MOBA explained: One of the most popular genres in esports is making a push on mobile
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena is a type of game popular in esports. It’s a strategy game that pits two teams of five against each other. League of Legends and Arena of Valor are MOBA games.
Part chess and part team sport, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena -- or MOBA -- is a gaming genre that’s becoming extremely popular as an esport.
It pits two teams of five in a closed map, with the first team to demolish the enemy’s base declared the winner. So far, so simple. But in a MOBA, players control a “champion”: A character with a unique skills. There is usually a huge variety of champions in MOBA games, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses. Success depends on making sure your team has a balanced array of skills.
Players control these champions through a third person perspective. Most MOBA games have a single map, with three “lanes” leading from your base to the enemy’s. Each lane is defended by turrets and “minions”, computer-controlled enemy characters. There are also wild monsters, unaffiliated with either side. Defeating these will power up your champions -- making them stronger for the push to the enemy base.
MOBA games encourage teamwork, with champions assigned different roles. Sample roles include:
- Tank (absorbs damage for weaker teammates)
- Support (heals and enhances teammates’ abilities)
- Carry (typically does the most damage late in the game)
- Jungler (takes out wild monsters)