Fangs is a new MOBA on Steam and has some interesting ideas. You should skip the boring laning phase and start directly with the endgame. There are also two ways to win a match. It is developed by former developers of LoL and DOTA.
What kind of game is this? In Fangs, you choose a champion and fight alongside three teammates in a 4v4 against another team. The battles are action-packed and engaging.
The developers themselves describe the biggest difference between Fangs and the currently popular MOBAs LoL and DOTA 2 as being that they were bored with the start. With Fangs, they wanted to start directly in the endgame. Therefore, there are some adjustments:
- The game skips a laning phase. Instead, you should start fighting against the other team immediately. This makes teamwork even more important.
- The maps in Fangs are significantly smaller and vaguely reminiscent of Twisted Treeline, an old map in LoL.
- There are objects all over the map that you can collect and use. Some directly influence the battles, such as a cannon that shoots a huge laser beam.
- There are augments that allow you to change the abilities of champions before each match. An ice field can either deal more damage, slow down stronger, or you can be invulnerable during the summoning of the field.
- To win a match, you have two options: either you must defeat the enemy captain four times or defeat a mystical and powerful monster that roams the map.
The developers also emphasize that there are no snowball effects in Fangs. Even if you have defeated the opponents’ captain multiple times, the trailing team can easily catch up.
When will the game be released? Fangs will be available in Early Access on Steam and Epic on November 30. It will be completely free to play and will rely on cosmetics in the shop. At launch, there will be 16 different champions that are also very diverse and should appeal to every player.
A first look at the MOBA is provided by this gameplay trailer:
Former developers of the DOTA mod and Riot Games are involved
Who is behind the new game? Fangs is developed by true MOBA veterans. The indie studio was founded by Bao Lam, former Product Manager at Riot Games, and David Li, who also worked at Riot Games from 2013 to 2016.
The lead designer is Steve “Guinsoo” Feak, who developed the “Warcraft 3” map DotA: All Stars and was later hired by Riot Games. He designed the item Guinsoo’s Rageblade and the champions Ashe, Karthus, and Morgana, among others. Additionally, more former developers from LoL, DOTA 2, and PUBG are part of the team.
The studio already received an investment of $3.2 million in advance, as they revealed in 2021 (via Venturebeat). With this, they have now developed Fangs sufficiently to be able to start in Early Access.
Who is this interesting for? Fangs is designed to be easy to learn but hard to master. The developers emphasize that their MOBA is aimed at players who engage intensively with their champions, enjoy action-packed fights, and especially behave well in a team. Because alone, you shouldn’t be able to achieve as much in Fangs as in LoL.
Additionally, the developers emphasize that there will be balance adjustments every two weeks to keep the gaming experience dynamic.
What do you think about Fangs? Does the concept sound exciting, or will you stick to your favorite MOBA?
Riot Games is currently working not only on LoL but also on a new MMORPG. More about that here:
