Tanking

Tanking is a term used in several fields to describe a strategic choice to accept short-term underperformance or harm in pursuit of a longer-term benefit. It is commonly used to refer to deliberate underperformance, but it also appears in contexts where a player or character is built to absorb damage and protect teammates.

In sports and competitive leagues, tanking describes intentionally losing or fielding a weak lineup to secure favorable future outcomes, such as higher draft picks, improved scheduling, or cost considerations. It is a controversial practice and can provoke penalties, fines, or investigations under league rules or sportsmanship codes.

In video games, a tank is a character class or build designed to withstand damage and attract enemy attention away from more vulnerable teammates. Tanking emphasizes high durability, threat generation, crowd control, and protective play. The term can also describe players who deliberately lose or inflate losses to manipulate rankings or matchmaking, though such behavior is typically discouraged and may violate terms of service.

In finance and markets, tanking refers to a rapid drop in the price of a stock, index, or market. News events, poor earnings, or broad selling pressure can cause assets to “tank,” and the term is used descriptively rather than prescriptively.

Etymology and usage vary by domain, but the core concept across contexts is the balancing of short-term costs against longer-term strategic aims, whether in athletic competition, cooperative gaming, or financial markets.