Smite 2: Statement from Hi-Rez President, Approach to Game Design, Unreal Engine 5, & More

SMITE 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the beloved MOBA, Smite, by Hi-Rez Studios. In Smite, you control a God and engage in intense multiplayer battles against other players and their Gods. This game revolutionized the MOBA genre and garnered a loyal fanbase with its unique style and format.

With the Closed Alpha release of SMITE 2 right around the corner, Steward Chisam, the president of Hi-Rez Studios, appeared on X to discuss their approach to the new game. In this article, we will cover the unique challenges and goals the developers face, their decision-making process regarding the game's rollout, and much more!

Unique Approach to Game Development

Creating a MOBA is an extremely difficult task by nature. Games in this genre are constantly changing as players discover new strong strategies and ways to play, both in high-end competitive and casual games alike. This challenge of an impossible-to-balance game is what led the team to stray away from a big release.

In the Release Roadmap, we discussed how SMITE 2 will be rolled out slowly through five stages. Steward Chisam shared that the developers believe this new, unique approach to releasing a MOBA will help players have a deeper understanding of the process. Furthermore, by being involved so early on, testers can assist Hi-Rez Studios by providing constant feedback on the changes being made

Building on Smite 1

SMITE 2 is being built on the success of SMITE 1. The team knows what worked well in SMITE 1 and they’re using that as a starting point, but they don’t want to copy everything. They’re moving to a new engine – Unreal Engine 5, improving the backend, and resetting some technical features. They’re also adding fresh ideas to make SMITE 2 feel like a new game. This step is tough and time-consuming, but it’s crucial as if they don’t get this right, it could affect everything else

Unreal Engine 5 and SMITE 2

Unreal Engine 5 is a game-changer in the world of real-time 3D content creation. Known for its incredibly high-quality visuals and user-friendly interface, it’s a tool that empowers both new and experienced developers like Hi-Rez Studios. It offers the ability to create detailed environments and realistic character models, bringing a level of immersion and realism that was previously hard to achieve on older engines.

For SMITE 2, Unreal Engine 5 will be a significant part of what makes the sequel different. By providing a stronger technical foundation, it allows the team to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the game. From more detailed environments to smoother gameplay, Unreal Engine 5 will make SMITE 2 not just a sequel, but a fresh, new experience for players.

Addressing the Community

At the end of his X statement, Steward Chisam took some time to address the community. He expressed his gratitude for everyone's apparent enjoyment of the studio's chosen process and expressed hope for receiving a lot of useful feedback as the game progresses.

The president also addressed the fact that some people might prefer if SMITE 2 receives a full release instead of a slow rollout. In his opinion, for a project like this and given everything they aim for, this is simply not realistic.

Stay tuned for more Smite 2 updates! Make sure to check our website for more interesting and useful Smite content!