During the SMITE World Championships, Titan Forge Games announced SMITE 2 and their plans to release this sequel to their beloved third-person MOBA. While it was quite a shock to the fanbase of the original game, players are excited to learn when they’ll get their hands on it. The developers didn’t confirm an exact date just yet, but here’s everything we know so far.
SMITE 2 will be a true sequel. What the developers mean by this is that the game will be playable alongside the original. The original and the sequel will run at the same time as standalone games, meaning that not all SMITE progress that players have made will crossover into SMITE 2. The team are also building this sequel from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5. This means that each element of the game such as maps, Gods, UI and effects will see graphical adjustments or complete overhauls.
Why SMITE 2?
When Overwatch 2 was announced, the goal was to take a widely loved game and give it a sequel that rebuilt everything from the original. Players felt confused yet excited about the future of the FPS and what this new game could mean. Upon release, it overhauled everything possible to retain that familiar Overwatch feeling but to also give it a fresh coat of paint and move it in a new direction. With SMITE 2, a similar path is clear, except this release will not be shutting down the original game.
SMITE 2 pre-alpha release gameplay
In the first game, the developers are limited to the boundaries of Unreal Engine 3. This two-generation leap will open many doors, allowing the team to give the battleground of the Gods the features and overhaul that they’ve envisioned. Titan Forge has been unable to create a modern feel for the game due to these boundaries. The team has therefore decided that SMITE 2 is the way to truly bring their game to contemporary video game standards.
What Will Cross-Progress?
First and foremost, all playable Gods will transition over to the sequel. Not right away, however. It’ll take time to polish each God and ready them for the new arena. Many of the currently playable Gods will be available upon the SMITE 2 release. Every classic God will transfer over at some point, but your main may not be available right away. Items, maps, abilities and such will all follow into the new game but with suitable adjustments. Some core gameplay elements such as Gods being split into either magical or physical are also changing.
The bad news is that the majority of previous cosmetic content such as skins will not be coming over to the new game. Unfortunately, each skin would take a significant amount of time to bring over. SMITE currently features over one thousand skins. This leaves no way for the development team to bring all content over to the sequel within their desired timeframe.
All hope is not lost, though. Players who have poured time, money and effort into the first game will be rewarded with legacy gems. This allows you to make strides towards unlocking new content in the sequel.
Release Date
Right now, the developers have not shared an official release date. What we know so far is that SMITE 2 will see an alpha release in Spring 2024. You can sign up for this on the official website for the upcoming game.
It seems that we’re seeing a trend of live-service video games receiving sequels that, at their core, aim to improve upon every aspect of the original and introduce additional content, almost like an enormous update. How do you feel about this trend? Are you looking forward to the SMITE 2 release? Let us know your thoughts down below.
SOURCE: Official SMITE 2 YouTube Channel
