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—a once-significant competitor in the early 2010s—has sparked mixed reactions. The game's new engine and promising trailer offer a glimmer of hope.

However, several concerns remain. Firstly, the re-release of a decade-old live-service game in a declining genre presents a significant hurdle. Player migration to newer platforms and gaming trends poses a considerable challenge.

Secondly, Garena's track record with game support and esports raises questions. The company's claim of always believing in Heroes of Newerth's potential clashes with its previous decision to shut it down.

Thirdly, the game's launch on the iGames platform, a partially crowdfunded platform, is perplexing. The absence of a Steam release is a major concern, as reaching a broad audience without Valve's platform is 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 persist. The one positive is the projected one-year release timeline.