The world of gaming has a language all its own that goes beyond simple slang. Each genre can develop its own terms and lingo that can sound completely alien to an outsider, but there are some that are more common than others. Terms like DPS are shared between the best multiplayer games in almost any genre and can easily be understood once you know what it stands for. On the other hand, meta is a very common word thrown around in competitive games that is harder to decode. If you hear people talking about the meta being broken, the meta shifting, or complaining about someone not playing the meta and can’t make heads or tails of it, we’ll help you understand this essential term in gaming.
What does meta mean in gaming?
In games, the meta refers to the current best or most optimal way to play. This can be the use of a specific gun, character, move, team composition, or strategy that the community has discovered — intentionally or not. Metas are developed over time as the community plays the game and begins to discover which options are simply better than others in most, if not all, situations.
The term meta doesn’t typically apply to single-player games and is most often used in PvP games such as hero shooters, MOBAs, and fighting games. Those playing these games at a competitive level will want to know the meta so that they can exploit or counter it to win as often as possible.
Some examples of an established meta (at least for now) are the Golgari Midrange deck in Magic: The Gathering, Akuma in Street Fighter 6, and the Holger 556 rifle in Modern Warfare 3. If you’re ever playing a game and see dozens of people using the same character, gear, cards, equipment, or what have you, then odds are they are playing the meta.
However, a game’s meta is rarely stagnant. Developers want to keep their games as balanced and fair as possible, so when a meta emerges that breaks the game or is too overpowered, buffs and nerfs can change the meta. In the end, it is almost impossible to make a game completely balanced with multiple elements and options, so there will always be a meta in some form.
Should you play the meta?
Now that you know what the meta is, should you play it? There are pros and cons to both options, but the decision will ultimately come down to you and what you’re looking for out of that specific game.
The big reason to not play the meta is that it limits your options. You will be stuck playing a very specific way, and if you don’t like a certain character, weapon, or build, then you’re not going to have as much fun playing. Even if a meta is so overpowered that you win every game, it can suck the fun out of the game completely when you remove any competition or tension. If you’re playing a game as most people are, then forcing yourself to learn and play a meta generally isn’t worth it since metas aren’t ever unbeatable. So long as you’re having fun playing a game, there’s no reason to worry about the meta.
On the other hand, playing the meta will certainly increase your odds of winning. If you’re looking to play a game at a serious level, such as entering tournaments, then you will need to give yourself every advantage possible. There are also people who find pleasure in min-maxing a game to the highest level on its own. Keeping up with the changes to a game and the shifting meta can also be fun to experiment with and talk about online as it happens.
In the end, you’re never stuck following or not following the meta. Do whichever makes playing more fun and only change it up if you feel like it or want to experiment.