tier list

See also: tierlist

English

Ranking fruits in a tier list. Higher tiers represent a more favorable ranking. The letters are inspired by grading in education, especially in Japanese culture, which may include an 'S' grade.

Alternative forms

• tierlist

Etymology

Compound of tier (“rank, grade”) +‎ list.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɪə ˌlɪst/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɪɚ ˌlɪst/
• Rhymes: -ɪst

Noun

tier list (plural tier lists)

1. (video games) A list of playable characters in a video game subjectively ranked by their respective viability.
   • 2016, David Sirlin, “Game Balance”, in Henry Lowood, Raiford Guins, editors, Debugging Game History: A Critical Lexicon, Cambridge, Mass., London: The MIT Press, →ISBN, page 173:

     When discussing game balance in an asymmetric game, players often use a tier list.

   • 2020, Phill Alexander, Esports For Dummies®, Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., →ISBN, page 60:

     For most competitive tier lists, however, the rankings are cut at B because champions below B level are rarely if ever viable in competition.

2. A ranked list of items in any subject.
   • 2020, Diana Dragomir, Diana Pitic, Mihai Dragomir, Daniela Popescu, “Overview of Technology Commercialization Options in Romania”, in Numan M. Durakbasa, M. Güneş Gençyılmaz, editors, Digital Conversion on the Way to Industry 4.0: Selected Papers from ISPR2020, September 24–26, 2020 Turkey (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering), Springer, →ISBN, page 659:

     Next, based on the consensus of the group, obtained through the moderation of the authors, a tier list has been established which structures the existing and possible processes and methods to be used for technology commercialization. The list has four different levels, with most interviewees finding themselves and their institutions on the first two levels.

   • 2022, RavensDagger [pseudonym], Stray Cat Strut, volume 2, Podium Publishing, →ISBN:

     “What am I getting myself into?” I asked. / “The usual amount of trouble,” Myalis said. / Lucy giggled. “‘Usual’ means that there’s also an unusual amount somewhere.” / “I have a tier list,” Myalis replied.

Translations

ranked list of characters in a video game

• French: tier list f

ranked list of items

• Hungarian: rangsor, rangsorolás