MOBA

MOBA games (or multiplayer online battle arenas) feature two teams competing against each other on a battlefield, typically with a goal of destroying the opponents' main structure. The player controls a single character that possesses a range of upgradeable skills and items, drawing influence from RPG.

The matches take place on a map generally divided into several lanes and uncharted "jungle" areas between them. The lanes are guarded by a number of defensive structures (or "towers") which can be destroyed by the players or the AI-controlled groups of units marching toward the enemy base. The "jungle" areas tend to be populated by units hostile to both teams, providing bonuses for the team who defeats them.

Herzog Zwei [ヘルツォーク・ツヴァイ], a strategy game featuring control over a single unit, is seen as a major influence on the genre; however, it wasn't until Aeon of Strife, a fan-made custom map for StarCraft, that it started to take its current shape. It was strongly influential on the Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos mod which codified the genre - Defense of the Ancients (DotA). It gained mainstream popularity in the late 2000s and early 2010s with titles such as League of Legends and Dota 2.