The meta
What does meta mean in games? The dominant strategy players converge on, how patches shift it, and where the word metagame comes from.
The meta, short for metagame, is the set of strategies, characters or builds that players currently consider strongest. Players study it, copy it and counter it between matches, and nerfs and buffs in each patch shift it.
Where the term comes from
Wikipedia says “metagame” was used for zero-sum games in a 1956 publication; an alternative claim credits Nigel Howard’s 1971 book.
Examples
Each game links to the source that describes it using the mechanic.
- StarCraft
- Dota 2, made with Source 2
- League of Legends
- Hearthstone, made with Unity
Related terms: Nerf and buff, Power creep, Matchmaking (MMR/Elo), TTK (time to kill).
Genres: MOBA, Real-time strategy.
Sources
Checked .
- Metagame — Wikipedia
- Glossary of video game terms — Wikipedia
- What is the meta? — Game Developer