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Action real-time strategy (action RTS or ARTS) is a sub-genre of the real-time strategy (RTS) genre, in which two teams of players, each controlling a single character through an RTS-style interface, compete with each other in discrete rounds. It differs from traditional RTS games in that there is no unit construction and players control their singular characters. In this sense, it is a fusion of action games and real-time strategy games. The genre emphasizes cooperative team-play; players select and control one "hero", a powerful unit with various abilities and advantages to form a team's overall strategy. The objective is to destroy the opponents' main structure with the assistance of periodically spawned computer-controlled units that march towards the enemy's main structure via paths referred to as "lanes".

The genre traces its roots to Aeon of Strife (AoS), a custom map for StarCraft.^[1] Defense of the Ancients (DotA), a mod based on Aeon of Strife for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne, was one of the first major action RTS titles.

History[link]

The custom map Aeon of Strife for the real-time strategy game StarCraft is one of the earliest examples of the modern genre. It was followed by Defense of the Ancients, a custom scenario for Warcraft III that was heavily based on Aeon of Strife. The growing popularity of Defense of the Ancients led to the development of further custom maps as well as full stand-alone games.^[2] These games are sometimes referred to as "DotA-style", "Dota-esque" or "DotA-based", as no name for the genre existed initially.^[3][4]

Demigod, a video game developed by Gas Powered Games was the first released stand-alone title in the genre.^[5][6]

This was followed by Riot Games' League of Legends in October 2009.^[7][8] Riot Games attempted to break away from the genre being known as "Dota" by coining its own marketing term, "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena" (MOBA).

In May 2010, S2 Games released Heroes of Newerth.^[9][10]

On 13 October 2010, Valve Corporation announced its official entry to the genre with a sequel to Defense of the Ancients entitled Dota 2.^[11][12] Valve referred to Dota 2 and similar games as "Action Real-Time Strategy" games, creating a new name for the emerging genre.^[13]

At BlizzCon 2010, Activision Blizzard officially announced their entry to the genre with their Blizzard DOTA map for StarCraft II.^[14][15] Chris Sigaty, lead producer of Starcraft II, stated that Blizzard DOTA "is a take on the DOTA genre if you will. It gives you the opportunity to see some of the heroes we've made, we've made some heroes that are cross genre. Not just SC2 heroes, we've got some Diablo characters in the works, we've some Warcraft characters and StarCraft characters and they're fighting together."^[16] On May 11, 2012, Blizzard announced that the map would be named "Blizzard All-stars", after settling a trademark dispute with Valve over the usage of the DOTA trademark.^[17]

Aeria Games will be publishing Realm of the Titans in North America.^[18][19] On February 2011, Petroglyph Games announced Rise of Immortals, which was added as a free-to-play game on Steam on 29 September 2011.^[20] On April 2011, Hi-Rez Studios announced Smite.^[21]

Although majority of the released games in the genre employ a top-down perspective, Uber Entertainment's Crossfire mode of Monday Night Combat breaks away from the trend by introducing a third person shooter spin to the concept.^[22]

Gameplay[link]

There are two opposing teams, typically with five players each, whose goal collectively as a team is to destroy their enemy's base to win.^[23] Typically, there is one main structure which must be destroyed to win, though destroying other structures within the opposing team's base can confer other benefits. Defensive towers are in place to prevent this, as well as weak computer-controlled units which are periodically spawned at each base and which travel down pre-programmed paths toward the opposing base.^[24]

A player controls a single powerful in-game unit generally called a hero. When a hero kills an enemy unit, it gains experience points which allow the hero to level up. When the heroes level up, they have the ability to learn more powerful skills and abilities. When heroes die, they have to wait a designated time, which increases as they level up, until they revive at their base.^[25]

Each player constantly receives a small amount of gold per second from their base. Moderate amounts of gold are rewarded for killing creeps and large amounts are rewarded for killing enemy heroes. Heroes use the gold they gain to buy a variety of different items that range in price and impact.^[26]

Members of the genre do not feature several other elements traditionally found in real-time strategy games, notably base management, resource collection, and army building. The RPG genre has a much closer resemblance to the gameplay, only limited to an arena.

References[link]