METAGAME

What Does METAGAME Mean?

METAGAME means Gaming the Game in an online gaming context.

METAGAMING is a term used in RPG (Role Playing Game). Many consider METAGAMING (or playing a METAGAME) cheating or unsporting. In essence, METAGAMING is playing the game with knowledge that you couldn't possibly have learned by playing the game (in other words, using knowledge that has been obtained from an outside source). Such additional knowledge could come from reading the plot, watching another player, or even interacting with the game's creators.

Put another way, METAGAMING occurs when a player's decisions are based on outside knowledge. When METAGAMING applies, the character's actions are misaligned with the character's personality, history, or motives in order to gain a later advantage.

METAGAMING is generally frowned upon in role-playing communities, but not always. Some communities encourage experience sharing and storytelling among players, considering the gaming environment to be one of the players versus the developers.

Example of METAGAME Used in a Text