Hi-Rez Studios and Titan Forge Games have announced Smite 2, a “true sequel” to the third-person multiplayer online battle arena originally launched in 2014.
The announcement came during the keynote of the Smite World Championship 2024, which kicked off today in Arlington, Texas.
Smite 2 is built on Unreal Engine 5, a two-generation upgrade from Smite’s UE3. This change brings with it visual upgrades, like dynamic lighting and more detailed characters.
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Existing gods are being ported from Smite to Smite 2, with improved visuals and gameplay changes in some cases. For example, Ymir’s wall ability now has a knock-up.
“Smite 2 is better technically in every way imaginable,” says senior gameplay programmer Josh Malmquist. These technical upgrades include a new user interface, in-game environmental effects and more.
Several systems are being overhauled, including relics and items. Effects previously available via relics are being transferred to ‘active items’, while every player will now have two additional powers right from the beginning of the game. Smite 2 will also have more diverse build paths, with base items now building into several items, in the vein of other MOBAs.
Smite 2 will have an all-new matchmaking system and a reworked ranked system. The top ranked tier will be uncapped, providing a definitive leaderboard of top players.
While player-owned content from Smite won’t transfer to Smite 2, compensation is being provided to players making the switch.
Players will be awarded legacy gems for every gem they spent in the original game, which can be redeemed for up to 50% of the price of new content. The number of legacy gems awarded will be doubled if a player purchases a Smite 2 Founder’s Pack.
From now on, every gem-purchasable skin released in Smite will be a ‘cross-gen’ skin, meaning you obtain that skin in both Smite and Smite 2. The Greek goddess of sorcery Hecate has also been revealed; one of five new gods that will be added to Smite 2’s roster before launch.
Smite will remain online for the foreseeable future, and Titan Forge plans to keep a team actively working on the game.
Titan Forge has expressed its desire to host an open alpha of Smite 2 in Spring 2024, which players can register for on thegame’s website. Smite 2 is intended to launch for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC through Steam and Epic Games.
