Smurf
what it means
Widely considered unsporting, and against the rules in many games. The name comes from an unrelated 1990s joke that stuck permanently.
An experienced player using a new or low-ranked account to play against weaker opponents.
the origin story
From StarCraft-era Warcraft II players who created accounts named "PapaSmurf" and "Smurfette" to avoid being recognised.
It's one of the oldest gaming terms still in active use, and the origin story is unusually well documented. Smurfing remains a live problem in ranked games, and most competitive titles now have explicit policies against it.
in the wild
Level 3 account and he's got perfect crosshair placement.
That's a smurf.
Is it actually banned?
In most ranked games, yes.
how to use it
- Describing experienced players on new accounts
- Discussing matchmaking fairness
- Gaming contexts
- As an accusation against anyone playing well
- Professionally
- Where the term's specific meaning matters and you mean something else
related terms
receipts
Community feedback
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