[batch12]

If it helps anyone else- The term 'smurf' is used in gaming to describe a player in an online game that creates a new account to play against lower-ranked players, however, it can be used as an all-around term for describing a player who uses an alternate account or multiple accounts.

Matchmaking Rating (MMR)

[stackghost]

Pretty sure that "Smurf" originated with the Tribes series, as you could create alias nicknames/accounts that showed up as blue in the player list.

Or at least, that's the first time I encountered the term.

[Cpoll]

The etymology I've heard is that it comes from Warcraft 2, where some top players made Smurf-themed alt-accounts after everyone started dodging them. That may be apocryphal.

[thoughtpalette]

I remember a guy on Tribes literally named Smurf IIRC. +]-[+ SmuRF or something.

[JohnMakin]

yea, sorry, these are common terms in that community I didn't explain, thank you. When I'm using it here it mostly means "someone who is intentionally playing in a rank they don't belong in"