Spawn camping

Spawn camping is the practice of "camping" near a spawnpoint with the intention of killing any player who spawns at that spawn point. Alternatively, a proximity-triggered explosive (for example, a trip-mine) may be placed at the spawn point so that any player who spawns there is killed instantly. In MMOs, this may be classed as killing players within a "graveyard" spawn point.

Spawn camping is widely frowned upon as an unfair tactic, and in some servers it is enough to receive a ban. Some games try to prevent spawn camping by instituting temporary invincibility after spawning. In such a situation, a player is invincible for a certain period of time (usually very short) after he or she spawns, with the purpose of giving that player time to react to any spawn camper. Other solutions include making the player less attractive to kill (such as making that player drop no loot or reward upon death).

Some games, such as the Call of Duty and Unreal Tournament series, randomize the location of players spawning. If a team takes over one side of the map, the opposing team will spawn on the unoccupied side, or the area with fewest players. In addition to this, some games offer "respawn invulnerability" which makes it possible for a player to be immune from damage for a set variable of time (usually a few seconds, and this can be customized in some games).