Heroes of Newerth made a comeback, but it's too early to celebrate

The MOBA genre is facing challenges, with giants like Dota 2 and League of Legends experiencing declining popularity. Dota 2 is becoming increasingly regionalized, while League of Legends appears to be losing momentum. Against this backdrop, Garena's announcement of Heroes of Newerth's revival is intriguing. Originally a strong competitor in the early 2010s before its closure, the game is being rebuilt with a new engine, and initial trailers are encouraging.

However, several concerns remain. Firstly, the re-release of a decade-old live-service game in a declining genre presents a significant hurdle. Player preferences have shifted, and many have migrated to newer platforms and gaming trends.

Secondly, Garena's track record with game support and esports raises questions. Their claim of always believing in Heroes of Newerth's potential clashes with the game's initial shutdown.

Thirdly, the game's launch on the iGames platform, a partially crowdfunded initiative, is noteworthy. The absence of a Steam release is a major concern, as reaching a broad audience without Valve's platform is difficult in the current market.

Image: igames.com

While Heroes of Newerth's revival might foster organic growth, significant uncertainties remain. The one positive is the projected one-year release timeframe.