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SMITE world champions receive million dollar prize, new character revealed
Tempted to proclaim yourself the best SMITE player in the world? Unless you are one of these five people, there is now demonstrable evidence that you are not on top. The first World Championship for SMITE is over, and the team known as Cognitive Prime has taken home the title and half of the $2.6 million prize pool. Worldwide viewers for the stream over the weekend came out to 78,000 people, which doesn't quite compare to the turnouts at better-known competitive gaming championships like League of Legends. But SMITE's prize pool was larger than the pools for any LoL tournament; in fact, it's the third largest e-sports prize pool ever, behind Dota 2's The International tourney's 2013 and 2014 pools. Coinciding with tournament was the reveal of SMITE's newest god, Hou Yi, Defender of the Earth. He justifies this lofty title with a variety of ranged attacks, movement tricks, and a high resistance to critical hits. Check him out in action just past the break. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
SMITE's cinematic trailer on the eve of the World Championships
SMITE is hosting championships (with its gigantic and record-setting prize pool) very soon, and the team behind the game wants players excited. What's the best way to get players excited? Why, with a three-minute cinematic trailer in which a bunch of characters beat one another up, naturally. Look, it's not as if there's a whole lot of additional lore here that hasn't been chronicled in various mythological texts anyway. The rivalry between Thor and Guan Yi isn't usually acknowledged by mythology experts, but that's doubtlessly an oversight. The point is that if you want to watch an improbably busty goddess tap about in heals while fighting a wolf-beast, now is your chance. Click on past the break to watch the full trailer. It may not give you a whole lot of insight into mythology, but it will give you an idea of the game, at least. [Source: Hi-Rez Studios press release]
Hi-Rez offers more advice on how to break into the games industry
If Hi-Rez's last set of videos on how to break into the games industry didn't scare you off for good, then congrats: You are exactly the kind of idealistic glutton for punishment who should totally jump into the games industry to be underpaid and overworked for your valuable skills! Last time, the SMITE developers covered design, programming, and QA; this round, they're focused on 3-D character art and 2-D concept Art. Just before the holidays, they also pushed out a trio on marketing, shoutcasting, and streaming. Enjoy!
SMITE explores Awilix in depth and kicks off Saturnalia
There are a lot of goddesses of the night or the moon, period, and there's no shortage of playable ones in SMITE, either. Awilix is also a figure without a whole lot of prominent lore trying to provide a different take on the general role of assassin. So how did the design team go from a name and a few details to a playable character? Through interplay with her pet jaguar, a different series of abilities, and an emphasis on mobility and hit-and-run tactics. Already have all of the gods you need right now? You've still got a reason to log in to SMITE as the game runs its Saturnalia event, offering free bonus gems to everyone and doubled experience gains for each match played. A series of rolling sales on the pantheons of the game will also persist through the whole of Saturnalia, so if you decide you would like to pick up some new skins, you've got that option. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
How to break into the games industry according to Hi-Rez
If for some reason you find yourself possessed of an urge to seek a career in the video games industry, convinced that it's a stable meritocracy that will help you build skills and provide financial support for your family, then don't watch the videos in the post; instead, flee, flee for your lives! Just kidding. Mostly. Hi-Rez Studios -- of SMITE, Tribes: Ascend, and Global Agenda fame -- has released a series of videos this week all about breaking into the games industry. Unless you already have a giant pile of money to fund your own studio, the videos actually provide some useful advice, focusing on cultivating a specific skill in demand at game studios. There are five videos in all: two on the basics and one apiece on design, programming, and that most glamorous of jobs, QA. Check 'em out below.
SMITE previews Ao Kuang in detail
Turning into a dragon is always a viable strategy if you can manage it. Most people can't; you cannot respond to criticism from your boss by turning into a dragon, for example. Ao Kuang can do exactly that in SMITE, however, and that forms the core of his playstyle in the game. If he has a target with low enough health, he can turn into a dragon, destroy them, then fly to a new area with area damage and a recharged sword so that, hopefully, he can take out someone else by turning into a dragon. Ao Kuang's passive mechanic is a sword that carries charges that are auto-spent to buff his abilities, with a slow regeneration out of combat or a quick regeneration if, again, he turns into a dragon. He's a melee mage-type character, encouraging players to swing in, take out a target, and then move on to the next. You can get a clearer picture of how this will work in play on the official preview page. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
SMITE reveals Nox, Goddess of the Night, just in time for Halloween
Nox, Goddess of the Night, will soon debut in MOBA SMITE, Hi-Rez has announced. Based on the classical goddess of the same name, playable Nox is both beautiful and terrifying, a shadowy figure rarely seen, who "glides between the light just at the edge of vision." Her core mechanics revolve around the clever implementation of candles and candlelight; abilities used near Nox light up the candles she wields, reducing her mana consumption. Other powers include a mitigation shield, a damage-plus-silence raven attack, and multiple darkness-themed debuffs. Check out Nox's god reveal trailer below! [Thanks, Sorenthaz.]
SMITE tournament prize pool reaches $1M
When I was just a lad, my father sat me on his knee and said, "Son, there are big bucks in them MOBAs, so get a-playin'!" Unfortunately, I did not heed his advice, and as such I will not be eligable to win a chunk of the seven-digit prize pool that SMITE is offering. Hi-Rez announced yesterday that the SMITE World Championship prize pool is up to $1,000,000 thanks to community contributions. SMITE has been raising funds for the tournament by selling special Odyssey items in the game; the studio will continue to do so for the next 14 weeks, so the prize pool could potentially go even higher. The SMITE World Championship will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 9th through the 11th, 2015.
SMITE's new god, Sylvanus, rocks a treant mount
SMITE's patch notes earlier this week whispered of Sylvanus, Keeper of the Wild, and today, the new god has been officially revealed in a brand-new video. The antlered, Pan-like god is a protector of nature and woodland creatures who rides around on a treant because he can. Wisp-based regens, tree-themed roots, and AoE poisons serve to bolster his teammates and annoy his enemies. Enjoy the first look at Sylvanus below. [Thanks, Sorenthaz!]
Kukulkan, Serpent of the Nine Winds slithers into SMITE
We really wish that the Mayans were around today to ask why they would worship a giant flying snake instead of freaking out because, well, giant flying snake. It's probably a good thing that Mr. Kukulkan, Serpent of the Nine Winds, is on the side of the playerbase in SMITE as the newest god in the game's pantheon. Kukulkan isn't actually a new character for the game but a reworked Ao Kuang (who has been temporarily retired). While Kukulkan enjoys a new look, the abilities transferred over from Ao Kuang remain the same. Players who previously owned Ao Kuang will see that character transform into Kukulkan instead. We've got the full god reveal video after the break, so welcome in your newest nightmare and ally! [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
SMITE raises money for world championship pot by selling items
SMITE has a new plan to raise money for its World Championship prize pool called The Odyssey. Basically, the Odyssey program allows players a limited-time window to purchase exclusive items and sets for the game that will never be sold again. Part of the proceeds from those sales will go into the prize pool for the championship. In other SMITE news, the game has added a new Mayan god. Cabrakan is a "destroyer of mountains," which is a good thing if you have a mountain coming at you down a lane. He's good at crowd control, protecting allies, and blocking enemy progress. We've got videos on both Cabrakan and the Odyssey program for you to watch after the break.
Gamescom 2014: SMITE heading for the Xbox One
Has your purchase of a next-gen console been reliant on finding out which one of them will get a MOBA on it? Your wait is now over. SMITE is set to launch on the Xbox One via the platform's ID@Xbox program at some point in 2015, as announced today during the Xbox Gamescom event. No specific dates have yet been announced for the port. COO Todd Harris stated that the game's third-person viewpoint makes it a natural fit to control with a console gamepad rather than a mouse and keyboard, leading to an easy conversion. Details of how the program will work with online connectivity and the possibility of requiring an Xbox Live subscription have not yet been revealed (unsurprisingly, since the program was only just announced). Keep your eyes peeled for more information through the tail end of the year, since the launch won't be happening until 2015. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
SMITE showcases Serqet, Goddess of Venom
Hi-Rez Studios has just unveiled Serqet, Goddess of Venom, the latest playable deity to join SMITE's pantheon of characters. Serqet is based on the Egyptian goddess responsible for curing poisons, but this version of Serqet also dishes out venom with her nasty scorpion tail and then consumes those poison DoTs for additional damage and debuffs via her Catalyst passive. The new character joins the game tomorrow. Enjoy the lengthy character introduction video below!
SMITE announces world championships for 2015
Are you the best SMITE player in the world? Are you sure about that? If so, maybe you should go ahead and take part in the SMITE World Championships. The company has just announced that the championship tournament will take place January 9th to 11th, 2015, along with qualifier dates for North America and Europe, all of which can be found just past the break. Players will be competing for a grand prize of $600,000, a pool which is expected to grow over the next half-year in the lead-in to the event. You can check out the official e-sports site for the game to find out how to register your team and try to make it into the big leagues, or just check out the trailer below. Maybe you just like to spectate, after all. It's cool.
SMITE claims four million players since launch
In a new interview with RedBull.com this week, Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris revealed that since SMITE's launch last March, both the MOBA's dev team and its player population are on the rise. In fact, he says, the game has become so profitable that Hi-Rez has "double[d] the size of [its] studio." At the game's release in late March, we were at three million players, and we are now well over four million. We are not on Steam, but comparing to Steam stats, SMITE would sit around number 10 to 12 in terms of popularity and daily players. Most importantly to us, the playing population has increased every month since the start of the Beta. [...] Our players are currently 45 percent Europe, 40 percent North America, 10 percent South America and five percent other. Harris drops a few other bits of trivia, including the fact that SMITE's original sci-fi IP was based on the studio's MMOFPS Global Agenda, but the mythology theme was deemed more "compelling." [With thanks to keen-eyed tipster Sorenthaz!]
SMITE virtually incarnates Rama and updates Ra for the 4th of July
Hi-Rez Studios has today revealed the latest playable deity in its MOBA SMITE: Rama, The 7th Avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. True to legend, Rama is an archer whose magical bow and arrows combine for skills like Astral Quiver, Astral Strike, Pick Me Up, Rolling Assault, and Astral Barrage. But that isn't why you clicked on this article. You clicked because of the eagle. Yes, the team has also implemented new skins for characters, including one for Ra, who can now be skinned as the patriotic, firework-wielding bald eagle Ra'merica because why not? "For each sale of this skin, $2 will be donated to the American Red Cross," noted Hi-Rez blandly, as if that obviated the insanity. We've included Rama's and Ra's videos below. [With thanks to tipster Sorenthaz!]
Crytek's Arena of Fate aims to change the MOBA as we know it
Crytek's new MOBA Arena of Fate is best described by our sister site Joystiq as a MOBA for people frustrated by MOBAs. Sitting down with Crytek Producer David Bowman at E3 this week, the Joystiq interview focuses on what makes AoF different from every other MOBA out there by removing the "toxic elements that exist in [...] some of the other products." How is this done, exactly? "The store is gone, getting the last hit on a minion doesn't matter, matches operate on a 20-minute countdown, and the first team to 10 points wins," according to the interview. Be sure to check out more on Arena of Fate as the game approaches beta later this summer.
SMITE packs its bags for Latin America and Brazil
SMITE will be coming to Latin America and Brazil, Hi-Rez Studios announced today. Hi-Rez has teamed up with publisher Level Up to release the MOBA in Central and South America. There are no dates for this release as of yet, but the beta will begin in that region later this year after the localization has been completed. Players from those countries who have accounts on a NA or EU server will be allowed to transfer to Level Up servers at that time. Teams from Latin America and Brazil have been invited to participate in the SMITE World Championship in January 2015. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
SMITE makes all gods playable this weekend
Let it not be said that SMITE discriminates between deities. Forsooth, this weekend the MOBA will be unlocking all of its gods for players to play for free. The "Ultimate God Weekend" starts today and runs through Monday, June 2nd. It even includes the brand-new god Janus as a playable selection. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
Crytek's 'Arena of Fate' pits Robin Hood against Joan of Arc
Crytek announced a new MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game for PC and consoles today, Arena of Fate. The game gives players the chance to jump into 5-vs-5 battles using iconic characters from popular folklore and history like Robin Hood, Joan of Arc, Little Red Riding Hood, Frankenstein and Norse beast Fenrir. Arena of Fate is free to play and scheduled to enter its beta phase on PC this summer, with no word on which consoles the CryEngine-based game will eventually arrive on. Those interested in joining the game's beta can sign up on its official website. [Image: Crytek]
