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campaign

kam-PEYN /kæmˈpeɪn/

nounverbB1SATACTTOEFL

generalprofessional

A series of military operations; in gaming, the structured, story-driven single-player mode of a game.

In gaming, the 'campaign' is the main narrative mode, guiding the player through a sequence of levels or missions to complete a story.

The story behind the word. Historically, armies would leave their winter quarters to conduct military operations in the open countryside ('campagne') during the summer. This series of operations became known as a 'campaign', a term later adopted by tabletop war games and eventually digital games to describe a sequence of battles.

Word relationships

story mode: 'Story mode' is a casual synonym, while 'campaign' often implies a series of tactical missions or a grand military narrative.

Commonly confused with

skirmish: A skirmish is a single, isolated battle with no narrative consequence, whereas a campaign is a series of connected missions forming a larger story.

Word family

campaigner (noun): A person who actively promotes or coordinates a cause.

Collocations

single-player campaign
story campaign
military campaign
marketing campaign

Example sentences

"While the multiplayer is excellent, the single-player campaign offers a deeply emotional and memorable story." A review of a sci-fi shooter's narrative mode.

Memory hook

A campaign is like a long march through the countryside to win a war. A campaign is a long journey to victory.

When not to use

Do not use 'campaign' to describe purely competitive multiplayer modes that lack a narrative or progression structure.

Fun facts

The concept of a gaming 'campaign' was popularized by Dungeons & Dragons in the 1970s, where it referred to a series of connected adventures run by a Dungeon Master.