Category: MOBA

Heroes of Newerth

Heroes of Newerth is a 3D fantasy MOBA set in the Newerth universe. Heavily influenced by Dota: All Stars, it launched with a familiar lane-and-jungle formula and even includes a number of recognizable hero archetypes alongside a large roster of original additions.

Publisher: S2 Games
Type: MOBA
Release Date: May 12, 2010
Shut Down Date: June 22, 2022
Pros: +Over 123 playable heroes. +Tons of cosmetics, skins, and voice packs. +Excellent match history and stat tracking. +Strong matchmaking and rating structure. +Handy in-game voice command system.
Cons: -Demanding learning curve for newcomers. -Player culture can be harsh and unwelcoming.

Dota 2

Dota 2 is a team-based fantasy MOBA that grew out of the legendary Warcraft 3 custom map scene. Now running in its own client on Steam, it delivers five‑versus‑five battles, a huge hero pool, and a sizable competitive ecosystem built around precise execution and strategic depth.

Publisher: Valve
Playerbase: High
Type: MOBA
Release Date: Jul 9, 2013
Pros: +More than 108 distinct heroes to learn and master. +Thriving professional and eSports scene. +Extensive cosmetic options including skins, HUDs, announcers, and voice packs. +Generally tight balance across heroes and items. +Robust support for custom lobbies and arcade game modes.
Cons: -Extremely challenging for new players, with a steep learning curve. -In‑game community can be unwelcoming or toxic. -Major balance patches and content updates can feel infrequent.

Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm is Blizzard’s colorful 3D hero brawler that pulls champions from across the company’s biggest worlds. It plays like a streamlined MOBA built around tight 5v5 team fights, fast match times, and map-specific objectives, letting you jump into an arena as icons from Starcraft, Diablo, and Warcraft.

Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Playerbase: High
Type: MOBA
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Pros: +Big roster of familiar Blizzard heroes. +Battleground objectives keep matches varied. +Approachable ruleset for newcomers.
Cons: -The simplified format can feel limiting. -Rejoining disconnected matches is slow.

League of Legends

League of Legends (LoL) is a competitive, fantasy-flavored MOBA built around fast decisions, team coordination, and deep champion mastery. Even years after launch, it remains a defining title for the genre, largely thanks to its enormous roster of champions (120+) and a constant flow of seasonal updates that keep the meta moving.

Publisher: Riot Games
Playerbase: High
Type: MOBA
Release Date: Oct 27, 2009
Pros: +Massive champion lineup (161+). +Established, high-profile esports ecosystem. +Generally strong balance for a live game. +Runes and Masteries add meaningful build variety. +Enjoyable whether you play casually or competitively.
Cons: -Many champions require unlocking (new releases can be expensive). -New players can run into smurfs and uneven matchmaking. -Chat culture can be hostile.

Smite

Smite is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MOBA that puts you in control of legendary gods from world mythology and drops you into fast, team-based matches. Its biggest twist on the genre is perspective and control, instead of the classic top-down, click-to-move style, Smite plays from a third-person, over-the-shoulder camera with WASD movement, which makes fights feel closer to an action game than a traditional strategy-heavy MOBA.

Publisher: Hi-Rez Studios
Playerbase: High
Type: MOBA
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Pros: +A distinct third-person spin on the MOBA formula. +Healthy competitive ecosystem and ranked play. +Plenty of modes and a large roster of Gods. +Fair monetization with no pay-to-win power.
Cons: -Many Gods must be earned or purchased before you can use them. -Tough for new players to learn efficiently.

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