Actions per minute

Actions per minute, abbreviated to APM, is a term used in video games, particularly real-time strategy and fighting games which refers to the total number of actions that a player can perform in a minute. Actions per minute are the number of actions (such as selecting units or issuing an order) completed within a minute of gameplay in real-time strategy games, most notably in StarCraft. High APM is often associated with skill, as it can indicate that a player both knows what to do in the game and has the manual dexterity to carry it out. Software has been developed to analyze players' APM in these games.^[1] Beginners often have low APM counts, typically below 50. Professional e-athletes in South Korea usually have average APM scores around 250-350, but often exceed the 400 mark during intense battle sequences. Notable gamers with over 400 average APM include Lee Jae-Dong, and Kim "EffOrt" Jung Woo, who is the Brood War player with the highest average APM to win a major individual league. While Park Sung-Joon is noted for the record APM of 818, this was measured only during a short time in a game and was probably the result of spamming or holding a key down.^[2] Given that a large part of the APM score are repetitions of orders already given, APM is not always considered an accurate indication of skill.