Quick answer
New player searches camping meaning and wants practical hook response advice.
The simple meaning
Camping means the killer stays near a hooked survivor instead of leaving to pressure the map. Sometimes it is a weak beginner habit. Sometimes it happens because survivors are visibly nearby, a generator is beside the hook, or the endgame makes the hook the only important objective.
- Face-camping is the extreme version where the killer holds very close position.
- Patrolling nearby generators is not always the same as doing nothing at hook.
- The important question is whether survivors can make progress elsewhere.
How survivors should respond
If the killer is staying near hook, do not instantly donate more downs. One survivor can look for the safe rescue window while the others repair. The team wins the exchange when camping costs the killer generator time.
- Keep repairing if the killer refuses to leave and the hook timer is not urgent.
- Send one rescuer, not the whole team, unless the match state demands a group play.
- If a rescue is unsafe, wait for a chase, a body block setup, or a better angle.
How killers should think about it
New killers often camp because leaving the hook feels scary. A better habit is to turn the hook into information: who is nearby, which generator matters, and which survivor is out of position. Standing still is only good if the hook area is truly the next pressure point.
- Stay nearby when survivors are already swarming the hook or the endgame is active.
- Leave when the rest of the team is repairing far away for free.
- Use hooks to start the next chase, not to pause your own learning.
Recommended next pages
Camping decisions depend on hook timing, generator progress, and whether the killer is actually giving up the map.
Should survivors always rescue against camping?
No. If the killer is not leaving and the timer is still healthy, repairing generators can be the better punishment. Rescue when the timer, endgame, or killer movement creates a real opening.
Is camping ever useful for killer?
It can be useful in endgame, around unsafe rescue swarms, or beside critical objectives, but default camping usually gives the team too much repair time.