crafting recipe
/ˈkrɑːftɪŋ ˈrɛsɪpi/
Very CommonThe list of materials and conditions needed to craft a specific item in a game.
The word recipe is deliberately borrowed from cooking to make crafting feel intuitive. Players sometimes use it sarcastically when a recipe requires rare or absurd materials.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | the crafting recipe for this sword needs 5 dragon bones, who is designing these games | The material requirements are considered absurdly high for what the item is. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | finally unlocked the crafting recipe for the medkit, game is so much easier now | Gaining access to a key recipe changed the gameplay experience noticeably. | reddit, 2022 |
| 03 | looked up the crafting recipe and it needs something i won't get until hour 40 | A specific item cannot be made yet because it requires a late-game material. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | wrote down every crafting recipe in a notebook like it was 2004 again | Taking handwritten notes of game information, a habit from before in-game recipe tracking. | instagram, 2023 |
Use it when
- You are looking up what materials are needed to make something.
- You just discovered a new way to craft an item.
- Explaining the requirements for making a specific piece of gear or structure.
- Complaining about absurd material requirements for an item.
Do not use it when
- You are talking about unlocking blueprints before you can use a recipe.Use “blueprint-unlock” instead.
- You mean the upgrade path for existing gear, not making new items.Use “upgrade-material” instead.
Crafting recipe vs blueprint unlock
crafting recipe
A crafting recipe is the material list you follow to make something.
VS
blueprint-unlock
A blueprint unlock is the act of gaining access to a recipe you could not use before.
Origin and context
Borrowed directly from real-world cooking terminology. Became standard in video games through titles like Minecraft, Terraria, and survival games that made crafting a central mechanic.
- First seen
- 2000s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/crafting-recipeUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0