You may or may not of heard of a little game by Valve called DOTA 2. With 10,930,000 unique players in the last month this is the Half-Life developers flagship title at the moment.

DOTA, stands for Defense Of The Ancients and MOBA means Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. Combine the two and you get a game which garners a worldwide audience and one of the most lucrative professional gaming scenes on the planet.

All types of gamers dip in to try DOTA 2, from casual noobs to competitive gaming veterans. Some leave, but many players stay. So what makes is it that makes it so popular?

When you try DOTA 2 for the first time you will be hit, the game will literally punch you mentally of course. The game is punishing and will challenge all of your cognitive abilities like no game you’ve ever played before.

But that’s the appeal, to be emotionally and mentally challenged in such a way is a unique experience, one that’s addictive. You go back for more, each time getting that emotional fix. It’s the kind of game that when you win, you really feel like you earned the victory.