Developer Titan Forge Games announcedSmite 2, the sequel to the long-running hit MOBA, during the opening ceremony of the Smite World Championship at Esports Arena in Dallas, Texas. Fans have been hoping for a sequel for a long time now – the original game is entering its eleventh year.
Smite is a third-person competitive multiplayer game in which teams of five, taking the roles of gods, mythical figures, or even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (thanks to crossover skins), battle to complete objectives and destroy the opposing team’s Titan. The game’s easy-to-learn playstyle has earned it over forty million players, half of whom play on console thanks to its controller-friendly setup.
In a pre-recorded keynote, several members of the Smite 2 design team laid out their vision for a sequel that is “Smite, but better.” In a press event beforehand, Titan Forge general manager Travis Brown said that the team wants Smite 2 to have “more impact, more strategy, and more creativity.”
Rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5.2, Smite 2 is not only to have better graphics, but a more immersive feel. The game is about combat between classical gods from real-world mythology, after all, so the power fantasy is crucial! Bigger effects and environmental details go a long way to making that sense of power a reality. As art director Ben Knapp said, “Smite 2 should justfeelbetter.”
Several iconic gods from the original Smite were shown during the keynote, including Ymir, Anubis, Kukulcan, Anhur, and my personal favorite, Bellona. The team noted that while some classic characters would remain unchanged, others would receive new mechanics; Ymir was singled out for his Ice Wall ability, which will now knock players up and away if summoned beneath them.
Titan Forge teased that five new gods would be introduced to Smite 2 at launch, and even revealed the first newcomer: the long-requested Hecate, a mysterious sorceress who will deal ranged magic damage.
The item system has been reworked to make Smite 2 easier for new players to pick up without sacrificing any of the depth expected by longtime fans. There is more flexibility in crafting your build throughout a match, and in theory, any god can craft any item. Notably, Relics will not be a part of Smite 2; instead, items in your inventory will have activated effects that perform a similar role.
While the original Smite will remain live and available after the launch of Smite 2, Titan Forge has systems in place to reward long-time players who make the jump to the sequel. Players’ achievements earned over the last decade of Smite will translate into rewards, which you’ll be able to track in Smite in the months leading up to Smite 2.
Additionally, players will head into Smite 2 with Legacy Gems equal to the total lifetime number of gems they purchased in Smite. Legacy Gems can be used for up to half the cost of purchases in Smite 2, effectively giving players a fifty percent discount until they run out of Legacy Gems.
Smite 2 is entering an early alpha phase in Spring of 2024, and will be available for PC, Steam Deck, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Crossplay will be supported between all platforms.
