Video Game Dictionary: What does "Battle Royale" mean in Gaming?

IPA: /ˌbætl̩ ɹɔɪˈæl/

Definition:

Battle Royale games are a relatively new addition to the universe of games genres. They typically involve players competing until only one player, or one team, is left standing. They also typically have players launch into maps that are continually shrunk through barriers moving in from the edges of the map (Usually not physical barriers, but areas that damage the player over time).

While being relatively new they actually began gaining popularity in the early 2010s. The first notable version of the concept was originally included as a mod for DayZ, which in turn was a mod of ARMA II, a military simulator.

Since then, battle royale games have grown to a global success through titles like Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds and, of course, Fortnite, among many others.

The etymology of the term “Battle Royale” comes from the cult-classic Japanese movie “Battle Royale” released in 2000. It takes its name from the original novel it’s based on. The movie and novel created the concept of gradually reducing zones with a “last-man-standing” competition.

To take the etymology another step back, this name comes from traditional “Battle Royal” fights, where many competitors would fight until one was left standing. These typically were based on wrestling or boxing. This original term goes all the way back to the UK in the 1700s. These fights eventually lost their popularity in the UK but continued in the American Colonies of the time.

Example Usage:

“Have you played that new Battle Royale game? I’ve just won my first game”

“I’m not a fan of Battle Royale games, they’re too punishing”