Games often bind skills or other game mechanics to the function keys.

Anecdotally, I switched from `ctrl+shift+i` to F12 for opening the web inspector due to many websites capturing that keybinding for their own purpose (claude and code editors) if I didn't have a function row I'd have to find an even more arcane hotkey.

They're just a nice set of purpose-undefined keys that you or the application can bind to useful functions.

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c-hendricks 6 hours ago | parent [-]

I've played a lot of games and other than quick save, can't think of any that have used the F-row.

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kbelder an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Minecraft uses several. Different cameras, the console, etc.

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webstrand 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

MMORPGs and games that have many different mechanics might be more prone to it, versus first-person controlled games? In my experience its pretty common.

	▲	c-hendricks 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Most likely, I haven't played many MMOs. Having to go from WASD to the function row is pretty clumsy for me, especially when there's ~20 extra keys around WASD without having to move a hand.

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lstodd 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Pretty much required in Eve Online.