Emote Command

A command commonly used in MMORPGs for self-expression. Most emote commands are slash commands.

Typically, "/me" is used for custom emotes; for example, if your character's name is Hiro and you type "/me picks his nose.", then it will display "Hiro picks his nose." in the chatboxes of nearby players. There can also be built-in stock emotes, such as typing in "/pick" to display "Hiro picks his nose."

Stock emotes can also trigger an Emote Animation and/or voice. Sometimes, they can even combine both concepts, such as using "/lol pretends to laugh." to display the laughing animation with the text, "Hiro pretends to laugh." On a related trope, console games often have a Taunt Button.

Examples of Emote Command include:

The Trope Maker must be IRC. The /me command, like much of the IRC protocol, wasn't part of the original design.
In World of Warcraft, the slash command "/rofl" will display an animation, play a voice, and show text that you roll on the floor laughing.
- A unique example, copy and pasted from Wikipedia; "A new add-on called High Roller, which promised to ensure high rolls using the in-game Random Number Generator, was created for the MMORPG, World of Warcraft. After installation, when the user typed /roll, the add-on rickrolled the user."
City of Heroes provides a "/me" command which produces custom text-only emotes as well as dozens of pre-programmed character actions ranging from sitting down to eating a donut to turning into a pumpkin (/alakazamreact). Several of these are actually useful game functions, allowing heroes to flip coins, roll dice or play rock-paper-scissors in character.
Adventure Quest Worlds has several of these, not too interesting, though.
Most MUDs have a large number of predefined emote commands.
Animal Crossing has these. You get them from a psychiatrist who tries to bring you closer to your emotions.
Toontown Online has many of these. They're called Acting Lessons.