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[PSqueak]

I'm sure I could get used to any of them.

The issue is the required basic learning (characters, spells, items, ect) to get into the game prevents me from keeping more than Dota2 installed on my computer.

MOBAs basically require you to marry to one, i can't see anybody actually enjoying playing multiple of them at the same time.

 

[Murder. She Wrote]

Dota 2 easily, just wish games didn't last as long. I don't play much anymore because more often than not they're shit matches with shit people.

 

[SRTtoZ]

I tried Hots first and fell in love with it because of the heroes and the lore behind those heroes since I'm a huge Blizzard fan, but I always knew that LoL was more popular game. I tried it and didn't like it nearly as much but I will admit I didn't put as much time into it as HOTS. I really like the quicker games and the talent system as well as all the Blizzard polish on top of everything including skins/mounts/maps etc. I can't wait for 2.0! It also matters that I've put quite a bit of my own money into Hots and I just don't feel like I can fund another FTP game where you need to spend money to get a certain amount of heroes or else it will take you FOREVER to unlock shit.

 

[woodland]

This completely sums up Dota and is another reason why I love it. But with all the points where he says "Dota gives no reasoning for this", there's always a ton of little points that are valid reasons.

Plus, we have Day9, the OG.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

League.

I don't even have to play it and I would still prefer it because of the esports scene.

Preferring Leagues because of its esports scene?

Eww.

Lots of reasons to prefer League, but its awkward esports structure and poor spectating features put it damn near at the bottom of all MOBAs for esports watching.

 

[Vital Tundra]

From a playing perspective, none. From a watching perspective, Dota2.

I sorta enjoyed HotS during the Nexus challenge but I only played it for Oni Genji. Moba just takes to much time only to lose after 45 Effin minutes.

 

[PrinnyBomb]

By far Dota 2. Everything about that game just screams master design to me and I love how it emphasizes strategy and teamwork over individual actions.

HOTS is fun if you feel like just messing around without thinking, because they don't take themselves seriously there's a lot of fun crazy gimmicks they can use.

League has always disappointed me, my friends have tried getting me into it multiple times to no avail. I despise the rigidity of its play styles, and it has a very bad paranoia of "is this too anti-fun? Is this too op? Is this too punishing?"

Also having started Dota before trying hots/lol I am speechless how everyone is okay with the latter games' hero unlock system. I've heard many people defending it saying that it feels more rewarding to unlock heroes rather than having them all at the start. Sunk cost fallacy much?

 

[Brawndo Addict]

I'm probably subconsciously biased because I spent so much time playing DOTA in the WC3 days but I still think it's a step above LoL in terms of complexity and strategy. They're both good games though, don't get me wrong (the progression system in LoL is pure trash though). Dota just has more mechanics and interaction points for players to engage with resulting in more varied strategies and decision-making.

I don't have enough time to play either regularly nowadays but I will always tune in to the International. And I will stump for HOTS because it is the perfect game to quickly scratch your MOBA itch without a huge investment; no items, no last hitting, shared experience, super fast matches, straightforward heroes, very little downtime/farming, etc. A match or two of HOTS is plenty satisfying, but if you play it for extended periods of time you really start to notice how simplified everything is.

 

[Rygar 8 Bit]

smite is higher up then heroes its dota 2, league and smite for the top 3

Last I checked, it was all but dead, the player count was around 15k ish (been a while since i've checked mind you), but it seems like they still release heroes for it, /shrug. Toward the end there, it always seemed like the new hero they released was OP as hell (when it cost the most money to get lol) before being tuned down. Its been a long while since i've played the game though, got into the HotS alpha, and though it was a shitstorm at multiple stages of the game, I stuck with it and prefer it to any other now.

steam only tracks games launched through steam a majority of people who play smite play through hi rez launcher

 

[Vital Tundra]

I'm probably subconsciously biased because I spent so much time playing DOTA in the WC3 days but I still think it's a step above LoL in terms of complexity and strategy. They're both good games though, don't get me wrong.

I don't have enough time to play either regularly nowadays but I will always tune in to the International. And I will stump for HOTS because it is the perfect game to quickly scratch your MOBA itch without a huge investment; no items, no last hitting, shared experience, super fast matches, straightforward heroes, very little downtime/farming, etc.

It's not biased. It's true.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

I've played all three, but very limited time on LoL and Dota 2, a couple of hours at most between the two of them. I pretty much stick to HotS because I can play it solo. Don't know if it's different now, but when I tried the other two, they were multiplayer only past the tutorial levels. I liked Infinite Crisis, but got tired of dragging the team down with my shit-level play.

 

[Mifec]

Preferring Leagues because of its esports scene?

Eww.

Lots of reasons to prefer League, but its awkward esports structure and poor spectating features put it damn near at the bottom of all MOBAs for esports watching.

You forgot the mediocre casters who try to hype up a hopeless situation, that has all but been removed from DOTA2.

Not to mention Joe Miller was the only real talent League ever had.

 

[RedSparrows]

Dota2.

But really all i play is Smite (and Gigantic but not rly moba).

 

[theundeadwonder]

I'm a sucker for Blizzard, so HoTS is my MOBA of choice. I've only played each game a few times, but the community seems a little less toxic in HoTS. It reminds me of the post-LFG community in WoW hahaha

 

[antitrop]

League of Legends, simply because it was the first I played and I didn't want to spend the time to relearn another MOBA. I tried out DOTA2 for a little bit and played HOTS just to get the Oni Genji skin for Overwatch.

 

[PseudoViper]

Overall, I like DoTA 2 a lot... a lot, a lot.

DoTA 2 was my first MOBA, and then I started LoL about a year later. And I didn't start playing LoL until my little brothers put me on. It took me some time to adjust, but after a while, I started enjoying it.

I never played HoTS, so I can't comment on that, but I have played SMITE and Paragon, both of which I enjoy, but it's not my go to.

Paragon needs work.

 

[E-flux]

Also having started Dota before trying hots/lol I am speechless how everyone is okay with the latter games' hero unlock system. I've heard many people defending it saying that it feels more rewarding to unlock heroes rather than having them all at the start. Sunk cost fallacy much?

My friends used to complain that they didn't like how all of the heroes were free in dota, both of them were railing on and on about how it feels like you progress in League because of the hero unlocks and runes...

 

[liezryou]

DotA 2 just released an update that literally adressed every single concern the vast majority of players had with ranked MM. http://blog.dota2.com/2017/04/matchmaking-update/ . This, this is why DotA is the best MOBA for just about everyone except super casuals.

Also the amount of people saying they can't be bothered to leave league/hots cause they have too much invested is too damn high. Please stop using the sunken cost fallacy as an excuse to not try DotA 2. Give it a try please, and i don't just mean one game where you will probably get rekt because well of course you are brand new to the game. Give it a couple of days, a week maybe. I guarantee you will fall in love. DotA WAS the original MOBA, league, hots, everything is a derivative of DotA.

 

[Beerman462]

Used to play LoL and might try to pop back in from time to time.
I tried playing Dota, but didn't feel like investing the time into learning new builds.
I might try HotS, since it seems less involved.

 

[elyetis]

Dota 2, but to be honest if I could get my friends to play Hots and Smite I would probably alternate between the three. I really can't play dota 2 as much as I did before, I no longer feel like I improve, and game lenght etc make me too damn invested / angry at times.

I'm not sure I would call it a moba, but Atlas Reactor ( turn-based 4v4 with hero, so I guess it's still pretty close ) also became a favorite of mine in the past few month.

 

[Maximus.]

Enjoyed HotS the most. Love the maps, heroes and mechanics. I hate the fucking community in every game. So toxic.

 

[QisTopTier]

I like smite the most

 

[Mister Zimbu]

Smite definitely belongs in the pool, but not replacing Heroes.

Because Heroes is clearly the best.

 

[Sabercrusader]

I haven't played Dota 2, and I generally dislike MOBAs but overall I prefer HotS. It's simplified down into what I think are the important core mechanics and it's the most beginning friendly and seems (from what I can tell) to have the best community of the 3, though that's not a terribly high bar to cross.

I'm excited for HotS 2.0.

 

[Randdalf]

Dota 2 felt like a massive step above League when I first played it, however many years ago it was when it was in closed beta. Haven't played League since though, and have played nearly 2400 hours of dotes... So I guess I never really looked back. Dota has also had another step change in terms of its UI over time, it's so nice and slick nowadays.

 

[NewGame]

DotA2 is the highest quality I've seen in mobas. I doubt anything will top it.

 

[Iastfan112]

Put a few hundred hours in all 3.

Occasionally play HoTS
Watch Dota 2
is the pattern I've fallen into now. Have to really commit to consistent play time for both league and dota for it to feel satisfying.