Editing Multi-player online battle arena video games (section)

==History==
{{See also|List of action real-time strategy games}}
An early predecessor to the genre was the 1989 game ''[[Herzog Zwei]]'' which is considered to be the progenitor of the modern real-time strategy genre. One key differences between ''Herzog Zwei'' and modern action RTS games is that ''Herzog Zwei'' allowed the player to command an army of units, while the modern genre features waves of uncontrolled units that spawn at set intervals.<ref>''GameAxis Unwired'', [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vuoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=herzog+dota&source=bl&ots=Pvfk8sgcif&sig=ZoFVE4ya2GH1dzSXgrxCbGEEvNw&hl=en&ei=jBEhTYTwMYqzhAeP5f22Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false p. 52], December 2008, [[SPH Magazines]], ISSN 0219-872X</ref> The ''[[Dynasty Warriors]]'' series could also be considered early MOBA games, starting with ''[[Dynasty Warriors 2]]'' (1997).

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Cop:_LAPD#Precinct_Assault_Mode Future Cop LAPD's multiplayer 'Precinct Assault' mode] would be the first game to combine all the primary gameplay elements of a MOBA, though with only a single Hero unit playable (the flying 'Sky Captain' unit being only available to the AI opponent). Some of its features such as intermediate bases and defensive units would not be carried forward to later mods such as Aeon of strife due to limitations of the Starcraft engine. 

The custom map ''Aeon of Strife'' for the real-time strategy game ''StarCraft'' is one of the earliest examples of the modern genre. It was followed by ''Defense of the Ancients'', a custom scenario for ''Warcraft III'' that was heavily based on ''Aeon of Strife''. The growing popularity of ''Defense of the Ancients'' led to the development of further custom maps as well as full stand-alone games.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Sharkey, Mike |date=11 August 2010|url = http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/111/1111696p1.html | title = Evidence Mounting for a Valve Defense of the Ancients Game | accessdate =17 November 2010 | publisher = Gamespy.com }}</ref> These games are sometimes referred to as "DotA-style", "DotA-esque", "DotA-clone" or "DotA-based", although were more commonly referred to as AoS's.<ref name="1up-dota">{{Cite web|author=Nguyen, Thierry|date=1 September 2009|url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3175835|title=Clash of The DOTAs|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=21 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Welsh, Oli|date=22 October 2011|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-22-blizzard-aims-for-more-accessible-dota|title=Blizzard aims for more accessible DOTA |publisher=[[EuroGamer]]|accessdate=25 October 2011}}</ref>

''[[Minions (flash game)|Minions]]'' is a game by [[Kixeye|The Casual Collective]] released in 2008 as a Web game using [[Adobe Flash|Flash]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://jayisgames.com/archives/2008/11/minions.php | title=Minions | author=Psychotronic | date=30 November 2008|accessdate=7 November 2012|publisher=jayisgames.com}}</ref>

''[[Demigod (video game)|Demigod]]'', a video game developed by [[Gas Powered Games]] was the first released stand-alone title in the genre.<ref>{{Cite web | last=Lopez | first=Miguel | url = http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/gas-powered-games-project/854109p1.html | title = Demigod | date = 21 February 2008 | accessdate =20 November 2010 | publisher = Gamespy.com }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Nemikan|url=http://gaming.icrontic.com/reviews/dota-reborn-three-games-inspired-by-the-legendary-wc3-mod/|title=DOTA reborn: Three games inspired by the legendary WC3 mod|publisher=Icrontic.com| date = 21 September 2009 |accessdate=17 November 2010}}</ref>

This was followed by Riot Games' ''[[League of Legends]]'' released in October 2009.<ref name="1up-guinsoo">{{Cite web|author=Perez, Daniel|date=16 January 2009|url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3172308&p=1|title=League of Legends Interview|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=19 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="gameriotdotagenre">{{Cite web|author=Arirang|date=3 October 2009|url=http://wowriot.gameriot.com/blogs/The-Ohcee/DOTA-A-Look-at-the-Future-of-Dota-and-the-AoS-Genre|title=A Look at the Future of Dota and the AoS Genre.|publisher=GameRiot.com|accessdate=19 October 2010}}</ref> [[Riot Games]] attempted to break away from the genre being known as "Dota" by coining its own marketing term, "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena" (MOBA).

In May 2010, [[S2 Games]] released ''[[Heroes of Newerth]]''.<ref>{{Cite web | last=Jackson | first=Leah | url = http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/709363/Looking-Back-at-2010-The-Year-in-PC-Games-.html | title = Looking Back at 2010: The Year in PC Games | date = 23 December 2010 | accessdate =24 December 2010 | publisher = g4tv.com }}</ref><ref name="Kalamazoo">{{Cite news|title=Kalamazoo-made 'Heroes of Newerth' drawing huge online gaming crowd|author=Mark Wedel|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=12 July 2010|url=http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/kalamazoo-made_heroes_of_newer.html|publisher=Kalamazoo Gazette| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100628060136/http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2010/06/kalamazoo-made_heroes_of_newer.html| archivedate= 28 June 2010| deadurl= no}}</ref>

On 13 October 2010, [[Valve Corporation]] announced its official entry to the genre with a sequel to ''Defense of the Ancients'' entitled ''[[Dota 2]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Valve Announces Dota 2|url=http://store.steampowered.com/news/4487/|publisher=[[Valve Corporation]]|accessdate=13 October 2010|date=19 October 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20101015030731/http://store.steampowered.com/news/4487/| archivedate= 15 October 2010| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Totillo, Stephen|date=13 October 2010|url=http://kotaku.com/5663018/valves-new-game-is-dota2/|title=Valve's New Game Is Dota 2|publisher=[[Kotaku]]|accessdate=17 October 2010}}</ref> Valve referred to ''Dota 2'' and similar games as "Action Real-Time Strategy" games.<ref name="genrealternative">{{Cite web|author=Nutt, Christian|date=29 August 2011|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6471/the_valve_way_gabe_newell_and_.php?page=3|title=The Valve Way: Gabe Newell And Erik Johnson Speak|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]|accessdate=31 August 2011}}</ref>

At [[BlizzCon 2010]], [[Activision Blizzard]] officially announced their entry to the genre with their ''Blizzard DOTA'' map for ''StarCraft II''.<ref name="Blizzard-DOTA">{{Cite web|title=All-New Blizzard Custom Maps Featured at Blizzcon 2010|url=http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/994843|publisher=Blizzard Entertainment|date=22 October 2010|accessdate=22 October 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20101025081430/http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/994843| archivedate= 25 October 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Augustine, Josh|date=23 October 2010|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/10/23/the-first-heroes-in-sc2s-dota-map/|title=The first heroes in SC2’s DOTA map|publisher=[[PCGamer]]|accessdate=25 November 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20101024205619/http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/10/23/the-first-heroes-in-sc2s-dota-map/| archivedate= 24 October 2010| deadurl= no}}</ref> Chris Sigaty, lead producer of ''Starcraft II'', stated that ''Blizzard DOTA'' "is a take on the DOTA genre if you will. It gives you the opportunity to see some of the heroes we've made, we've made some heroes that are cross genre. Not just ''SC2'' heroes, we've got some ''Diablo'' characters in the works, we've some ''Warcraft'' characters and ''StarCraft'' characters and they're fighting together."<ref>{{Cite web |author=Iuliani, Joe |date=5 November 2010|url = http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4670/Starcraft-II-Chris-Sigaty-Interview.html | title = Starcraft II: Chris Sigaty Interview | accessdate =5 November 2010 | publisher = MMORPG.com | archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20101107204400/http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/4670/Starcraft-II-Chris-Sigaty-Interview.html| archivedate= 7 November 2010| deadurl= no}}</ref> On May 11, 2012, Blizzard announced that the map would be named ''"Blizzard All-stars"'', after settling a trademark dispute with Valve over the usage of the ''DOTA'' trademark.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Reilly | first = Jim | url = http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/05/11/valve-blizzard-reach-dota-trademark-agreement.aspx | title = Valve, Blizzard Reach DOTA Trademark Agreement | date = 2012-05-11 | publisher = [[Game Informer]] }}</ref>