The extraction genre has a language all of its own, and if you are new to it, half the guides and conversations can sound like gibberish. So here is a plain-English glossary of the terms you will actually run into, with no gatekeeping and no assumed knowledge. Bookmark it, and the rest of the genre suddenly makes a lot more sense.
Extraction shooter. The genre itself. You drop into a dangerous area with whatever gear you choose to bring, fight enemies and scavenge loot, then try to reach an exit alive to keep what you found. If you die, you usually lose what you were carrying. That risk is the whole point.
Raid, or run. A single session in the danger zone, from the moment you drop in to the moment you extract or die. People talk about going on a raid or a run, and about a good run meaning a successful, profitable one.
Extract, or exfil. Reaching an exit point and leaving the area safely with your loot. This is the goal of every run. To extract successfully is to win. Exfil is just military shorthand for the same thing.
Loot. The gear, weapons, valuables and resources you find out in the world. Looting is the act of grabbing it, and a good haul is the reason you took the risk.
Gear fear. The very real anxiety of taking your best, most expensive equipment into a raid, knowing you could lose it all if you die. Overcoming gear fear, learning to actually use your good kit rather than hoarding it, is a rite of passage in these games.
PvE. Player versus environment. You are fighting the game’s AI enemies, not other people. This is the corner of the genre this channel lives in, and it is growing fast.
PvPvE. Player versus player versus environment. The most common model, where you fight both AI enemies and other human players who are in the same area trying to do the same thing as you. More chaotic, and not for everyone.
Third-party, or getting third-partied. When you are already in a fight with one enemy or player, and a second one shows up to take advantage of the chaos and kill you both. It is the single most frustrating thing in PvPvE extraction, and a big reason a lot of people prefer pure PvE.
Wipe. When a game resets everyone’s progress, gear and money back to zero, usually to refresh the economy and give everyone a level playing field. Common in hardcore games like Tarkov, and a love-it-or-hate-it part of the genre.
Scav, or AI. The computer-controlled enemies you fight. In some games you can also play as a lower-stakes scavenger character with random gear, which is a popular way to learn a map without risking your main loadout.
Hideout, or safehouse. Your personal base, where you store gear, upgrade your facilities and manage your progression between raids.
Insurance. A mechanic in some games where you pay a fee to potentially get your lost gear back after a raid, if nobody else took it. A small safety net against gear fear.
That is the core vocabulary. Once these click, the whole genre opens up. If you are ready to actually dive in, my solo beginner’s guide walks you through your first runs, and the extraction shooter matcher will point you at the right game to start with.
extraction shooterglossarybeginner guidetermsPvE
FAQ
What does extract or exfil mean in an extraction shooter?
It means reaching an exit point and leaving the area safely with your loot. Extracting successfully is how you win a run, and exfil is just military shorthand for the same thing.
What is gear fear?
It is the anxiety of taking your best, most expensive equipment into a raid knowing you could lose it all if you die. Learning to actually use your good kit rather than hoard it is a rite of passage.
What does getting third-partied mean?
It is when you are already fighting one enemy or player and a second one shows up to take advantage of the chaos and kill you both. It is a big reason many players prefer pure PvE.
What is a wipe in an extraction shooter?
It is when a game resets everyone's progress, gear and money back to zero, usually to refresh the economy and level the playing field. It is common in hardcore games like Tarkov and a love-it-or-hate-it part of the genre.
What is a scav?
It is the computer-controlled AI enemies you fight. In some games you can also play as a lower-stakes scavenger character with random gear, which is a popular way to learn a map without risking your main loadout.
What does PvPvE mean?
Player versus player versus environment. It is the most common model, where you fight both AI enemies and other human players trying to do the same thing as you. More chaotic, and not for everyone.
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