custom games
User-designed play sessions
Custom games are player-created game modes within a video game, using built-in tools to modify rules, maps, or objectives.
They sit between standard multiplayer and full game development—the base game provides the engine while players design the experience: We spent hours in custom games playing hide and seek on Halo maps.
Many beloved game modes originated as custom games before becoming official features.
- moddingAltering games unofficially
- sandboxEnclosed play area
- multiplayerInvolving multiple participants
- lobbyEntryway or influence-seeking
- map editorTool for designing maps
house rules · private match · invite only · private server · scenarios · rule sets · workshop · homebrew · LAN party · tweaks · settings · loadouts · mods · community · servers · hosting · brackets · tournament
- game modeseasy mode, ranked match, deathmatch, hard mode, practice match
- gaming modesmultiplayer, co-op, versus, team deathmatch, free-for-all
- Casual Gamestime killers
- replay featuresreplayability, replay value, multiple endings, replay mode, unlockables
custom gamesranked matches
Competitions affecting player standing
competitive mode · ranked play · ladder matches · competitive matches · tournament mode
custom, customs, customary, customarily, customer, customers, customize, customized, customizing