
• Longevity – Remaining dedicated to and skilled at a game or franchise for 10+ years following early adoption. Retaining relevance and elite expertise over time rather than moving on to trendier titles.

Some other indicators include racking up achievements or unlocks first to blaze the trail for others, establishing well-known gaming bands or clans, or appearing consistently on all-time leaderboards across a game‘s lifecycle.

Who Are Some Notable OG Gamers?

Here are just a few examples of gamers considered OGs who match some of the criteria above:

• Sky (Gamertag: Sky04) – Halo superstar that dominated esports events 2003-2012
• Faker – League of Legends genius setting records since 2013. 3x world champion.
• Ninja – Pioneering Twitch streamer and Fortnite legend
• Magnus Carlsen – Chess grandmaster with elite online chess skills for over 15 years
• s1mple – CounterStrike phenom shattering KDA records since 2016
• Daigo Umehara – Street Fighter national champ pioneering high level play for 20+ years

The list goes on for true OGs that have shaped the trajectory of various games through early mastery and enduring excellence. They set a high bar that newcomers aspire towards.

Has "OG" Use and Meaning Changed Over Time in Gaming?

As gaming penetrates mainstream culture, OG labeling has become more fluid:

• Applied retroactively – Gamers will call creators of iconic early 90s games like Mario, Sonic or Doom "OG developers" trying to capture that throwback cachet, even if no one used the term at the time.
• More inclusive – With gaming fragmented across genres and platforms, OG gets used more loosely as a sign of general respect. A veteran Xbox gamer might call a former Playstation pro "an OG" despite coming up in different ecosystems.
• Commercialized – Game companies and advertisers now deliberately use OG messaging when marketing remasters or remakes of classic IP – "Play the OG Doom". OG status used as a branding strategy targeting older niche fanbases.

So while it arose organically, OG‘s spread has been accelerated by media and marketing which amplify the appeal of veteran prestige.

According to Google Trends data below, global search interest in the term "OG" peaked around 2018 as Battle Royale games went mainstream and have driven a resurgence of retro gaming. Being called an OG both shows deference to early pioneers of the art form as well as a gamer‘s own old school roots.

OG in Wider Gen Z Slang

Zoomer gamers have also increasingly adopted OG more tongue-in-cheek in wider youth slang:

• Applied jokingly to anything released 6+ months ago even if not strictly "OG"
• Used ironically to laugh off outdated memes or trends they have outgrown
• Describing fictional characters or game elements as OGs with a hint of whimsy. Like calling Mario an "OG" with a chuckle despite no one actually using that term when he released in the 1980s.

This shows how gaming slang bleeds across internet cultures. The formal definition remains similar – OG as veteran pioneer worthy of honor. But the contextual usage continues evolving across generations.

In Summary: Gaming‘s Promotion of OG Slang

Far from outdated, OG endures as a gaming community touchstone for conveying hard-won status and commanding respect. To be labeled an OG gamer remains a huge badge of honor.

Gaming adopted the term organically but has also helped it proliferate thanks to amplifying subcultures and medial forces. From arcades to esports, games granted OG added exposure ultimately popularizing it as Gen Z slang with an irreverent spin.

Yet it retains its traditional meaning in the minds of long term gamers. Calling someone "OG" continues to signal awe and deference in online gaming circles for those that take skill-based challenges to legendary levels over the long haul.

So next time you hear about an OG in gaming contexts, take it as shorthand signifying an early innovator or master that left an outstanding mark on gaming history!