Why is there so much hate in the MOBA community?

Disclaimer: Before I go any further, I would like to enforce that this article is not one to make one game sound better than the other, nor force my opinion upon any reader; I'm not trying to start any fanboy arguments on which game is "better" or "superior". What this article is aiming is to do is draw a connection between these two games, as they are related and share many core mechanics.

Also, with the release of DotA 2 on the horizon (next few months, perhaps), many LoL players will be temporarily (or permanently) switching over to check out the "newest" MOBA on the scene, so this article will help with deciding if DotA 2 is your cup of tea, and if so, how to make a strong migration.

Introduction

League of Legends, also known as LoL, is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game (MOBA) that was officially released in early October of 2009. Today, it stands as one of the most popular online games of all time, and currently, has the most concurrent users of any online game to date. With such a surge in popularity in only a few short years, there is no doubt that LoL is not just another online game, but a unique experience in itself.

Though there are many fans of the franchise, there is also much, much hatred and revulsion aimed at the game and its community. The reason? It depends on who you ask. Some might say the community is rude, too competitive, or downright repulsive in its flaming and trolling. Some might tell you that the game itself is too bright and cartoony for their liking, while others may bring up another point; the game is just too easy.

Where did this last opinion come from, you might ask? Why do players of other MOBAs dislike LoL to such an extent? The answer can be answered if we take a step backwards in time. Only then can we understand the bickering that often ensues between these playerbases.

The Rise of DotA

LoL was not the first of its kind, by any means. The very first MOBA, by general consensus, was Aeon of Strife, a Warcraft 3 mod that, for its time, was like nothing else. Closer to the present, though, was a game that popularized the genre so well that it became the MOBA to beat; DotA, or, "Defense of the Ancients". As a side note, I won't go into any particular detail, as I have never found concrete information on who did who to make the game what it is today, so I will leave this part of the story blank.

Now, what DotA was known for was its high skill cap, dynamic gameplay and stupidly high learning curve. There was no reasonable way to jump into the game and know how you were supposed to play whatever hero it was you choose; it was difficult for any newcomer to learn and adapt to the game simply because there were practically no games like it. Its system was unique and the heroes were diverse and defined.

The game had no tutorial, nor did it have any way of babysitting you through the steps that would allow you to become good at the game, per se. Experience, skill, hard work, and dedication created a strong DotA experience, and the community eventually gained an air of sorts; only the best gamers, those who possessed high amounts of skill, timing, and coordination, would dominate the game and be called the best of the best. The competitive scene was born from this era, and thus the MOBA e-sport took off furiously. This air continues on today, where games of seemingly less skill are looked down upon by those would call themselves hardcore Dota players. Why play a "clone" of such an amazingly complex and entertaining game? This question, I believe, goes through the heads of most DotA enthusiasts. I don't blame for retaining this view, though I don't agree with it.

So where does this dislike from LoL come from? Well, to make this short, LoL was inspired by DotA and uses a lot of similar elements; this is one thing many gamers dislike, as they often refer to LoL as a copycat game (though I don't truly understand that mindset). These two games really are different, though (and not just graphics wise), even if they have the typical MOBA framework. Both games have a minion system where you kill minions for gold, have objectives to control, have buffs to manage, etc. Heroes/champions both level up skills (Q,W,E, or R) and buy items to get stronger stats, etc. Both games have 3 lanes, and a river cutting the map in half, allowing for between lanes travel and ganks; all in all, very similar. But what really differs is how these games play, not what visual differences are. Ease of play is the main argument I hear from DotA or HoN (Heroes of Newerth) players; it simply lacks the depth, skill, general appeal, and aggressive gameplay.

Do I agree with this general statement? No, I don't think it's very accurate, but there is some truth in it. Anyways, let me provide a few examples to elaborate.