Game Jargon Definition: "Big Bad Evil Guy"

Big Bad Evil Guy (BBEG) (noun) – big bad e·vil guy /big bad ˈēvəl ɡī/

The main boss for an adventure or campaign. Often abbreviated simply as “big bad” (BB) since big bad is not always male, or even an anthropomorphized opponent. It is entirely possible for the big bad to be a force of nature, the rise of capitalism, a technology conglomerate, an oppressive government, and so on. Often, as a story campaign progresses, it becomes clear that many bad things that happen during the campaign are due to the plans (either directly or indirectly) of the big bad. Typically, defeating or overcoming the big bad signals the resolution of a story arc or campaign. Other terms to denote the big bad are “evil overlord,” “diabolical mastermind,” “The Chessmaster,” “arch enemy,” “the man behind the man,” and “hero killer,” just to name a few. The foil, nemesis, or counterpart to the big bad is the “big good.”