Nerf and buff
What do nerf and buff mean in games? Patches that weaken or strengthen a weapon, ability or character, and where the words came from.
A nerf is a change, usually in a patch, that weakens an item, ability, tactic or character; a buff makes one stronger. Competitive games such as League of Legends and Overwatch change constantly through them.
Where the term comes from
Inverse writes that both words came into use in the early days of online games, largely thanks to Ultima Online (1997).
Examples
Each game links to the source that describes it using the mechanic.
Related terms: Power creep, The meta, TTK (time to kill), Live service game.
Sources
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