Spawn

What does spawn mean in video games?

Creation of a character or item

Spawn is the creation or summoning of a character, item, NPC, etc., in a video game. Gamers typically use the term when referring to the location (spawn point) where a player's character begins a level or after dying (respawning).

For example, when a player begins a level in a game, they start at a certain point on the playable map. This also applies to multiplayer games where each character spawns at different points on a map.

Besides characters, items (such as weapons, treasure, etc.) and NPCs spawn at different places in a game. They may be based on elapsed time, triggered by specific events, or dependent on other factors.

Origin of spawn

The gaming slang term "spawn" originated from Doom, a game developed by id Software and released in 1993. It comes from the actual word used to describe the production of offspring.

Example

I need some help. Every time I spawn, I get blasted bc they are waiting for me
I'm omw to your spawn point
Tweet about the placement of a spawn in an Overwatch map
Tweet about the placement of a spawn in an Overwatch map

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Updated June 13, 2023

Spawn definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the slang term "Spawn" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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