Chicken - Games

In gaming, 'chicken' often refers to a design mechanic where players engage in high-stakes brinkmanship, testing nerve and timing. This concept appears in racing games as last-second swerves, in shooters as tense standoffs, and in strategy games as resource gambles. It symbolizes risk-reward dynamics, forcing players to balance aggression with caution. The term also humorously describes cowardly AI behavior or panic-driven gameplay moments. As a universal metaphor for tension, 'chicken' mechanics create memorable player-versus-player drama and emergent storytelling through simple psychological pressure.