soft lock
Unintended gameplay trap
A soft lock is a situation in a video game where progress becomes impossible without the game formally ending.
Unlike a crash or game over, the player remains in control but cannot advance—trapped by a bug, missed item, or impossible puzzle state: I soft locked myself by using the key on the wrong door.
The term extends to any circumstance where someone is technically free but effectively stuck.
- deadlockMutual blocking, no progress
- stuckUnable to move
- infinite loopCode cycling without end
- glitchMinor system fault
- impasseSituation without resolution
stalemate · dead end · trap · loop · bug · design flaw · unwinnable · point of no return · checkpoint · save · save state · respawn · reset · progress · barrier · softlock · hardlock · exploit
- Tech Glitcheslag, crash, freeze, lag spike, blue screen
soft locksystem crash
Complete operational breakdown
freeze · hard freeze · blue screen of death · fatal error · kernel panic
soft, lock, soften, softly, softness, softer, softest, softened, softening