stanceplacing

Stanceplacing is a competitive online gaming technique primarily associated with the first-person shooter genre, particularly games like *Counter-Strike: Global Offensive* (*CS:GO*). The term derives from the combination of "stance" and "place," referring to the strategic positioning of a player's character within the game's environment to gain an advantage over opponents.

The core principle of stanceplacing revolves around optimizing a player's position to maximize visibility, cover, and movement efficiency. In *CS:GO*, for example, players adjust their character's stance (the angle at which they stand) to align with the game's collision model, allowing them to peek around corners or obstacles more effectively. This can provide a slight edge in aiming and reaction time, as the character's model is less likely to obstruct the player's view or trigger enemy detection.

Stanceplacing became widely recognized in the *CS:GO* community after the release of the game's "collision model" update in 2013, which altered how players interacted with the environment. Competitive players began experimenting with different stances to refine their positioning, leading to the development of specialized techniques tailored to specific maps and scenarios. Over time, stanceplacing evolved into a nuanced skill, with players memorizing optimal angles for various situations, such as taking corners, defending chokepoints, or executing plays in team-based rounds.

While stanceplacing is often associated with high-level competitive play, it also influences casual gameplay by encouraging players to think more critically about positioning and spatial awareness. However, its effectiveness depends on factors like screen size, resolution, and individual player preferences, as what works for one player may not be optimal for another. Critics sometimes debate its necessity, arguing that it adds an extra layer of complexity to an already skill-intensive game, while proponents view it as a natural extension of strategic play in modern FPS titles.