What Does "Skill Issue" Mean?

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An inside look at the meaning and uses of this popular slang term

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: July 15, 2024 Fact Checked

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Definition

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How to Use

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How to Respond

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Origins

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Other Meanings

“Skill issue” is a silly and sarcastic way to speak to someone who’s losing (or having a bad time) in a video game. This playful phrase is typically used in a meme capacity rather than a serious one, but it can be used in various circumstances. We’ll go over everything you need to know about this term, including where it came from, how to use it, and how to respond when it’s directed at you. We’ll even cover the professional meaning of “skill issue” in the workplace to give you the full picture.

What is a skill issue?

A “skill issue” is a cheeky way to poke fun at someone who’s having a bad time while playing a video game. Although it can be used to acknowledge an actual difference in skill, it’s most commonly used to goad a player for circumstances beyond their control.

Section 1 of 5:

Skill Issue Definition

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“Skill issue” is a joking insult used to taunt fellow gamers. Some players use the term in a semi-serious way to point out a definitive skill gap, but the term is most commonly used in a playful or ironic sense when a player’s skill is irrelevant to the situation at hand.
- Some people say “sounds like a skill issue” or “simply a difference in skill” rather than “skill issue” on its own.^{[1]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Use “Skill Issue”

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1
Taunt a fellow player when they’re having a bad game. Maybe you’re 1v1ing a friend in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or are teaming up with someone in a League of Legends game. Whenever they complain about negative circumstances in the game, hit them with a playful “skill issue.”
- Person A: “How does Ahri keep dodging me???”
  Person B: “Skill issue”
- Person A: “I accidentally missed my combo… I’m gonna freak out”
  Person B: “Sounds like a skill issue to me”
2
Joke about something that the player has no control over. Did something totally random or unfortunate happen to your friend? Poke fun at their misfortune with a sarcastic use of “skill issue.”
- Person A: “Sorry I disconnected, my dad somehow managed to unplug our internet router??”
  Person B: “Skill issue”
- Person A: “My power just went out…”
  Person B: “L + ratio + skill issue”
  - In this context, L+ ratio is another type of cheeky taunt used to playfully degrade someone.^{[2]
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Respond to “Skill Issue”

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Respond to “skill issue” with something equally snarky. At the end of the day, “skill issue” is a remark used jokingly—it isn’t meant to be a serious insult. Still, a sarcastic comeback can be a fun way to turn the tables on a fellow gamer who’s trying to get under your skin. Try saying something like:
- “You would know!”
- “You’re right. I should’ve known that… [insert unpredictable scenario here]”
- “Come on, is that all you got?”

Section 4 of 5:

“Skill Issue” Origins

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“Skill issue” emerged from the gaming community around 2020. There’s no internet celebrity or iconic screenshot credited with the birth of “skill issue,” but it definitely became a buzzword on Twitter and Reddit as a taunting reply to gamers who were venting about their video game experiences online. Chances are, someone uttered the now-famous phrase on Twitch or in the chat section of a Twitch stream.
- GIFs captioned with the phrase helped it to spread to other social media platforms (like Discord).
- “Skill issue” is often used on TikTok.^{[3]
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Section 5 of 5:

Other Meanings of “Skill Issue”

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“Skill issue” can refer to an issue with someone’s professional skills. In the world of HR and the professional workplace, “skill issue” isn’t a snarky comment at all—it’s a lack of know-how that prevents a worker from giving 100% to a given job.^{[4]
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- Professional skill issues come in all shapes and sizes. Technical skill issues can refer to someone who lacks up-to-date knowledge in their field (e.g., someone who got a computer science degree in the 90s or early 2000s), while soft skill issues can refer to someone who isn’t great at communicating or getting along with their co-workers/employees.