---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events
lang: en
title: Quick Time Events (QTEs)
summary: A brief input window ties a timely command to a sequence's outcome.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events.md
aliases:
  - Quick-time event
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Scripted
  - Low agency
sourceIds:
  - source-f3ef7a92c67a77de
  - source-7b4c872579acccc6
  - source-949a38734f127642
sources:
  - id: source-f3ef7a92c67a77de
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Quick Time Events (QTEs)'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-7b4c872579acccc6
    title: Far Cry 3 (2012)
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events/game/far-cry-3'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-949a38734f127642
    title: Tomb Raider (2013)
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events/game/tomb-raider-2013'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-quick-time-events
    title: Game design techniques
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-quick-time-events
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-scripted
      - gm-category-low-agency
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Quick-time event
    description: A brief input window ties a timely command to a sequence's outcome.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/world-quick-time-events.webp
      width: 460
      height: 254
      game: Far Cry 3
      sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events'
      originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/far_cry_3_qte_fight.webm'
      sourceFrameSeconds: 7.82
      credit: Ubisoft Montréal; frame from clip via GameMechanics.org
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host:
        GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights
        reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: A Space prompt appears during a struggle
      alt: 'Far Cry 3: A Space prompt appears during a struggle.'
      markers:
        - x: 52
          'y': 75
          label: Required button and a brief input window
    tips:
      - Provide enough time and an accessible input alternative.
    examples:
      - title: Far Cry 3
        url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
  checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
  gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
  URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
  analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
  upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Quick Time Events (QTEs)

id: game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-quick-time-events/

A brief input window ties a timely command to a sequence's outcome.

## At a glance

![Far Cry 3: A Space prompt appears during a struggle.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/world-quick-time-events.webp)

[Far Cry 3](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/far_cry_3_qte_fight.webm), 7.82 s

1. Required button and a brief input window

- Provide enough time and an accessible input alternative.

- [Far Cry 3](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events)

## How it works

A brief input window ties a timely command to a sequence's outcome.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-quick-time-events-rule"></a>

- A brief input window ties a timely command to a sequence's outcome. <a id="gm-quick-time-events-definition"></a>

## Context and limits

All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.

- [Game Mechanics: Quick Time Events (QTEs)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events) (id: source-f3ef7a92c67a77de)
- [Far Cry 3 (2012)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events/game/far-cry-3) (id: source-7b4c872579acccc6)
- [Tomb Raider (2013)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/quick-time-events/game/tomb-raider-2013) (id: source-949a38734f127642)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors