Glossary Entry: Quick time event

Quick Time Events are short, sudden breaks from a game's normal mechanics where the player is prompted to press a specific button or key within a very short time limit.

Failing or press the button in time results in undesirable outcomes that range from something mildly inconvenient to an instant game over, a trait that has led to many players despising the entire concept.

Note: despite the name, this has nothing to do with Quicktime, a software product by Apple.