In gaming, the meta is the most effective tactics available. It is the strategy that wins. The word comes from "metagame," which means the game outside the game. The meta shifts with patches. A new item makes a character strong. A nerf makes another weak. Players adapt. The meta is always moving.

The meta is not always fun. It can be stale. Everyone plays the same character. Everyone uses the same weapon. The game becomes repetitive. Developers try to shake it up. They buff and nerf. They add new content. The meta changes. The cycle continues.

Related terms

• Tier list: a ranking of characters by strength.
• Off-meta: using a strategy outside the meta.
• Meta slave: someone who only plays the meta.
• Patch: an update that changes the game.

The meta is a conversation. Players talk about it. They argue about it. They complain about it. It is a living thing. It is also a trap. Following the meta blindly can make you predictable. The best players know the meta and know when to break it. That is the real skill.