The Industry
The gaming industry has become the largest entertainment industry in the world in a number of decades, surpassing even the likes of film in terms of the amount of revenue it generates year after year. The e-sports scene is one aspect of the larger gaming industry that reflects just how popular the interactive entertainment medium has become. The fact that today millions of people watch others play their favorite games is a testament to just how sophisticated the games we play today have become, with titles in the MOBA genre representing the most complex creations of sophisticated balancing ever seen. With that level of sophistication comes a pro-scene which cultivates the best talent in competitive gaming around the world. While League of Legends is the more popular of both titles by sheer number of players alone, including a huge following state side, DOTA 2 has a massive following on the international scale that makes it just as relevant on the e-sports scene. Just as a point of reference, e-sports has become so big that it was written about in none other than the esteemed New York Times and has seen interest from sports broadcasting powerhouse ESPN. The International, the largest DOTA 2 tournament in the world, has even surpassed the U.S. Open in terms of overall prize pool money. Anyway you look at it, the MOBA space is big business, and it's only growing larger.
Relation to Study:
To better understand the way both developers handle their MOBA games is to better understand what intent they had when they made them in the first place. With each game featuring a bustling professional scene that has breathed new life into e-sports around the world, it is no surprise to find that community support is priority number one for each company. Given Valve's already illustrious track record of backing their supportive fans, Riot Games have shown their moxie as a studio more than capable of standing toe to toe with the big dogs. It's proof positive that developers who get their fans can find just as much supporting them as they can the title itself. Another important note to make here is the use of DOTA 2 to push the Steam platform, which is a form of pushing brand identity for Valve. On the other side, Riot Games has a dedicated client solely for playing LOL, which is no surprise considering it is the life blood of the company. Each of these things informs how the games are viewed by the greater community as they are referenced in my interview session by a MOBA player as a way to distinguish between each title.
Relation to Study:
To better understand the way both developers handle their MOBA games is to better understand what intent they had when they made them in the first place. With each game featuring a bustling professional scene that has breathed new life into e-sports around the world, it is no surprise to find that community support is priority number one for each company. Given Valve's already illustrious track record of backing their supportive fans, Riot Games have shown their moxie as a studio more than capable of standing toe to toe with the big dogs. It's proof positive that developers who get their fans can find just as much supporting them as they can the title itself. Another important note to make here is the use of DOTA 2 to push the Steam platform, which is a form of pushing brand identity for Valve. On the other side, Riot Games has a dedicated client solely for playing LOL, which is no surprise considering it is the life blood of the company. Each of these things informs how the games are viewed by the greater community as they are referenced in my interview session by a MOBA player as a way to distinguish between each title.
Despite the growing online popularity of the MOBA genre in the main stream, resistance is still felt. This particular video features ESPN's very own Colin Cowherd disparaging not only Blizzard's first attempts at the MOBA genre Heroes of the Storm but also going to great lengths to put down the announcers and the players themselves. It is instances like these that prove that games such as DOTA 2 and LOL have a ways to go before they can reach absolute acceptance, at least from US audiences. Internationally, however, Valve has firmly planted the MOBA flag as being a serious competitive sport with a thriving professional scene. (See Marketing)