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

The MOBA landscape is facing challenges. Established giants like Dota 2 and League of Legends are encountering difficulties; 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. This once-popular MOBA, a significant competitor in the early 2010s, is being rebuilt with a new engine, and initial trailers are encouraging.

However, several concerns exist. Firstly, reviving a decade-old live-service game in a genre that's declined in popularity presents a significant hurdle. Many players have shifted to different games and platforms.

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

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 extremely difficult in today's market.

Image: igames.com

While Heroes of Newerth's revival could potentially find a niche audience and grow organically, significant doubts remain. The one positive is the announced one-year release timeline.