screenouts

A screenout is a term used in various contexts, most commonly in competitive gaming and sports, to describe a situation where a player or team is eliminated from a match or tournament before reaching the final round. The term originates from the visual effect of a player’s name or avatar being "screened out" or removed from the active participants’ list on the game’s interface.

In multiplayer video games, particularly those with elimination-based formats like *League of Legends*, *Dota 2*, or *Counter-Strike*, a screenout occurs when a player loses all their remaining lives or matches in a bracket-style tournament. This results in their immediate disqualification, preventing them from advancing further. The term reflects the literal disappearance of the player’s name from the screen once they are out of the competition.

The concept is also applied in esports and team sports, where a player or team may be "screened out" of a playoff or championship round due to performance or seeding. In some contexts, it can carry a negative connotation, implying an early or undeserved elimination. However, it is primarily a neutral term describing the outcome of a competitive process.

Screenouts are distinct from other forms of elimination, such as forfeits or disqualifications, as they rely solely on in-game performance rather than external factors. The term remains widely used in gaming communities to discuss tournament structures and player progression.