I'm calling this game the Father of MOBA based on my opinion and from my experience playing it. I've started playing this game back when I was just 11 or 12 years old. Around 1 or 2 years after its first release.

The game was simply a modified map inside the game Warcraft III. We played this game in the Frozen Throne version, ultimately the game's goal is to destroy either the Sentinel's Tree or the Scourge's Frozen Throne.

They call it DOTA.

Defense of the Ancients has been a very popular game and it has been 13 to 14 years since I've started playing it. Right now, they've already launched a second iteration called Dota 2. Dota 2 is intensely popular and has been a consistent topnotcher in terms of number of users and amount in their tournament's prize pool (Check out: Is MOBA the E-Sport King? post.)

The heroes and the map used in Dota 1 has been the basis for Dota 2, as well as many other games (especially the map) be it on PCs or on mobile phones.

I think it's the game that started it all. In terms of MOBAs.

From being just a simple map inside another game. It gained traction and support from communities and became a crowd favorite that it went from versions on top of versions vastly improving the gameplay and the roster of heroes that wouldn't fit inside my pocket (or maybe they would cause they're just data).

Although DOTA 1 is technically a very old game there are still lots of players that enjoy it so much. It's a favorite past time for students. Some even make bets on who's going to win.

There have been numerous tournaments held locally that I know of which revolved around DOTA 1. Even schools had tournaments like these.

This game has became so addicting that people often make a joke (or meme, as they call it nowadays) where girlfriends would break up with their boyfriends because all their time has been spent on DOTA. There's even a very popular song here in the Philippines titled "Dota o Ako?" (Dota or Me?).

Even until now, if you go to YouTube and search Dota 1, you'll see that there are very new uploads and it's still popular amongst gamers.

How's your experience on playin Dota 1?

Watch this gameplay video if you don't know what this game is. Enjoy!

For more info on this, head over to the following links:

eSports / dota1

The Father of MOBA

The Father of MOBA

The Father of MOBA