What Makes MOBA Games So Successful?

The Multi Online Battle Arena (MOBA) is the most successful genre in gaming history. This genre can sometimes be referred to as Real Time Strategy (RTS), and the MOBA is technically a subcategory of the RTS.    

The primary difference is that you can’t build or construct units on MOBAs. You have to use pre-spawned units to destroy enemies or complete certain objectives in a specific map. You have to use your environment and strategy against your opponents. 

It takes a lot of skill to master and certain MOBAs have gigantic online followings, as well as active discussion forums.    

The History of MOBA Gaming

Believe it or not, the MOBA gaming genre actually started out as a custom map on Starcraft. This map was called Aeon of Stripe and this is regarded by many as the origins of MOBA gaming.   

The next phase of MOBA gaming, and where it really took off, was Defense of the Ancients (DotA). This was the most defining MOBA of its era, and was yet another modification, but this time of World of Warcraft III. This was 5v5 gameplay in 2003. However, it was not until 2013 that Valve released a standalone version of the game, known as DotA 2.  

The first DotA rendition was one of the most popular MOBA modifications of all time. It features tens of millions of active players and invariably took part in the multi-billion dollar eSports industry, which it helped to grow. 

DotA2 is still largely regarded as the best and most popular standalone MOBA game of all time. It’s also considered one of the best video games of all time, breaking eSports records. Since DotA2, developers have been inspired to create many more MOBA games due to its massive popularity.  

Why the Popularity of MOBA Gaming?

Any gaming genre that reaches tens of millions of people does so due to a confluence of factors. The best selling MOBA games will undoubtedly include:

* A likable theme (sci-fi, classical, medieval, etc).

* Group play.

* Strategic elements.

* An interactive and somewhat complex environment.

* Complexity, growth, and variance. 

* Free to play.

MOBA games are said to be simple to start, but hard to master. Developers are continually adding in new elements and if you stop, your skills quickly become obsolete. MOBA games are able to maintain their player base through a rewarding but significant skill gap. Players are able to see the improvement in their play and are rewarded for their talents. This provides an excellent platform for eSports as the abilities of the gamer are on full display.

So MOBA games have low barriers of entry (free to play, simple to understand) but no limit to progress (eSports, additional elements, evolving gameplay). The team aspect is also hard to ignore, as it's simply more fun to play in teams than alone, in many instances. 

The Future of MOBA Is Even Better Than The Past

The strange thing is that we might just be getting started with MOBAs, not finishing. With the rise of Web3 and the integration of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), the genre will become even more attractive. Web3 MOBA games will contain in-game NFT rewards. These NFT rewards will be traded for other NFTs and cryptocurrencies in cross-chain marketplaces. 

In other words, the integration of NFTs takes gamification to a whole new level. Gamers are continually rewarded with an exchangeable asset. As popular as eSports was, it was still reserved for elite gamers who took all the rewards. NFTs means that players of intermediate or high (or opposed to elite) skill levels will get just rewards for their participation. 

We saw this with P2E ecosystems such as Axie Infinity. Residents of the Philippines earned so much during this period that the governments decided that reverence from the platform constituted taxable income.  

Future MOBAs will also be created on blockchain databases. This means they will be faster with interoperability between NFT marketplaces and decentralized applications. These modern MOBAs will contain all of the classical positive features, being free to play, simple to start, and with increasing complexity and strategy to keep people interested and engaged for long time horizons. 

New Gaming Genres To Build on MOBAs?

New Web3 development companies are taking core components of the popular MOBA genre,  while not fitting neatly into the same category. 

Take CaesarVerse for example. It is combining education with enjoyment through a Roman-themed universe to target historical gamers. This is an underserved community in gaming, which tends to lean towards fantasy and sci-fi. CaesarVerse is an open world environment that will incorporate real time strategy elements. 

CaesarVerse is taking a different avenue as compared to competition and rewards. It is educational in nature, allowing gamers to really immerse themselves in Roman culture to see what it was like. It aims to include a rank structure for the legionary combat where a high rank player can command other players. These players would get massive XP boosts for obeying orders. 

Not only do players get hands-on experience with immersive missions completed solo or collaboratively; classmates are also able to engage each other while struggling against challenges together. 

The project hopes to integrate VR components for a truly immersive experience in Roman culture. NFTs integration will also assist with rewards and education - the NFTs could be Roman armor, scrolls, amulets, coins, etc. 

Games like CaesarVerse indicate that there is still a lot of room for innovation in Web3, building on previous genres and tackling real-world problems. For instance, it could be used to ensure there are more women in Web3, which has always been an issue. 

Even in eSports, there are very few women involved, despite the rewards. An upcoming Web3 event in Miami aims to facilitate an increase in female participation in technology. Web3 projects are unique in the sense of tackling multiple birds with one stone through creativity and innovation.  

Moving Forward With MOBA

MOBA games are fun, enjoyable, rewards-based, and potentially even educational. It’s entirely possible to make group games that people learn from, as well as providing games that people can make a living on. 

Regardless of the goal, the MOBA genre is going to take off even further through creative Web3 implementations. 

With the potential inclusion of VR components and in-game rewards, we will see a completely new era in MOBA gaming that will dwarf previous records.