Why the addiction to Mobile Legends
Miguel Moreno in Hobbies and Interests
Oct 22, 2020 • 2 min Read
The year 2003 saw the rise of Defense of the Ancients, popularly known as DOTA, the first-ever multiplayer online battle arena — or MOBA for the clueless. DOTA pitted real players against each other in a test of skill on one map.
Anyone who ever visited a computer shop can remember the avid fanatics of DOTA; some of the players were still students, who considered the game as a reward for lasting another day in school. These students would come into the shops with their friends, and enjoy the hours in between dismissal time and having to go back home.
However, as MOBA gamers grew up, time also caught up, and dedicating hours to playing (there will always be “one more game”) becomes much more difficult — you’d have to squeeze in that precious hour in between commuting, preparing for work the next day, or even preparing for your kids’ next day in school!
MOBA games are known for their competitiveness. Like a typical sports game, it pits two opposing teams against each other and bases its success on who can achieve their goal the fastest. For basketball, it’s to have the most points at the end of the four quarters. For DOTA, the goal is to destroy the “nexus” of the enemy team before they destroy yours. Simply put, the main magnetic effect of the game is to see who is better than the other.
Eventually, the advent of smartphones allowed the influx of mobile games or apps: these portable pastimes help ease the lulls between schedules, may it be the student waiting for his next class, or the employee on his 15-minute break. Then came a portable MOBA app — Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
MLBB has that familiar flavor of skillful competition, packed into the convenience of mobile play. Considering that an average game only takes 10 to 15 minutes, gamers may enjoy this pastime in between their lunch breaks, commute hours, and any moment where they could muster a few minutes.
Gone are the days where these same students and employees had to set aside some hours after work to be able to enjoy playing DOTA. Why would they when MLBB is just a phone click away? In addition, a quick personal message to their online friends meant having a reliable team to play with. All it takes now is a decent phone in your pocket, and a comfortable spot to sit on.
