In gaming and online chats, FF stands for forfeit, meaning to surrender a match before it finishes.
What FF Means
The most common meaning of FF comes from competitive video games, where players use it as shorthand for forfeit. When a squad falls hopelessly behind, a player suggests an FF to concede the match and find a new opponent.
In first-person shooters, FF also stands for friendly fire, which indicates whether weapons can harm teammates.
Outside of gaming, FF stands for Follow Friday on social platforms like X, where users recommend accounts every Friday. In online writing groups, FF refers to fan fiction. Some people also use FF on media players as an abbreviation for fast forward. Like other terms found in modern internet slang, the meaning depends on the platform.
Where the Term Came From
The gaming use of FF grew out of titles like League of Legends, where typing the chat command /ff triggers an official surrender vote. Over time, gamers dropped the slash and began typing the letters on their own.
The media sense of FF comes from buttons on cassette decks and VCRs that displayed double arrows next to the letters FF. Meanwhile, Follow Friday started on Twitter in 2009 as a weekly recommendation hashtag.
How People Use FF
Gamers type FF in team chat when they think a comeback is impossible. In many titles, players pair the term with a timestamp like “ff 15” to request surrendering as soon as the game clock allows it.
Sometimes a player is lwk frustrated after a bad play and types ff out of temporary annoyance. In shooter lobbies, teammates also ask “is ff on?” before throwing grenades.
Examples of FF in Messages
- “Our jungler left the game, let’s just ff at 15.”
- “Watch your aim, ff is turned on.”
- “Tagging my favorite animators for this week’s #FF!”
- “I spent the evening reading an awesome Zelda ff.”
- “Can you ff through this cutscene?”
How to Reply to FF
If you agree that the match is lost, reply with “yes” or vote to surrender when the prompt appears. If you think your team can still win, encourage them by typing “we scale late” or “no ff, we can win this.”
When the whole team agrees to move on, vote yes, say CYA to the lobby, and queue for another match.
Similar Terms
Gamers often say “go next” or “open” to express the same idea as calling an FF. In fan communities, people write “fanfic” or “fic” instead of FF to avoid confusion. Do not confuse FF with FFS, which stands for “for f***’s sake” and shows frustration rather than a surrender request.
Is Saying FF Rude?
Calling FF too early can come off as rude or toxic. Giving up after one lost fight ruins team morale and frustrates teammates who still want to compete. You should also avoid using FF in professional workplace chats, where coworkers will not recognize gaming jargon.
FAQ
Does FF always mean forfeit in gaming?
No, FF also stands for friendly fire in tactical shooter games. The meaning is usually obvious based on whether players are talking about teammate damage or ending the match.
What does the /ff command do?
In games such as League of Legends, typing /ff into the chat box calls a team vote to surrender. If enough teammates agree, the match ends immediately in a loss.
Should FF be capitalized?
No, capitalization is completely optional. People write “FF” and “ff” interchangeably, though gamers often prefer lowercase letters because they are faster to type during a match.
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