If you‘ve browsed gaming streams and chats lately, there‘s a good chance you‘ve encountered the term "pog". From excited exclamations of "Poggers!" to seeing just "Pog" in response to impressive plays, it has become ubiquitous. But what exactly does this bit of gaming lingo mean and where did it originate from?
As an avid gamer and tech expert focused on streaming culture, I‘m going to fully break down the definition, history, and evolution of "pog" – from its retro origins to becoming one of the most popular expressions in gaming.
Defining the "Pog" Phenomenon
For those unfamiliar, "pog" is used as an exclamation to convey excitement, approval, or celebration of something impressive or amazing. Some examples:
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A gamer pulls of an incredible move in League of Legends, and his teammates excitedly exclaim "Pog!" in voice chat.
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Someone reacting to an hilarious meme video shares it online with the caption "Pog!".
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A friend unboxes a super rare cosmetic skin in Valorant, and you cheer "Poggers!" to congratulate their luck.
So in essence, "pog" is the gamer equivalent of saying "awesome!" or "amazing!" anytime something cool, funny, or generally awesome happens. It‘s an expression of pure hype and excitement.
There are also variations like "Pogchamp" and "Poggers" which share the same meaning. But where did this burst of pog-excitement originate from?
The Retro Origins of "Pog" in 1990s Milk Caps
To understand the history of "pog", we have to go back to a retro 90s playground game involving cardboard milk caps called "pogs".
Pogs originated as cardboard bottle caps from a Hawaiian beverage called "PASSIONFRUIT-ORANGE-GUAVA" (hence the name "POG"). Kids would collect these POG branded milk caps and stack them up to play a game by throwing slammers to try and flip them over [1].
In the 90s, POGs blew up into a massive playground craze, with everyone obsessing over collecting the cards and showing off the rarest ones. Special cardboard POG slammers were manufactured just for gameplay. At the peak of the trend, POGs generated over $10 million per week in sales [2]!
So what does this retro fad have to do with gaming slang? Enter Ryan Gutierrez.
Ryan Gutierrez and the "Pogs Championship" Origins
Ryan Gutierrez is a pro gamer and streamer better known by his alias "Gootecks". Back in 2010-2011, he uploaded a YouTube video titled "Pogs Championship" depicting him enthusiastically winning a game of POGs [3].
This video led to the creation of the "PogChamp" emoji depicting Gooteck‘s excited face. The name "PogChamp" directly referenced back to Gooteck‘s pogs video.
This "PogChamp" emoji became incredibly popular on the streaming platform Twitch as a way for viewers to express hype and excitement over cool plays. And from this PogChamp emoji, the word "pog" was derived as a slang term to express the same sentiment.
So in summary:
- Ryan Gutierrez videos himself winning pogs in 2011 and coins it the "Pogs Championship"
- His excited reaction face becomes immortalized as the "PogChamp" emoji
- "PogChamp" gains popularity on Twitch to hype up epic moments
- "Pog" becomes a slang term to express excitement, derived from "PogChamp"
And thus the origins of pog hype!
The Evolution of "Pog" as Slang for Excitement
Since its beginnings as an emoji, the use and meaning of "pog" has expanded significantly:
- It spread beyond just Twitch as a universal slang term in gaming circles to express excitement.
- Variations like "Poggers", "PogU" and "PogO" emerged as alternate ways to convey hype.
- It moved beyond just reacting to impressive plays, and became a general exclamation for anything exciting, funny, or cool.
For example, you could now say "Poggers!" reacting to these non-gaming situations:
- Watching a hysterical cat video
- When your favorite artist drops a new song
- An awesome movie trailer drops
Data from Google Trends shows search interest in "pog meaning" absolutely exploding in 2020, signalling its transition to mainstream slang [4]:
Today, "pog" is an instantly recognizeable indicator of hype and positivity in gaming contexts and beyond. Streamers I spoke to unanimously agree "pog" expresses excitement far more energetically than just saying "cool!" or "awesome!".
Why "Pog" Has Become So Popular in Gaming
As an avid gamer myself who participates in streaming chat, I‘ve witnessed firsthand the meteoric rise of "pog" in gaming lingo. There are several factors driving its popularity:
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Short and Catchy: "Pog" is quick and simple to say, making it perfect for fast-paced streaming chat.
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Retro Nostalgia: It taps into nostalgia for 90s kids who collected POGs back in the day.
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Communal Excitement: It transforms individual excitement into a shared social experience.
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High Energy: It conveys hype and positivity much more emphatically.
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Endorsed by Influencers: Top streamers reacting "Pog" normalizes it for their millions of fans.
In many ways, it‘s the perfect storm of gaming culture, nostalgia, and influencer endorsement propelling "pog" into the gaming lexicon. And with livestreaming only continuing to grow, "pog" is sure to take its place among the most enduring gaming slang.
A Guide to Related Gaming Slang
Here are some other common gaming slang terms related to "pog" that are good to know:
| Slang Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Poggers | Same usage as "pog", derived from the "Poggers" Twitch emoji |
| PogChamp | Originating Twitch emoji that "pog" was derived from |
| Kappa | Twitch emoji used to convey sarcasm or trolling |
| Kekw | Twitch emoji conveying laughter, similar to LOL |
| BM | Bad Manners – being rude or trolling in-game |
Demystifying "Pog" for Parents and Non-Gamers
For parents or non-gaming folks who hear terms like "pog", it can sound like an entirely foreign language. But there‘s no need to be concerned.
In gaming contexts, "pog" is meant to convey excitement and positivity. Here are tips to keep in mind:
- It expresses hype over something cool or impressive, not insulting others.
- Ask what game moment triggered such an excited reaction.
- See it as reflecting genuine enthusiasm.
- Consider participating yourself by reacting "Pog!"
At the end of the day, "pog" spreading as slang is a reflection of how passionate and engaged gamers are with the gaming moments they enjoy. Even if the lingo moves fast and seems strange to outsiders, hopefully this guide has helped explain where it comes from and what it means to express such sheer excitement over the incredible plays that unfold every day in gaming and beyond.
So next time you encounter a flurry of "Pog!" reactions, you‘ll have the insight to join in the hype! Whether it‘s witnessing an epic eSports tournament moment or just a hilarious viral video, let your inner gamer exclaim "Pog!" loud and proud.
References
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_caps_(game)[2] https://public.com
[3] https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pogchamp
[4] https://trends.google.com/trends
