How slang helps turn online worlds into communities

“God, look at that Squadette, I’m dodging the game,” my friend says to me. She’s been waiting in the Dead by Daylight lobby for what feels like ages, trying to find a group of players. In Dead by Daylight, you can either play as a killer who hunts survivors down to sacrifice on a hook for points or as a survivor who works with others to escape. I’ve been playing the game for a short while, but I already know what a Squadette is and the repercussions of playing against a whole squad of the same character, Claudette. These squads are known to be toxic, and the moment you see four in a lobby, you just know it’s better to risk being penalized than play the game.

Claudette is only a video game character, but her name and what it can mean to...

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