MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) games offer a sense of rivalry not found anywhere else. To win, players must be quick to react, interact well within a team and be thoroughly familiar with the specifics of each game.
If you want to try a new project and can’t decide what to play or are about to start playing MOBAs, this article is for you. We’ll tell you about the top five games that are popular today.
1. Dota 2
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Platforms: PC
Multiplayer: 10
Dota 2 is one of the oldest MOBAs, but its audience of fans is not decreasing. This fact speaks volumes about how balanced the characters are and how well the game is supported in terms of new content releases.
Despite the age of Dota 2, some users believe that it is easier to master than other MOBAs that came out long ago (such as League of Legends). The point is in the smaller number of active characters and more understandable for newcomers’ heroes designs.
2. League of Legends
Release date: October 27, 2009
Platforms: PC
Multiplayer: 19
The most popular MOBA in history. League of Legends has over 150 champions in the classic five roles. You can play both against bots and against real opponents, and after the 30th level the user gets access to an extensive rating system. LoL is perfectly optimized, so you should definitely add it to your list of free online projects that you can play with your friends.
League of Legends has ruled the MOBA genre and the cyber sports industry for years, thanks to the regular addition of new content and champions, as well as the rigorous adherence to game balance. LoL’s community of players is quite toxic, but it’s easy to forget that as you play.
LoL is one of the most popular cybersports disciplines. This game hosts international tournaments where the best teams in the world fight. Their list can be found here. The strongest teams win millions of dollars, and their battles are watched by hundreds of thousands of viewers.
3. Overwatch
Release Date: May 24, 2016.
Platforms: PC, PS4, X-One, N-Switch
Multiplayer: 12.
Overwatch can be called the project that threatens the unrivaled popularity of League of Legends more than any other. Very soon, Overwatch 2 will hit the market. The game is not going to stop in development, paying attention and cybersports direction. The user has a choice of more than 30 heroes. Meta is tightly controlled, so the game does not lose its balance.
Roles in Overwatch are distributed in a more orderly way, and in maps the developers abandoned the traditional MOBA lane structure. Players have more locations available, which adds more dynamics and identity. A disadvantage of Overwatch is rather complicated training, but once you get the hang of the game, you will have a lot of fun.
4. SMITE
Release Date: March 25, 2012
Platforms: PC, PS4, X-One, N-Switch
Multiplayer: 10
The developers of SMITE have abandoned the top-down view of League of Legends, Dota 2 and other traditional games of their genre in favor of a third-person camera. SMITE does not have a vast audience of players, but it maintains an active user base across multiple platforms.
The project is notable for its systemability and balance, which does not undergo any noticeable changes during the playing season. With over 120 playable gods from different mythosystems and many different roles, SMITE offers different play styles to suit every player. SMITE focuses on PvP and purely mechanical skills, so you will need a good reaction speed to achieve significant results.
5. Pokémon Unite
Release Date: July 21, 2021
Platforms: Android, iOS, N-Switch
Multiplayer: 10
Pokemon Unite is a relatively new game of the genre compared to its direct competitors. For the franchise this project is the first attempt to enter the world of MOBA, and it is worth admitting that the creators of the game did it very well. The gameplay is typical for all games of the genre (PvP five against five with different roles and several tracks on the entire space of the map).
As you enter battles, your pokémon will level up and, if available, evolve. So, starting with Charmander, by level nine the pokémon will become Charizard. The players’ task is not to destroy or capture the opponents’ base, but to gain points.
Pokémon Unite has a good gameplay foundation, but users have reacted negatively to the lack of ability to change skill sets and the need to make many microtransactions.
Pokémon Unite, unlike most of the aforementioned projects, is distributed on smartphones and the Nintendo Switch handheld console, which may be an additional plus for a younger audience of players who prefer mobility.
