In virtually all PC games that involve character movement, you’ll notice that the primary method of movement is executed using the WASD keys on the keyboard. But why is it consistently these specific keys and not others? And what about the directional keys? We’ll explore the intriguing choice of keys in gaming below.
The QWERTY keyboard layout, the most widely used globally, typically assigns the WASD keys for character movement in almost all games, despite the presence of directional keys on the right side of full-sized keyboards. Have you ever pondered the reasoning behind this steadfast choice, as opposed to alternatives like ESDF?
The Evolution of WASD Keys in Gaming
Without delving into exhaustive historical details, the QWERTY keyboard layout is what it is, and conveniently, the WASD keys happen to reside on the left side. In the early days of PC gaming, directional keys were initially used for character movement. However, it became apparent rather swiftly that this setup posed inconveniences when players needed to perform additional actions like jumping or shooting.
A pivotal moment in the history of video games, particularly with the release of Dark Castle in 1986, saw the adoption of WASD keys for character movement. This choice was made primarily because when placing one’s hand on these keys, the thumb naturally rested above the space bar. Consequently, the space bar also became a standardized key for jumping in games.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t until 1998 with the iconic game Half-Life that the utilization of WASD for character movement became the industry standard. These keys were paired with the space bar for jumping, SHIFT for sprinting, and CTRL for crouching—all conveniently positioned when your fingers rested on WASD. This setup was complemented with the use of a mouse for camera rotation, aiming (right-click), and shooting (left-click).
However, as depicted in the screenshot above, even in Half-Life, the option of using arrow keys for movement was still retained as an alternative. This was because, as mentioned earlier, in the early days of video games, arrow keys were the logical choice for character movement.
In today’s gaming landscape, things have become much more complex due to the sophistication of modern games. Nevertheless, the enduring assignment of WASD keys for movement remains a common denominator, with exceptions being games where keyboard-based movement is not required. This convention persists to such an extent that even in recently released titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, where movement is primarily achieved through “point and click” with the mouse, the camera control is still mapped to the WASD keys.
So, why has this setup persisted from then until now? It’s largely due to familiarity and practicality. In games with intricate keyboard commands, such as Black Desert Online and many others, using WASD for movement keeps essential keys like space bar, SHIFT, ALT, Tab, and CTRL readily accessible. Moreover, it also leaves nearby keys like the numbers 1-4, E, R, Q, F, and more, making for efficient and comfortable gameplay.