Game genre MOBA. History, features, examples and comparison

The MOBA genre, which translates to “Multiplayer Online Battle Arena,” originated as a subgenre of real-time strategy (RTS). Today it is one of the most popular and rapidly growing genres of computer games. In this article, we'll dive into the history of this fascinating genre, learn about its origins, look at key moments in its development, and find out how MOBAs will evolve in the future.

MOBA genre and why choose it?

Let's think about it. What do players initially think about when it comes to the MOBA game genre? Perhaps images of characters with varied abilities are being formed, fighting on the site (arena)? For most, this is a short and fair definition of the genre. But at the same time, I don’t really agree with this common idea!

• There are well-known MOBAs that don't fit this definition, especially in the “multiple abilities” department (Aeon of Strife, AirMech).

• And other game genres have similar features. I'm not even going to mention the heroic arcade shooters that some classify as MOBAs; just take fighting games. In them, you control characters with a set of superpowers, fighting in the playing area (arena).

I doubt that after such honesty, readers will start counting MOBA fighting games.

What features can be identified in the MOBA genre?

People who play call various games MOBAs indiscriminately: Overwatch, Battlerite and Dota 2. Do they all convey the meaning of a single genre? Different characters, goal of the game, tasks, maps and much more. There are few alternatives to the term MOBA. Let's give an example – action real time strategy – a more logical choice, as a genre it originated from RTS.

The creators of Chaos Online from Korea have shown mastery by transforming the old acronym “AOS” into a new term – Action Oriented Strategy. The first and second cases have their merits, but face the same difficulty: the case highlights a feature present in RTS, as opposed to TBS (where the emphasis is on action).

Predecessors of MOBA and the first game of the genre

Before the MOBA genre existed, there were games that laid the foundation for its formation. One of these predecessors can be considered the game “Herzog Zwei”, released already in 1989, by Technosoft for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console. This game can be considered the first game in the MOBA genre. The game introduced a number of unique elements that later became characteristic of the genre.

In 1998 the company Blizzard Entertainment released the game “StarCraft” with the map “Aeon of Strife”. This map was the first example of a game close to the MOBA concept. In it, players controlled heroes, had their own bases and fought waves of computer opponents.

What makes MOBAs different from other genres?

One of the important features of the MOBA genre compared to real-time strategy games is that the player rarely controls more than one unit. This character is more reminiscent of heroes from an RPG than a typical unit of a game requiring planning tactics. In a MOBA, each hero has a special name, appearance and sound, and necessarily a set of unique superpowers; they develop during the game due to the experience gained for defeating enemies.

As in strategy games, MOBAs have certain items (resources) (the most common are gold, silver and other currencies), but they are not obtained through creation or processing, but through destruction without effective enemies (creeps) or enemy heroes. Most often, these items and resources are not used to build a base or improve superpowers, they are aimed at obtaining new very important resources, such as weapons and armor. This aspect distinguishes MOBAs from strategy games and makes them closer to role-playing games.

The main difference from similar games in the strategy genre, where variety is created by adding many maps, in most MOBA games there is only one map. The main variety in such games is achieved by using a wide range of unique heroes (the most popular MoBa games have over 200 characters). This leads to the opportunity to create a huge number of unique combinations of game heroes.

A few words about the gameplay of MOBA games

In a standard MOBA game, 2 groups of players consisting of 3-5 participants fight. The battlefield usually includes the following elements:

• 2 Homes, as the players call it, but in fact it is 2 bases.

• several roads that are capable of connecting these bases (lines)

• The battle zone is located near these roads, where neutral units, creeps and monsters are located.

Along the paths leading from the main base of one team to the base of another, detachments of units (creeps) periodically pass through, which do not obey the players, but act as their allies. Similar creeps move from the opposite part, but for one group they are hostile, and for the other they are friendly. At the initial levels and stages of games of this genre, characters controlled by characters are sent to the “front line”, it is there that they encounter their own and their opponents, the so-called “Enemies”. Here they have to defeat enemy units (creeps), this helps to gain gold and experience for their chosen character, and also try to confront enemy characters and try to defeat them.

Different game strategies arise from people's choice of heroes. Some heroes are able to stimulate active actions already at the beginning of the battle, aimed at a quick victory over the enemy “house,” although other characters prefer a long battle to accumulate valuable resources and triumph at more significant levels. Each combination of characters opens up new perspectives and strategies for developing the game, making it more exciting and varied.

MOBA on consoles and mobile devices

With the advent of modern consoles and mobile devices, the MOBA genre began to actively develop on various gaming platforms. It was in 2016 that Moonton pleased players with the release of the game mobile legends (MLBB), which instantly gained popularity in the MOBA style of mobile devices. Mobile Legends is an exciting and chic online adventure in the MOBA genre, which is suitable for both men and girls of any age. In this game, 2 opposing teams compete to destroy their opponents while trying to protect their base. To achieve the goal, players will have to overcome obstacles in the form of defensive towers located on three different lines: top, bottom and central. These towers have the ability to automatically attack any non-friendly characters that try to get close to the base.

Each team has five players, each of whom controls their own Hero.

The personalities of the players are important in the game, as they have a unique appearance, a rich history and unique skills. On each of the paths there are groups of Minions, small creatures that are independent of the players: they move parallel to each other and carry out their tasks. Defeating them earns players gold, the game's primary currency, which can be used to purchase items that level up the character or grant additional abilities.

Modern MOBA games

Today MOBA is a huge industry with many games on various platforms.

Among the most popular are Dota 2, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm, SMITE and many others. The genre is also actively developing in the direction of e-sports, where large tournaments with million-dollar prize pools are held. Everything in the genre is so good that in the Mobile legends game there is even a regular in-game MCL tournament, which is organized by the developers themselves. This tournament is held every week and every season. Let's take a look at some of the most popular MOBA games at the moment:

Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm with confidence, one of the best games in our selection, let me now try to explain to you why this is so. The most important merit of the MOBA genre is its anger and hard attitude towards people who have just come to the game. You probably know very well that in Dota 2, as an example, and similar games, they really don’t tolerate “noobs and crayfish,” that is, novice players, and learning to play and understanding all the intricacies is very difficult. Blizzard decided to focus on improving the simple game, and most importantly, an easier experience for new players. What do you think this did? “It made for a positive newbie-friendly game.”

In HotS you can meet heroes from different universes – Diablo, StarCraft and Warcraft. The game goes beyond the usual battles and maps, leaving behind many possibilities. Updates will bring not only new heroes and maps, but also expand the boundaries of the universes.

Dota 2

The MOBA game is popular in the Russian Federation, which is famous for its cruelty, demanding skills and complex gameplay. The main aspect is the fight against the boss monster Roshan, which brings extra life to the heroes. However, the game does not have an official representative in the country, which leads to negative impressions of the game with Russian players due to the lack of an effective fight against toxic behavior.

In Dota 2, it is possible to conduct tutorial matches and practice with bots, which allows players to better understand the game and discover its “magic”. This forces players to spend hundreds of hours on a single map, playing long matches. However, it is not so easy to understand and catch this magic, since new content in Dota 2 is much rarer, in contrast to other MOBA games.

Among all the opportunities provided by Dota 2, it is worth highlighting educational matches and training with bots. This allows players to delve deeper into the gameplay and reveal the mysterious essence that makes people devote so much time to this game. Fighting on the same map in long matches, “doters” are looking for the true magic of the game. However, this magic isn't so easy to capture, especially given the infrequency of new content in Dota 2 compared to other popular MOBAs.

Impressions about Mobile Legends

In my experience of playing Mobile Legends, I realized that MOBA is not just a game, but the real art of strategy and teamwork. I spent many hours developing tactics and coordinating with my allies to achieve victory.

Each hero in the game has their own strengths and weaknesses, and using them correctly can “make or break the game.” I spent a lot of time learning about many heroes and their abilities in order to be more effective as a team player.

I also realized that communication with the team plays a huge role in the successful outcome of the battle. Moreover, it is not unimportant to understand and use the game mobile legends slang. When using it, you don’t have to spend a lot of time conveying important game information to your teammates. With the help of gaming slang, you can put voluminous information into two words.

Quick reactions and coordinated action can turn the tide of the battle in our favor. With my experience in Mobile Legends, I realized that playing MOBA is not just fun, it is an art that requires diligence, tact and teamwork. I highly recommend you try your hand at this game! I'm sure you won't regret it!

As a conclusion

The MOBA genre continues to evolve and attract more and more players with its unique mechanics, interesting gameplay and opportunities for social interaction. And although the history of this genre begins with simple modifications for RTS games, today MOBA is a whole industrywhich has a major impact on the world of video games.

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