Twinking

"Twink (internet slang)" redirects here. Not to be confused with Twink (gay slang).

Twinking is a type of behavior in role-playing games that is disapproved of by other players. A player who engages in such behavior is known as a twink. The precise definition of twinking varies depending on the variety of role-playing game:

  • In "pen and paper" role-playing games, a twink is often synonymous with a munchkin, i.e. a powergamer who seeks to acquire power and loot at the expense of their teammates.[1]
  • In MUDs – Multi-User Dungeons or Domains –a twink is a player who is variously anything from a munchkin to a newbie (new player) to a griefer, or a bad faith player.[2]
  • In massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs, twinking refers to a character gaining equipment with the assistance of a higher level character, particularly by giving the low-level character higher level equipment that is otherwise unattainable.[2][3][4] It can also be used to describe the process of keeping a video game character at a low level while using in-game currency, earned by a high-level character, to provide it with superior equipment.[5][6]

A related term, smurfing also exists.[7] Often used in video gaming, smurfing describes a situation in which "a highly-skilled player creates a secondary account as a disguise to play against less proficient opponents."[8] The term originates from two Warcraft II players employing the strategy under the names "Papa Smurf" and "Smurfette".[9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference munchkin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference koster was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference bartle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference carless was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference eurogamer1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference eurogamer2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "What Is a Smurf in Gaming?". MakeUseOf. April 20, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  8. ^ Paez, Danny (June 7, 2020). "How an annoying video game strategy became a viral internet meme". Inverse. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  9. ^ Lopez, Jalen (May 8, 2021). "What is smurfing in gaming?". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 5, 2022.