Despite there being millions of MOBA players world-wide, they tend to fund very narrowly into a select few games. Two years later, while there’s no doubt League has lessened its hold, it’s assuredly still holding the majority share.

The key factor is saturation.Īt GDC 2014, League of Legends had claim of 89% of all MOBA players, even if not their primary MOBA of choice. While there is exhaustion in the MMORPG market (more to come), it’s different to that of MOBAs. There are hundreds of classic-style MMORPGs and only a few dozen MOBAs. The real problem with MOBAs isn’t strictly numbers. I’ve had a sour relationship with MOBAs for a while, but even the industry is getting sick of them. League of Legends, the preferred MOBA of dogs. Maybe even my cold, dead gaming heart can be given a little life.įirst, let’s take a quick look at two examples of the problem: MOBAs and the “revival” MMO. 2015 was definitely a year of M’eh’MOs, but 2016 is showing some genuine promise. It’s led me to create a new phrase: M’eh’MOs ( meh-m-o’s, or m- eh-mo’s, depending on how you prefer to pronounce it). 2015’s MMO releases all felt like more of the same, worth little more than a look and a shrug. The culprit is mediocrity, a lack of innovation and creativity. What’s been smothering my passion for online gaming isn’t a matter of story, graphics, business model, or even design quality. Gaming tastes are diverse, and what I find appealing in an MMO is a matter of opinion. Now, even the hype of Camelot Unchained (which DizzyPW subjects me to at least once a week) doesn’t do anything for me. The last time I was genuinely excited about an MMO was WildStar, and that crushed my dreams as I kept adding to a long list of things I couldn’t do because they were bugged (some of those bugs still aren’t fixed, either). On a personal level, though, it’s depressing. It’s a good attitude to have as a member of the gaming press, as it fosters a more neutral and skeptical perspective when I report on games. As a veteran player of MMOs, I’ve grown slowly jaded after years of disappointments and drollery.

Camelot unchained vs crowfall