Gaming
softlock
What does softlock mean?
A state where the game hasn't frozen — you can still move, menus still work — but progress is permanently impossible. Trapped in a room with no exit, out of a required item, stuck in a loop. Your only way out is to reset.
"If you skip that key you'll softlock at the locked door with no way back."
Frequently asked questions
How's a softlock different from a hardlock?
A hardlock freezes the game completely — nothing responds. A softlock leaves the game running fine, you just can't ever progress.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
