A pro gamer move is a situation in which a person does an impressive maneuver in a video game, usually to impress friends or followers. It means imitating the skills of pro gamers, also known as esports players. Skilled players with a profound understanding of the game world, mechanics, and gameplay use perform pro gamer moves.
A pro gamer move can be a self-imposed challenge to flex one’s gaming ability. However, it must be done successfully to be termed a pro-gamer move.
Ironically, the term is popularly used to satirize a poor, albeit unexpected, video game blunder. For instance, a beginner who stacks Tetris pieces horizontally rather than vertically can be satirically said to make a pro gamer move.
Examples of Pro Gamer Moves
A pro gamer move can be game-specific, but gaming enthusiasts use it to refer to any clever or high-skill move done in any game. Below are some examples of a pro-gamer move.
Examples:
- Card counting:
- A common tactic from traditional card games imported into video games.
- It requires remembering which cards from the deck have been played to predict future cards.
- Damage boost:
- Using an explosion or similar damage source to reach otherwise inaccessible places on the map.
- It requires precision timing and aiming; it was popularized as a “rocket jump” in Quake, though it existed in Doom first.
- Frame-perfect input:
- Glitch exploits requiring button presses during specific frames (1/60th of a second).
- Some moves need several frame-perfect inputs in rapid succession, demanding high precision.
- No-scope:
- Hitting a distant target without using the scope, typically with a sniper rifle.
- Over-jumping:
- Using game environment aspects to jump higher or further than usually possible.
- It often involves bouncing off an enemy or object.
- Physics exploit:
- Exploiting the game’s physics engine for advantages like faster movement or climbing by standing on objects being carried.
- Purposely taking damage:
- Using damage-taking mechanics to gain brief invulnerability and bypass obstacles.
- Quickscope:
- Hitting a distant target quickly after scoping in is less impressive than no-scope but still challenging.
- RNG manipulation:
- Manipulating random number generator seed values to achieve desired results.
- Speeding:
- Moving at full speed through tricky game sections where caution is usually exercised.
- Wall clip:
- Pushing the character through walls or out of bounds using precise input timing.
What Is a Pro Gamer Move in Real Life
A pro gamer move in real life is when someone cleverly navigates a situation considered difficult. For instance, the entire class could be puzzled by a math equation given by a professor, and an average student could enter the class and immediately provide an answer out of nowhere.
It could also be in a workplace where a team member suddenly answers a challenging problem that has been hot on everyone’s head. Speedrunners use glitches to make their gameplay faster, and they can be likened to describe a real-life scenario where an unpleasant situation surprisingly turned out good.
Who Popularized the Pro Gamer Move
You might think the term comes from one of the top Esports games like Call Of Duty or Valorant, both of which surprisingly won’t feature at the Esports World Cup 2024. However, its popularity in the gaming community dates back to March 28, 2019, when YouTuber Michael Stevens uploaded a video titled “Let’s Play Super Mario Quadratics.”
He made the “I’m gonna do what’s called a pro gamer move” statement midway through the video before altering the game’s quadratic equations to gain an advantage. Since then, it has become a subject of online memes, notably kicked off by YouTube user “Sir Aban the Daring,” who posted the quote in the video’s comment section.
It took a little while for Reddit, Facebook, and other online communities to pick up on the trend, and it became even more popular. Subreddits helped skyrocket the meme’s popularity, with /r/dankmemes,/r/GamersRiseUp, and /r/MemeEconomy making notable contributions.
