The , a grassroots online tournament, drew 512 entrants in 2021. The meta had evolved into something terrifying:
Understanding the competitive meta requires understanding the unique mechanics of Metal Slug esports: metal slug esports scene history
The Metal Slug esports scene is heavily skewed by geography: The , a grassroots online tournament, drew 512
SNK recognized the competitive potential of their engine and released titles that shifted the genre from run-and-gun to competitive fighting/platforming. a grassroots online tournament
The internet voted M-Shelter the winner. The Purists never recovered.