Lost in Draft: Investigating Game Balance in Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Drafting

Master´s thesis in Information and Communication Technology (IKT590) University of Agder, Grimstad This thesis explores modern machine learning solutions to turn-basedstrategy games. In particular, we explore the possibilities of equalizing the playing field for both teams in the draft phase of Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2) and League of Legends (LoL), with both games being giants in the multi-million dollar esports industry. The thesis covers the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena video game genre and the draft phase the games use. We also discuss the tech-nology used to address the problem, as well as the basic concepts of modern machine learning that allowed this technology to arise. W…