The term "nerf" ...

[Donruss]

I heard a friend reminiscing about half life today. He said, "They made the m60 a little worse, and then they made it terrible, like a nerf gun."

Do you guys think that is where the term nerf came from? Those old nerf guns? They were soft like the version of the item after the change...

[Nefarum]

That's exactly where the term nerf came from. When something was made easier, like going from a real gun to one that shoots foam bullets.

[quido]

http://i.imgur.com/gohkG.png

[Cecily]

I believe swinging nerf bat was the thing back then. EQ.. melee weapons. Not sure if they had any bows back then.