What Does HS Mean In Gaming? (Answered!)

HS in gaming stands for “headshot”. This is most commonly used in first-person shooter games such as Call of Duty. When you kill another player by getting an incredibly accurate shot in their head, you might say “HS” in the chat to brag about your kill. It can also mean “high standard”.

So, HS tends to be a term fairly limited to FPS games.

That said, it can be used in just about any shooter game, whether multiplayer or single-player.

If there’s something in the game which you can use to shoot people in the head, whether a gun or a bow and arrow, you can get a HS.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What does HS stand for in gaming?

HS stands for “headshot” in gaming.

This refers to the fact that shooting someone in the head is considered a more difficult thing to do in most FPS games, and so you essentially get extra clout for having done it.

Of course, among skilled players, headshots are hardly a rare occurrence.

So, for the most part, it’s not going to be something used in chat immediately after getting a headshot.

That said, it can depend on the player.

A new player may feel more excited about their achievement, and feel more inclined to post about their headshot in the game chat.

On the other hand, it’s just basic shorthand for use in forums and discussions about the game. “You need 50 HS with this gun to complete this challenge,” for example. It’s just for convenience even if you’re not in the middle of the game.

There are many games and game types where headshots are a significant part of the game.

Of course, the most common among these, as I mentioned, are the first-person shooters.

Games like Call of Duty made headshots contribute to challenges, and thus people could use special weapons showing off their achievements.

Of course, the thing about headshots is that they usually mean an instant kill, so there’s a big advantage to going for them.

Of course, the trade-off is that you are attempting to hit a much smaller target, making the shot much harder to pull off.

In any case, HS most commonly means headshot, though I’ll get into what else it might mean later—but where did this abbreviation come from?

Where does HS come from in gaming?

We aren’t completely sure where this term originated.

However, we can see that it has been in use in gaming culture for a very long time.

Even before video games, the idea of a “headshot” had significance in things like paintball or competitive airsoft.

The abbreviation HS was in use plainly by the late 1990s—we can see that in all sorts of discussion forums around particular games.

The earliest example of its use we have seems to come from Counter-Strike, an extremely popular military combat game from the period.

Headshots were an important part of this game, and so the abbreviation was perhaps born here.

Where and when exactly it was first used, though, may be lost to time forever.

In any case, it’s a very natural shortening of a common term that would be used in gaming, so its use seems quite natural.

How do you respond if someone says this to you?

How do you respond to HS?

If someone says HS after killing you with a headshot, then the first thing to do is not to get worked up about it.

In the first place the other player probably did not mean it to be genuinely insulting.

They were just showing playful competitiveness.

So, if someone says it to you, you can just respond with “nice kill!” or something to that effect.

Acknowledge it if you wish—but you really don’t have to!

The important point is that you shouldn’t jump to assume the person is trying to mock you or belittle you.

They are, in all likelihood, just being light-hearted and jokey.

What does this term mean on Fortnite?

What does HS mean in Fortnite?

On Fortnite, the term HS generally means headshot, too.

These are often particularly impressive on Fornite as players can see one another from great distances, though with great difficulty.

Kills over such distances, especially headshots, are even more impressive, many would say.

So, again, if someone kills you via a headshot in Fortnite and proceeds to spam “HS” in the chat, you can take it in the good-natured way it is meant!

What else does HS mean?

HS almost universally means headshot, but it can have one or two other meanings.

As I said, the most common meaning besides headshot is “high standard”.

This is used to refer to high level competitive games, when one team may warn their players about the high quality and standard of their opposition.

Finally, it can also mean “heavy support”.

This is used in games where there are different classes of player who need to work together to win the game.

You are asking for “heavy support”, as in the support of a heavy character who can lay down a lot of fire or attacks to help you do something.

It can have one or two other meanings, then, but by and large, HS means headshot in FPS games.

It is used as a way of boasting, most commonly, about one’s ability in the game which leads them to get so many headshots.

On the other hand, in more specific circumstances, it may mean heavy support or just high standard.

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Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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