Meta: What is Meta in Online Games?

Meta is an extremely common term in online video games, with it being used to refer to weapons, characters, strategies, builds, and just about everything else. However, there are many individuals who don’t know what it means and because of that, they aren’t able to properly understand just how important knowing the meta is in online games.

Well, in online gaming, the term meta refers to the most effective strategies, tactics, and team compositions that are currently being used in the game by top players and teams. The meta is shaped by the game's mechanics, balance changes, and the strategies and tactics that are most successful at winning matches.

The meta can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the game's balance, the strengths, and weaknesses of individual heroes or characters, map design, and the current strategies and tactics used by top players. Therefore, the ‘meta’ is most commonly changed every time there’s a new major update for a game since it always brings changes to the aforementioned mechanics.

Players often pay close attention to the meta and try to adapt their playstyles and champion or character selections to fit within it. This is because playing within the meta can give players a better chance of winning matches, as it represents the most effective strategies and tactics currently known.

In competitive gaming, understanding and being able to play within the meta is often essential for success. Top teams and players are constantly analyzing the game and experimenting with new strategies and tactics in an effort to gain an edge and shape the meta to their advantage.