MOBA is a genre in which each player controls a single character, and victory goes to the team that is first to destroy the enemy's main structure. The word is pronounced "moba," and in texts it is written in Latin letters: MOBA, MOBA game, MOBA games.
How the genre works
A match takes place on a single map, most often a symmetrical one: each team has its own base, and between the bases run lanes along which computer-controlled units march. The player chooses a character with their own set of abilities, develops it over the course of the match by gaining experience and accumulating resources, and buys items that strengthen it. A single game can last from half an hour to an hour or more.
The genre has several common features:
- team play: five players against five, each with their own role;
- choosing characters before the match begins, often in turns and with bans — this stage is called the draft;
- character growth within the match: by the end of the game the character is noticeably stronger than at the start;
- a map with several lanes and zones between them, where skirmishes constantly take place;
- the goal is not to get more frags but to destroy the opponent's main structure.
How a MOBA differs from shooters
In a shooter like CS2, the character is the same for everyone, and what makes it stronger is only the equipment bought during the round. In a MOBA, the player looks at the action from above or at an angle, controls a hero with unique abilities, and the match is not divided into rounds: there is just one, and mistakes accumulate throughout the entire game. That is why strategy, map reading, the ability to gather the team at the right moment, and resource distribution are especially important in the genre.
Where the word comes from
The genre grew out of user-made modifications for real-time strategy games, in which players came up with a mode featuring individual heroes instead of controlling armies. Later, standalone games with this mechanic appeared, and the term itself became established as the general name of the genre. Saying "I play MOBAs" is like saying "I play shooters": it is a word for a family of games, not for one specific game.
Where the term appears
In conversations among players and viewers, the word is used in two ways. The first is as the name of the genre as a whole: "I like MOBAs more than shooters." The second is as a short designation for a specific game of the genre, when it is clear from context which one is meant. The best-known representative of the genre in our glossary is Dota 2, and in esports discussions the word "MOBA" often stands next to shooters as the two major branches of team disciplines.
For a newcomer, it is worth remembering that the genre has a high barrier to entry: you need to know dozens of heroes, their abilities, items, and typical combinations. But the matches are also especially spectacular: the outcome of a game is often decided not by one lucky shot, but by the coordination of the five and the quality of decisions throughout the entire match.