The MOBA/Action RTS genre has appeared out of nowhere, going from a small mod to an industry staple over less than a decade. The last two or three years have seen entries in the genre massively increase, with both traditional takes on the series – the likes of Guardians of Middle-earth or League of Legends – and innovative use of the base rules – Awesomenauts and Monday Night Combat – proving that people want more and more of this addictive, twist-turned hit. The idea is simple: defend your area while attacking that of your enemy. Level your character, choose their skills and try to get the upper hand as quickly as possible because, if you don’t, you’re going to find yourself overwhelmed. This week we’re going to track the history of one of gaming’s most popular pastimes, and it starts even earlier than you’d think.