Every term a viewer will hear on the broadcast

Reference

Full glossary — every term a viewer will hear on the broadcast

The glossary covers every term a viewer will hear on the broadcast. The terms below are listed alphabetically; each entry carries a plain-language definition and a link to a deeper explainer where one exists.

Agent select — the round-by-round process where each player locks in the agent or hero they will play for the match. The agent select phase sits between the buy phase and the first round.

Bo1 — best-of-one. The match ends after the first map. Bo1 rounds run fast and are common in Swiss stages where the round count matters more than the per-match depth.

Bo3 — best-of-three. The match ends when one team wins two maps. Bo3 rounds run longer and are common in group stages and most playoff rounds.

Bo5 — best-of-five. The match ends when one team wins three maps. Bo5 rounds run the longest and are reserved for grand finals and select major events.

Bracket — the match tree that determines who plays whom in each round. Read top to bottom for the round order. Top seed at the top; lowest seed at the bottom.

Buy phase — the window between rounds where each player purchases weapons and utility for the next round. The buy phase determines what each player can afford based on the previous round's economy.

Cross-region — an event or match that pits teams from different regions against each other. Cross-region events typically use a region-neutral grouping for the playoff stage.

Decider map — the final map in a Bo3 or Bo5 series, played when the series is tied at 1-1 (Bo3) or 2-2 (Bo5). Side selection on the decider is decided by a knife round.

Double elim — a format with an upper bracket and a lower bracket. One loss drops the team to the lower bracket; two losses end the run. The grand final gives the upper bracket team a one-map advantage.

Economy phase — the buy window between rounds. Determines what weapons and utility each player can afford for the next round. The economy phase is the strategic backbone of each round.

GSL groups — a format with two groups of four. Each group runs an opening match and a decider match, then crosses into a single-elim playoff. GSL stands for the league that originated the format.

IGL — in-game leader. The IGL calls the round's strategy. The IGL is the only player with full map vision. Their calls decide pace.

Knife round — a tie-breaker round where players use only their default knife to determine side selection for the decider map. The team that wins the knife round picks side for the decider.

Lower bracket — the elimination side of a double-elim bracket. One more loss and the team is out. The lower bracket final decides who meets the upper bracket team in the grand final.

Map pool — the set of maps available for play in a given tournament or cycle. The map pool refreshes after every major patch. The veto process reflects the map pool.

Map veto — the pre-match process where each side bans maps until the pool narrows. The order decides who picks first. The veto order is the operational schedule for the match.

Meta shifts — the patterns the editorial desk has noticed over the past four weeks. The meta shifts rail on the games page tracks the patterns after every patch closes.

Patch — a developer's official update to the game. The patch post covers agent changes, map changes, economy changes and side selection changes. Patch literacy is the second cheat code.

Round robin — a format where every team plays every other team in the group. The standings shift on map differential as often as on wins. Round robin rewards consistency across the cycle.

Save phase — the round where a team chooses to save weapons and utility for the next round instead of buying. The save phase is a strategic decision based on the economy.

Seeding — the bracket position assigned to each team based on prior performance. Top seed plays the lowest seed in the first round. Seeding bias affects the bracket from round 2 onward.

Side bias — the historical win rate of the attacking side versus the defending side on a given map. Side bias refreshes after every major patch; the data poster carries the latest figures.

Side selection — the choice between attacking and defending sides. Side rotates across a Bo series. The team that picked first chooses side for the first map.

Single elim — a format with one bracket and no second chance. One loss and a team is out. Single elim produces the shortest bracket.

Swiss — a format that re-pairs teams with the same record each round. Three wins advance; three losses end the run. Swiss rounds are common in open fields.

Upper bracket — the side of a double-elim bracket where teams keep their place after one loss. The upper bracket team carries a one-map advantage into the grand final.

Veto — short for map veto. The pre-match process where each side bans maps until the pool narrows. The veto order decides who picks first.

The glossary covers every term a viewer will hear on the broadcast. Where a term has multiple meanings across games, the glossary notes the variation. The glossary links to deeper explainers on the bracket explainer page and the map veto process page. The glossary is the public reference for the editorial standard on format literacy.

Editor's note

How the desk uses the glossary

The editorial desk uses the glossary as the public reference for format literacy. The desk publishes the glossary on the site so viewers can find the term they need in one place. The desk updates the glossary after every cycle close.

Where the league has published a partial glossary entry, the glossary lists the published portion and marks the rest as pending. The desk does not infer glossary entries from a single broadcast. The desk only cites verified sources.

The glossary covers every term a viewer will hear on the broadcast. Where a term has multiple meanings across games, the glossary notes the variation. The glossary links to deeper explainers on the bracket explainer page and the map veto process page.