roguelike death
/ˈroʊɡlaɪk dɛθ/
UncommonDying in a roguelike game and losing all progress from that run.
The term carries a mix of frustration and dark humor. Veterans of the genre treat it as part of the loop rather than a failure.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | roguelike death on floor 15. i had the perfect build too | Lost a run very late into it after building a strong character. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | two hours in and one roguelike death sends me back to the main menu | Died after a long session and lost everything. | reddit, 2024 |
| 03 | that roguelike death teaches you more than a win ever could | Dying in a roguelike provides useful information for future runs. | reddit, 2023 |
| 04 | nah i'm good i just need a minute after that roguelike death | The person is emotionally processing losing a run. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- You died late in a run after a long session and lost all your progress.
- Commiserating with someone who just lost a run.
- Describing the specific emotional experience of losing a long run.
Do not use it when
- The game has checkpoints or saves between floors.
- You mean dying in a regular game where you just reload.
Roguelike death vs permadeath run
roguelike death
Roguelike death is the specific event of dying and losing a run.
VS
permadeath-run
Permadeath run is the full session played under permadeath rules, from start to death.
Origin and context
Derived from the roguelike genre name, which itself comes from the 1980 game Rogue. The compound phrase emerged as the genre grew in popularity on PC and indie platforms in the 2010s.
- First seen
- 2010s
- Confidence
- low
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/roguelike-deathUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0