The Gamification of English

"Three generations have grown up with video games since home consoles with swappable game cartridges were first released in the mid-1970s. These systems brought versions of popular arcade games, such as Space Invaders and Pac-Man, into people's living rooms. At about the same time, tabletop fantasy role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, made their appearance. This fantasy genre would also lead to the development of card-based games, such as Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon."

"As with any significant cultural development, gaming and gaming culture has had an impact on the vocabulary of English. Many terms that started out as gamer slang are now firmly entrenched in the speech of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Some of these words or phrases have even reached the pinnacle of respectability: They can now be found in the dictionary. Secrets and hacks"

Home video game consoles with swappable cartridges introduced arcade favorites like Space Invaders and Pac-Man to living rooms beginning in the mid-1970s. Tabletop fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons spurred development of card-based titles including Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon. Simulation games like The Sims and Animal Crossing rose around the turn of the millennium. About twenty years ago, MMORPGs such as EverQuest and World of Warcraft debuted and were followed by franchises like Minecraft, Roblox, and battle royale titles. Gaming culture reshaped English vocabulary, with terms like Easter egg denoting hidden in-game messages or features and entering mainstream use; an early example is Warren Robinett's credited message in Adventure (1980), added because Atari did not credit developers.

Read at Psychology Today