MOBA

MOBA, short for multiplayer online battle arena, is a genre of real-time strategy games in which two teams, typically five players each, compete on a shared map with the aim of destroying the opposing team's main base. Each player controls a single hero or champion with unique abilities and attributes. In most MOBAs, characters gain experience to level up and gold to purchase items, creating a balance between individual skill and team strategy.

Matches usually feature three or more parallel lanes connected by a central area, with defensive towers and neutral or jungle areas providing alternate objectives. Computer-controlled minions or creeps periodically march down every lane, providing opportunities for laning, farming, and map control. Players work to gain map vision, secure objectives such as neutral monsters, and coordinate pushes to breach enemy defenses while defending their own structures. The primary objective is to destroy the enemy's primary base or nexus, depending on the game's terminology.

MOBA originated from the Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients and evolved into standalone titles. Two widely recognized successors are Dota 2 by Valve and League of Legends by Riot Games, released in 2013 and 2009 respectively. Other notable MOBAs include Smite, Heroes of the Storm, and Arena of Valor, which adapt play styles for third-person perspective or mobile platforms.

MOBA games have become major components of the esports ecosystem, featuring professional leagues, international tournaments, substantial prize pools, and large spectator audiences. The genre's ongoing development includes balance changes, new heroes or champions, and cross-platform or cross-game events.