What do you call this feature?

When a program like a game or movie player can darken or black-out the screen around the content window, what do you call it? In conjunction with online movie players I've seen it called cinema mode. I'm not sure that's a proper analogy for a game, however, since you don't typically play games in a movie theater. I'm also not sure how wide-spread the term cinema is.

You may have seen a feature like this in a game or website. If you have, please share with me the name you know it by.

In case you're curious, this is a feature that will be in the next release of KS+. I need an internationally recognizable term to put in the game menu.

I typically see it as "Lights-out", but "Cinema-mode" sounds better.

Those already mentioned, or "Dim the lights", are the labels I've seen for that feature; unfortunately I've never seen a description that was completely self-explanatory, so I don't think it'll ultimately make much difference what you choose to call it.

Indeed. On a side-note. Its possible in linux to set any program that has focus to be in cinema mode, so the others are darker (or transparent, or whatever you want to do).

In windows its possible too using a program, but the only program I found being able to do this was kinda buggy.

It's called "cinema mode" in Linux? I think I'll be going with that. I was really leaning towards "padding" for a while, but I'm sure only web developers will be familiar with the concept.

Creating the effect in the program has allowed me to hide the title bar, menu bar, window borders, etc. I'm sure it will be more pleasing than what a secondary program could achieve. I hope it works with all versions of Windows and on Linux with Wine.

Other ideas I've tossed: Matte, Curtains, Black-out.

No, its not called cinema mode in linux. In Linux its just desktop effects that you can use to get this "cinema mode" or "lights out" mode...

I don't think there's an official term for this effect anywhere, but the most used ones I've seen around are "dim/darken background".

'Hide desktop' is another idea I'll toss out.

"Hide desktop" has the most clear meaning of any of these. The problem most terms have is it's unclear that they refer to something happening outside of the playing surface. I think the natural assumption is that something will change in the game. "Dim the lights", "darken background", or "cinema mode" could all refer to a game feature since the game has lights, backgrounds, and cutscenes.

I think I'll use "Hide Desktop". I was* tempted by the word "obfuscate". If the meaning was unclear anyhow, then a word like "obfuscate" could intrigue users to activate it just to see what it does.

*I'm still tempted actually. Must resist!

If you want to use a clear meaning, maybe not focus on what it hides, but what it focus on, so "focus window" or "attenuate area" would maybe be most clear.