What does "OG" mean in gaming? Explained

What does OG mean in gaming?

'OG' stands for ‘original gangster’, which stems from 70s-80s gang culture. It seems strange, then, that the phrase OG would be used in gaming, but it’s been widely adopted across pop culture to describe someone who’s old-school and well-respected in a certain area.

In gaming, it could refer to somebody who’s played a game since launch, has been involved in its competitive scene for years, or is generally highly skilled at a game.

Why did OG become a popular term?

It’s not exactly clear when or why OG became so heavily-used in pop culture. With the increasingly-large reach of hip-hop music, the phrase gradually bled over until it’s now commonplace in gaming, streaming, and internet culture.

Can OG mean anything else in gaming?

Yes! There are two popular esports teams you might see referred to as OG. The first is OpTic Gaming, the Texas-based org that’s among the most popular in the world, and the second is OG Esports, the European-based org with a dominant legacy in Dota 2.