A tier list is a concept originating in video game culture where playable characters or other in-game elements are subjectively ranked by their respective viability as part of a list. Characters listed high on a tier list of a specific game are considered to be powerful characters compared to lower-scoring characters, and are therefore more likely to be used in high-level competitive settings like tournaments.
Tier lists are a popular method of classifying the cast of playable characters in fighting games such as the Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. series; multiplayer online battle arena titles such as League of Legends and Dota series; hero shooter titles such as Overwatch and Apex Legends; and action role-playing games with playable party members like Genshin Impact.
Tier lists have been used to rank elements from other subjects aside from video games, such as films, sports teams, logos, animals, and tabletop games.[2][failed verification] Their purpose are usually to give room for discussion in the subject, to create an easily understandable overview, or simply to entertain.
Tier lists have been a popular phenomenon on the livestreaming platform Twitch since 2015–2016, and becoming popular on the YouTube platform videos in 2018–2019.
- ^ "S Tier Meaning | What does S tier stand for?". tiermaker. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ D'Anastasio, Cecilia (14 April 2018). "YouTuber's Animal Tier Lists Are Brilliant". Kotaku. Retrieved 17 December 2023.