Quick definition:Short for away from keyboard, a message or state meaning that a player is temporarily not paying attention to the game or has stepped away, often announced in chat.
Meaning
AFK means that a player has left the game without quitting it, or is not actively controlling their character. The player might be making a drink, answering the door or simply distracted, and the character remains in the world, standing still and unable to respond.
In team games, the term is usually a complaint. A teammate who goes AFK leaves others outnumbered, and in competitive modes, a long absence can lead to a penalty. Players commonly type the three letters in chat as a courtesy, to warn the team that help may not arrive for a few minutes.
AFK is also used for the playing style of leaving a game running to gain rewards, as in idle farming. Some games allow this on purpose, while others forbid it and detect automated or inactive play through timers that disconnect characters after a set period of inactivity.
Origin:AFK is an initialism for away from keyboard that began in early internet chat rooms and text-based online worlds, where it let users tell others they had left their computers. It spread into online games, where it is typed in chat and also used as a description of idle players. The exact first use is unknown.
Example:Halfway through a team match, Tara types AFK in the chat and walks to the kitchen to answer a knock at the door. Her character stands in the open while the enemy approaches. Her teammates, who did not see the message in time, are furious, and she returns to find the match already lost.
Did you know?Idle players can ruin team games, so many titles detect inactivity and remove or punish AFK players automatically. The related term BRB, short for be right back, is used when a player expects to return soon, while AFK can suggest a longer or unplanned absence.
