Alternatives to League of Legends That You Can Play as a Group

You don’t need to be a MOBA fan to know that League of Legends is one of the biggest games out there. It brings together millions of players worldwide and has one of the largest Esports scenes.

Speaking of bringing people together, MOBAs can be fun, especially when playing with friends. LoL may be one of the most popular games in this genre, but it is not the only one. If you wish to play with friends and compete together, there are many games like League of Legends that you can choose from, and in this article, we’ll take a look at them.

Top Alternatives to League of Legends to Play With Friends in 2025

Dota 2

Based on the extremely popular DotA from Warcraft III, Dota 2 is often one of the first names that comes to mind in terms of MOBAs. It has been around for more than 13 years and offers the same style of play as League of Legends. You have two teams of 5 people who have to pick a hero, and their job is to destroy the enemy’s base.

Although Dota 2 and LoL have many similarities, there are also a lot of key differences. For example, Dota 2’s overall pace is slower and some will argue that the game is more complex. In fact, we tend to agree that the overall skill floor is higher, which is one of the reasons why many new players are overwhelmed when they start playing.

All in all, Dota 2 is an excellent alternative to League of Legends, and you can play as a group. It can be fun and very rewarding.

Heroes of the Storm

After failing to capitalize on DotA (Valve created Dota 2 before Blizzard), the creators of World of Warcraft decided to come out with their own MOBA. The game is called Heroes of the Storm and it is very similar to League of Legends in many aspects.

The game offers a 5v5 format and has innovative lanes and gameplay. In fact, HotS is probably one of the best games to play as a group because its entire gameplay focuses on teamwork rather than individual performance. 

Sadly, Heroes of the Storm never became as popular as Dota 2 or League of Legends. Even though it was released 10 years ago, the game has a noticeably lower player base than the other two.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

If you are looking for a League of Legends alternative that is fun, easy to pick up, and offers amazing opportunities to play with friends, you should try Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. An interesting fact about this game is that it is extremely popular in certain parts of the world, like SEA. 

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang offers a fast-paced gameplay, a classic 5v5 matchup played on 3 lanes, and loads of teamfights. Another interesting fact about this game is that it has a huge Esports scene. Similar to Dota 2 and League of Legends, Mobile Legends has events that often include some of the best in the world.

The fact that you can play on your phone makes the game very popular to try with friends. Even people who would normally not be interested in downloading and playing other MOBAs will be willing to give this title a shot. 

Arena of Valor

Speaking of mobile MOBA games that you can play as a group and are similar to LoL, we have Arena of Valor. Released in 2016, the game is available on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch and offers a classic MOBA format. This means that you have a 5v5 matchup that allows you to play alongside your friends against other teams.

Unlike most other games, however, AoV also offers 1v1, 3v3, 2v2v2, and even a 10v10 option. The game is similar to League of Legends in terms of its speed because it offers fast-paced gameplay. It can be a solid option for gamers looking to compete against others from the palm of their hands.

Vainglory

This is probably one of the lesser popular MOBAs on the list, at least for some people. However, those familiar with the game know that it can be an excellent alternative to League of Legends that you can play as a group. 

Released in 2014, this game is available on both mobile and desktop and is very similar to LoL in many aspects. It offers a three-lane battle, has both ranked and unranked options and supports 3v3 and 5v5 modes. An interesting fact about Vainglory is that the title was only available on mobile before but the devs eventually decided to offer it on desktop as well. 

At the time of writing, Vainglory offers 50 different characters. Each one is unique, so definitely.

Predecessor

Predecessor is one of the newest games in this genre, having become available in 2024. It is offered on Windows, Xbox, and PS and features more than 30 different characters and offers a classic MOBA experience. 

Unlike some other games, Precessor allows you to choose your role as soon as the game starts. Once locked in, you have to select one of the characters and play in a 5v4 format.

Unlike many other MOBAs that resemble League of Legends, the characters here look very realistic. Overall, it’s a fun game you can play with your friends. 

Pokémon Unite

Lastly, we have one of the most intriguing entries on our list – Pokemon Unite. Pokemon is one of those franchises that has been around for years, but this game in specific came to life in 2021.

Many people will agree that it is one of the best mobile games like League of Legends because it combines many unique aspects of the game. When you also add the fact that you can play your favorite Pokémon (there are more than 62 options), it’s easy to see why the game became so popular.

At the time of writing, Pokémon Unite is available on iOS, Nintendo Switch, and Android.

Conclusion

All of the games that are similar to League of Legends are excellent options when you want to play with friends. Each one will offer countless hours of fun, unique characters, and different tactics that you can test. As you’ve seen, many of them are also available on mobile, allowing you to experience them wherever you go.