Quick Time Event

A Quick Time Event (commonly abbreviated as QTE) is a type of context sensitive action in which the player is prompted to press a certain input on screen, usually during a Cutscene. Missing the prompt or mistiming the input often leads the player character to fail their task, leading to a Game Over or other consequences.

The inputs required by QTEs vary – they may call for precision (specific inputs at specific timing) or Mashing a single input at a certain speed. Consequences for failing a QTE may be a hard fail-state, but they may also be a loss in Health or another resource.

Resident Evil 4 (2005) – Example of QTEs that appear in gameplay – enemies may Grapple the player character, forcing them to execute QTEs to escape.

Until Dawn (2015) – Features QTEs which may cause the story to branch if failed.

Celeste (2018) – Features a QTE simulating a deep-breathing exercise in certain (skippable) cutscenes. Example of QTE in a 2D environment.

Cutscene – Often (but not always) co-occurs