Rising from the popularity of RTS games, MOBA games now find themselves as some of the most popular casual and eSports titles around. Ranging from AAA games to indie releases, the MOBA games market covers the entire spectrum, offering experiences to players of all tastes.
In this article, we want to explore what are MOBA games and look at the top 15 MOBA games that you can either play today or that are on the near horizon. If you're a fan of competitive modern strategy games, you can't afford to miss this list!
The Best MOBA Games Available Today
With MOBAs covering so many different systems, we thought it would be best to break down the best MOBA games into platform types. This way you can quickly find the biggest titles available for your gaming devices of choice.
Best PC MOBAs
1. League of Legends
With the original release in 2009, League of Legends quickly proved itself as a force to be reckoned with. League of Legends wasn't just a popular title on release, it was also so successful that it proved free-to-play gaming was a viable funding strategy. Even 14 years later, LoL is still one of the best MOBA games.
2. Dota 2
The first Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft 3 consolidated the MOBA games' meaning into the greater gaming glossary. Its sequel in Dota 2 was bigger, better, and easier to jump into. Dota 2 has also set many world records for eSports prizes.
3. SMITE
SMITE takes an interesting approach to MOBA games by basing its heroes on figures from human mythology and history. We're not sure if this qualifies it among the most realistic games on this MOBA games list, but it does provide players with an interesting historical bend. Ever wonder who would win in a fight between Odin and Zeus? See for yourself!
4. Awesomenauts
Awesomenauts is a MOBA game that abandons the traditional top-down style for a side-scrolling 2D approach. This makes it a great fit for controller players, and a rarity in the PC space. If you remember how to play Flash games, then the graphics of this title should stand out as a nostalgic trip back in time, with some great gameplay to boot.
5. Heroes of the Storm
Blizzard is responsible for some of the biggest PC hits ever released. Heroes of the Storm takes many of Blizzard's best characters and places them into a MOBA games contest, letting the likes of Diablo, the Zerg, and Zarya battle it out for dominance.
6. Battlerite
As the sequel to an earlier title called Bloodline: Champions, Battlerite took the series from straight action to become one of the best MOBA games online. Fast-paced and highly rated, Battlerite still holds up. Though updates have ceased (don’t expect a buff or nerf to characters), Battlerite still commands a dedicated player base.
7. Heroes of Newerth
Another of the MOBA games derived from Warcraft 3, Heroes of Newerth was released back in 2010 as one of the titles to closely mirror the original MOBA formula. Setting the Legion against the Hellbourne, Heroes of Newerth stood the test of time and can still be played through mods and community support.
Best iOS and Android MOBAs
8. Arena of Valor
While Dota 2 and LoL might fight for first place on PC, Arena of Valor is easily the most popular MOBA title on mobiles. With over 100 heroes and fantastic touch-screen support, AoV shows MOBA games can work perfectly on phones and tablets.
9. Pokémon Unite
Building on the broad Pokémon game legacy, Pokémon Unite lets players directly control their pocket monster of choice as they go into battle. MOBA games for Nintendo fans might not get any better than this.
10. League of Legends: Wild Rift
As great as LoL is on PC, it’s not one of the MOBA games best suited for mobiles. League of Legends: Wild Rift addressed this concern with Wild Rift, a specially developed MOBA for mobile platforms, and a great experience overall.
11. VainGlory
Few MOBA games truly embrace cross-platform play, and this is where VainGlory stands out. Available on Android, iOS, Mac, and PC, games' download of titles like this, can let you connect and fight with friends no matter your system of choice.
12. Marvel Super War
For players who want to jump into MOBA games with characters they already know and love, then Marvel Super War might be exactly what you're looking for. Featuring many famous characters from the MCU and Marvel Comics, this take on MOBA titles is user-friendly for beginners and advanced enough to keep veterans coming back for more.
MOBAs to Look Forward to
Project Loki
Developed by experienced veterans who worked on titles like LoL, Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends, Project Loki is looking to expand on the MOBA game formula like never before. Bringing verticality and ambition, this is one to watch.
Eternal Return
Again doing something different, Eternal Return seeks to fuse MOBA games and battle royale genres into one title. We don’t know if it will succeed, but we’ll be watching closely.
Evercore Heroes
MOBA games traditionally target PvP, but Evercore Heroes places PvE combat at the forefront. Players here will defeat enemies and bosses for points, while also defending their home base from NPC invasion. Definitely an interesting concept that we can’t wait to experience in action.
FAQs About MOBA
What does MOBA mean in gaming?
MOBA stands for Mobile Online Battle Arena. These are titles where two teams compete with varied heroes, using special abilities to destroy towers and creeping NPC enemies, and take out the opponent’s base tower. Though they started on PCs, MOBA games today also excel on mobiles.
What is the No. 1 MOBA game?
The most popular of all MOBA games according to the average stream viewer count on platforms like YouTube and Twitch is League of Legends. In terms of the prize pool available, Dota 2 holds the top spot with The International yearly tournament.
Is Battle Royale a MOBA?
Battle royale games are not MOBA games, though they might share some overlapping elements. While Battle Royale games tend to take place in a shrinking arena until one player survives, MOBA games feature respawns and a map that remains the same size.
So here you go, a list of the 15 MOBAs to discover or rediscover in 2023. Whether you are new to the genre or not, you'll be sure to spend some fun hours!
