Metagame

The metagame, often shortened to meta, develops around the game’s written rules rather than being one rule itself. Players study results, patches, maps, character matchups, item builds, and opponents to decide which strategies are currently most effective. A dominant choice can provoke a counter-strategy, which then changes what players prepare for. Competitive metas vary by skill level, region, platform, and tournament format. The term is sometimes expanded as “most effective tactic available,” but that is a later backronym; its broader meaning is play about and around the game.