Since it first entered open beta in 2013, Hi-Rez Studios’ multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) gameSmitehas been a genre mainstay.Smite 2, a full-on sequel to that game, was announced today ahead of 2024’s Smite World Championship.
Like its predecessor,Smite 2will be a MOBA centered around mythology, where teams of five gods work together to take down the opposing team’s titan. Some new gods will be introduced to the Smite universe with this sequel, with ranged magic user Hecate being the first one of these revealed. Hi-Rez Studios wantsSmite 2to be a very approachable MOBA, so it’ll launch with auto-build and auto-leveling features for new players in matches and be available across PC, consoles, and Steam Deck.
While the originalSmitestill ran on Unreal Engine 3,Smite 2makes the leap toUnreal Engine 5. “Smiteis an amazing game, loved by millions, that is built on a technical foundation that is now well over a decade old,” Hi-Rez Studios explains in anFAQ on Smite 2’s website. “This technical debt holds back whatSmitecan be, from graphics to UI to audio to god creation and so much more. Smite Unreal Engine 3 is not directly compatible with Unreal Engine 5, and there was no path to upgrade what we had without completely rebuilding.Smite 2starts from scratch and rebuilds Smite to bring it into the modern age.”
For those who played the original, the official store descriptions forSmite 2promise that it will give legacy players “cross-gen skins, badges, and Legacy Gems after you link your Smite account.”
Smite 2is in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, with Hi-Rez Studios promising crossplay and cross-progression support between platforms. No specific release window for the final game has been shared yet, but interested players can register for the alpha onSmite 2’swebsiteand expect monthly testing to begin this spring.
