Which MOBA do you have to play in 2026?

The Dota 2 vs League of Legends debate is among the oldest in esports, and we nonetheless don’t have a transparent reply regardless of all of the success they’ve each garnered. 

Whereas each are MOBAs and two of the oldest classics within the style, League of Legends vs Dota 2 requires an in depth breakdown. Clearly, the straightforward reply is that it is best to strive each, however not everybody has the time to correctly spend money on two video games which can be comparable and large time sinks. 

With that stated, let’s take a look on the key elements of profitable MOBAs and evaluate the 2 titles. These elements embrace:

The highest-line, direct comparability overview of Dota 2 vs LoL is that this: Dota 2 has a far steeper studying curve, whereas League of Legends is extra welcoming for freshmen. That common theme carries over when it comes to complexity of gameplay, methods, heroes, and maps.

Dota 2 has extra strategic matches, and Dota 2 heroes require extra time to study than the League of Legends champions. Moreover, League of Legends gameplay is usually sooner and fewer micro-dependent, which means it’s simpler to select up.

So in case you’re League of Legends or Dota 2, and also you’ve not performed a MOBA earlier than, LoL can be the extra apparent option to get used to in a shorter timeframe, and a better possibility if you need a recreation you possibly can bounce into on a extra informal foundation.

Whereas evaluating recognition can be a simple solution to settle no less than some a part of the Dota 2 vs LoL 2026, this isn’t simple to do.

Because it’s a Steam recreation, the Dota 2 participant rely is open for anybody to see, averaging over half 1,000,000 (565,000) gamers a day within the final 30 days, equating to simply below 17 million gamers in that point interval.

Conversely, League of Legends doesn’t make its participant rely knowledge formally identified. Nonetheless, sources like Lively Participant state that, in December 2025, League of Legends had over 18 million gamers, giving LoL the sting when evaluating Dota 2 vs League recognition, however not by a lot.

That’s the final overview and participant numbers coated. Beneath, we bounce into some specifics for Dota 2 vs League of Legends.

League of Legends heroes are generally known as champions, and as of January 2026, there are 171 of them. Conversely, there are 127 Dota 2 heroes, and whereas each rosters are large, LoL’s is larger. League’s characters even have extra lore to them, due to exterior media, if that’s one thing you’re fascinated about.

Each are divided into 5 roles, with League of Legends characters break up into High, Mid, ADC (aka Assault Harm Carries or Bot), Help, and Jungle. Try our LoL roles breakdown for more information. 

Dota 2 roles are generally known as Laborious Carry, Midlaner, Offlaner, Comfortable Help, and Laborious Help, which aren’t fairly as simple to know on paper, as a result of they aren’t labelled to a selected lane. With LoL’s bigger roster, it takes a slight edge right here.

In the end, the 2 principal maps of each video games operate the identical means. There are three principal lanes, with 5 gamers on every workforce, and a jungle space between the lanes, with the target being to push to the opposite aspect of the map and destroy the enemy core. 

The Dota 2 map is less complicated in format, being symmetrical, however the map has way more mechanical complexities, like destructible bushes, and a day/night time cycle altering the jungle. It’s a tried-and-tested map that has seen virtually no change for over a decade. 

Comparatively, there are extra League of Legends maps, and thus extra recreation modes, just like the ARAM mode, which has one lane, so there’s extra selection. Nonetheless, many of the neighborhood solely performs on the primary map (Summoner’s Rift), and that is the place the esports happen. For the additional selection, League will get the slight edge right here, too.

Unsurprisingly, the extra in-depth Dota 2 gameplay and the extra accessible LoL gameplay each make for wonderful esports viewing. LoL and Dota 2 esports scenes are thriving with massive fanbases (LoL’s is arguably larger because of its increased recognition), and a number of other high-profile tournaments deliver the very best gamers collectively all year long. 

In a variety of competitions for Dota 2, the Esports World Cup and The Worldwide are key tournaments. For LoL, First Stand, the Mid-Season Invitational, and the World Championship are prime picks from the calendar. High Dota 2 groups embrace the likes of Staff Liquid (Grand Champions of 2024’s The Worldwide), Tundra Esports, and Staff Spirit. Throughout the LoL schedule of tournaments, groups embrace the likes of Gen.G eSports, Hanwha Life eSports, and T1. Some groups compete throughout each, although, Staff Liquid being one instance.

All through the 2025 season, League of Legends had extra viewership and a larger spectacle, however in accordance with escharts, Dota 2 had increased prize cash. Each are among the many largest scenes in esports, and neither can actually get a lot better, with Valve and Riot Video games clearly demonstrating their means to create nice aggressive scenes.

Maybe the largest and most noticeable distinction between Dota 2 and League is accessibility. And, truthfully, there’s little debate concerning which is extra accessible for brand spanking new gamers. League of Legends wins on this regard as a result of it’s simpler to select up and study, whereas Dota 2 could also be extra rewarding for current MOBA gamers who desire a extra in-depth expertise. 

It’s not a lot of an exaggeration to say which you could run Dota 2 and LoL on a potato. By trendy gaming requirements, neither recreation is hard to run, with many taking part in each on a standard laptop computer. This makes a Dota 2 vs LoL graphics debate really feel a bit like separating stones in gravel, however there are some issues to notice.

League of Legends was launched in 2009, whereas Dota 2 was launched 4 years later in 2013, requiring only a tad extra. Dota’s aesthetic is extra detailed and fewer cartoon-like than League’s, however in 2026, the demand on {hardware} is negligible. 

Listed below are the system necessities:

As with most parts concerning League of Legends vs Dota 2, the pricing fashions are considerably comparable, however there are key variations. Sure, each are free to play, however for Dota 2, all heroes are free from the beginning. 

The Dota Plus month-to-month subscription prices round $4 per thirty days and affords additional hero development, gadgets, rewards, and extra. The sport’s Battle Passes additionally provide rewards, and that income feeds into the prize pool for The Worldwide esports occasion. Conversely, LoL prices in-game or real-world foreign money to unlock heroes, beauty gadgets, and different rewards.

Thus, whereas each are free-to-play, Dota 2 is simpler to get entangled with in case you don’t sink in any money. The extortionate value of some LoL skins doesn’t assist League’s case both.

Dota 2 and League of Legends are the 2 finest, traditional MOBAs round, and it ought to be no shock that they’re so shut in rating. With 51 in comparison with Dota 2’s 49, League takes the slight edge, being the marginally larger identify and providing only a tad extra when it comes to map selection and accessibility. 

That is partly as a result of, whereas Dota 2 is newer, it’s primarily based on the primary ever MOBA, a mod for Warcraft 3, and thus extra conventional. That may not be for everybody, whereas LoL appeals extra to a common viewers, no less than as a lot as a style like MOBAs can.

Regardless of each being MOBA titles, there’s greater than a four-year hole in launch date that could be a distinction when evaluating Dota 2 vs League of Legends. The titles are each widespread, however whereas LoL is the clear winner when it comes to gamers and world following, the depth and strategic nature of Dota 2 are unmatched. Each have wholesome aggressive scenes, although, and it’s as much as you if you need accessibility and ease of taking part in (LoL), or a steeper studying curve and added depth (Dota 2).