Kiz Studios, creators of free-to-play multiplayer battle arena SmashMuck Champions, are trying to avoid “making Dota” by speeding up gameplay and involving the community, art director Allen White told us at PAX Prime 2013. According to White, Dota continues to act as the template for the genre. When the indie developer began working on SmashMuck Champions, it sought to stray away from other titles by taking a fast-paced track.