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What is VC slang for?

Published in Gaming Slang 3 mins read

In the context of online gaming communities, "VC" is widely used slang for voice chat.

Understanding "VC" in Online Gaming

"VC" is a common abbreviation that refers to voice chat, an essential communication tool for players in online multiplayer games. This shortened form has become ubiquitous within gaming culture due to its convenience and speed.

  • Purpose: Voice chat allows players to communicate in real-time using microphones and headphones, facilitating coordinated gameplay, strategic planning, and social interaction.
  • Convenience: Typing messages can be slow and distracting during fast-paced gameplay. Voice chat offers immediate, hands-free communication, enabling quicker reactions and more fluid teamwork.
  • Prevalence: Most modern multiplayer games, from competitive esports titles to casual co-op adventures, integrate voice chat features, making "VC" a universally understood term among gamers.

How "VC" is Used

Players often use "VC" in various ways to refer to the act or availability of voice communication:

  • "Hop on VC!": An invitation for teammates to join the voice channel.
  • "Are you in VC?": A question to ascertain if a teammate is currently using voice chat.
  • "Let's strategize in VC": Suggesting that strategic discussions should take place over voice communication.
  • "My mic isn't working for VC": Indicating a technical issue preventing voice chat use.

Other Common Meanings of "VC" (Beyond Slang)

While "VC" specifically means "voice chat" in the realm of gaming slang, it's important to note that the initialism "VC" can stand for various other terms in different contexts. These are typically acronyms or initialisms rather than informal "slang":

  • Venture Capital: In the business and finance world, VC commonly refers to venture capital, a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to start-ups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which have demonstrated high growth.
  • Viet Cong: Historically, VC was used as an abbreviation for the Viet Cong, a political organization and army in South Vietnam and Cambodia that fought the United States and South Vietnamese governments during the Vietnam War.
  • Victoria Cross: This refers to the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and formerly to members of various Commonwealth countries.

However, when used as "slang," particularly in a digital or online social context like gaming, "VC" almost exclusively points to voice chat.