---
name: "playerSide"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Sides"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": null, "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/playerSide
revid: 353328
updated: 2024-03-15T17:11:49Z
---

# playerSide

*Command · Sides · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Armed Assault v1.00*

## Description

Returns the player's [side](../topics/Side.md). This is valid even when the player controlled person is dead (a difference from [side](../commands/side.md) [player](../commands/player.md)).

> [!NOTE]
> [playerSide](../commands/playerSide.md) will not change automatically if [player](../commands/player.md) [join](../commands/join.md)s a [group](../commands/group.md) on different [side](../commands/side.md). However, [selectPlayer](../commands/selectPlayer.md) command can and does change [playerSide](../commands/playerSide.md) - see [#Example 3](../commands/playerSide.md#example-3) for information.

## Syntax

```sqf
playerSide
```

**Returns:** [Side](../topics/Side.md)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
if (side man1 == playerSide) then
{
    hint "man1 is on your side!";
};
```

### Example 2

```sqf
switch (playerSide) do
{
    case west: { hint "You are BLUFOR"; };
    case east: { hint "You are OPFOR"; };
};
```

### Example 3

the following code will change the side of the player including [playerSide](../commands/playerSide.md):

```sqf
private _player = player;
[player] join createGroup east;
selectNoPlayer;
selectPlayer _player;
hint str playerSide; // EAST
```

## See also

[Side](../topics/Side.md) · [side](../commands/side.md) · [west](../commands/west.md) · [east](../commands/east.md) · [resistance](../commands/resistance.md) · [civilian](../commands/civilian.md) · [sideLogic](../commands/sideLogic.md) · [sideFriendly](../commands/sideFriendly.md) · [sideEnemy](../commands/sideEnemy.md) · [sideUnknown](../commands/sideUnknown.md) · [sideEmpty](../commands/sideEmpty.md) · [sideAmbientLife](../commands/sideAmbientLife.md) · Side Relations

## Community notes

**Dr_Eyeball** — 2008-01-27

[playerSide](../commands/playerSide.md) defaults to [west](../commands/west.md) for JIP players early on during initialization regardless of their side.

So if you are a JIP player on another side (like [east](../commands/east.md)), you will need to cater for this for any early initializations.

---

**Dr_Eyeball** — 2008-10-13

[playerSide](../commands/playerSide.md) also shows your starting side, even if your [side](../commands/side.md) changes to enemy due to a bad [rating](../commands/rating.md). In that case, playerSide != side player.

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — playerSide](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/playerSide) (revision 353328).</sub>