Etymology From own, possibly born out of a typographical error (the adjacency of o and p on qwerty keyboards).
1
Games, GamingInternet, Ambitransitive, Dated To own, to defeat or dominate (someone or something, especially a game or someone playing a game).
I pwned them in game!
2nd guard: "Yeah, shiiit! I PWNED YO @zz!"1999 August 5, Quaestor, “Re: [SP] So..the first victim of the Evil/Hero System”, in rec.games.computer.ultima.online (Usenet), retrieved 23 Sep 2016, message-ID <37AA8154.D77E6EB8@Skara.Brae>:
4 more examples
Otherwise I use fury as my normal attack. Fury completely pwns!2001, Edward Glamkowski, alt.games.diablo2 (Usenet):
When you get to the Temple of Marr, look very closely at the vases at zone-in and see if you can find the picture where Mith Marr "pwns" someone.2003, James Grahame, alt.games.everquest (Usenet):
My Trident pwns the Cirrus Logics!2004, Bronney Hui, alt.comp.periphs.videocards.nvidia (Usenet):
NOOBZ STILL R NOT PWNED. CONTINUE PWNERSHIP UNTIL ALL NOOBZ R PWNED.2005, AlphaDream, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Nintendo: