The word "lobby" comes from the English lobby, meaning "vestibule" or "hall." Players use it in its literal sense: it is the place where the game itself has not yet started, but the participants are already gathering. Unlike in a match, you cannot shoot, farm or fight in the lobby: everything here is preparation.
What happens in the lobby
Depending on the game and platform, in a lobby you can usually:
- invite friends and form a group (party) before searching for a game;
- choose the mode, map or other match settings;
- check that participants are ready: the match starts once everyone has confirmed they are ready;
- chat by text or voice before the game begins;
- choose a side, role or character, if the game allows it.
A common scenario: a player launches the game, creates a lobby, invites friends, presses search, the system finds the remaining participants, and after everyone confirms, the match begins.
Two meanings of the word
In everyday speech, "lobby" is used in two senses.
The first: the waiting room before the game. "I'm in the lobby, waiting for the fifth," "everyone's gathered in the lobby, let's start the search."
The second: all participants of a particular match. When someone says "we were in the same lobby," they mean that they ended up in the same match, but not necessarily on the same team. That person could have been an ally, could have played for the opponents, or could simply have been in the same game without any direct contact with you.
Private and public lobbies
A public lobby is formed by the matchmaking system: it gathers strangers of roughly the same skill level. A private lobby is created by the player. They invite participants manually, and sometimes can set special rules: their own map, mode or restrictions. Private lobbies are often used for practice games between teams, custom tournaments and friendly matches.
Why the term matters
The lobby is a player's first point of contact with a match. This is where the group's lineup is assembled, the game conditions are set and decisions are made that affect everything that follows. The concept appears in many genres, from shooters to MOBAs and battle royales, so it is worth understanding what is meant, in order not to confuse the lobby with the match itself or with the map on which it is played.
The word also comes up in esports broadcasts and discussions of tournaments: organizers create closed lobbies for official games, where participants are invited by name and outsiders cannot get in.