Definition of «iron-man run»

"Iron-man run" refers to a specific self-imposed challenge in video gaming where a player attempts to complete a game under strict, difficult conditions, most notably the "permadeath" rule. In an iron-man run, if the player's character dies or a major failure occurs, the entire save file is deleted or abandoned, forcing the player to start from the very beginning. This style of play is popular in the RPG and strategy communities for increasing tension and requiring deep knowledge of game mechanics. It represents a hardcore tier of gaming where every decision carries permanent consequences.