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SMITE's newest god controls crowds and water
"Release the Kraken!" Yes, it was Zeus who said those words, but it was Poseidon who did the actual releasing. In Hi-Rez Studios' third-person multiplayer online battle arena SMITE, this god of the deep will take center stage in the patch dropping tomorrow. Poseidon's water-based abilities range from his passive wave-riding movement ability, Changing Tides, to his ultimate, Release the Kraken. Poseidon controls the battle field by slowing or impairing enemy movements. Besides dealing massive damage, his ultimate slows enemies in the blast radius, and his Whirlpool ability draws all enemies in the area toward the center of a raging maelstrom. Those players who enjoy playing support roles will definitely want to give this god a try tomorrow. Check out the full introductory video after the break.
Newest SMITE god specializes in ranged crowd control
Hi-Rez Studios has announced a new god this week for its popular multiplayer online battle arena SMITE. This god, named Neith: Weaver of Fate, is ushered in right along with the newest update to the open beta. Neith looks to be a ranged crowd control god who weaves and unravels webs to damage and control her enemies. You can learn all about Neith's origins and watch her in action during the video embedded just after the cut. [Thanks to Don for the tip!]
SMITE moves to open beta today
Sometime games have closed betas that are so closely guarded that few have any idea what is going on. Others are more forthcoming, but still keep things under lock and key. And then there's SMITE. With a player base of over 900,000 already (thanks to the very liberal distribution of beta keys), Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris noted that SMITE has been the studio's fastest growing game to date -- even while still in closed beta. And that number is expected to grow; Harris announced the MOBA's move into open beta today. Not only will players no longer need a key to download and play the game, but they will get to keep their progress and unlocks thus far throughout both open beta and release -- there are no planned character wipes. Hi-Rez is also offering a limited-edition cosmetic skin to all players who reach level 30 during the beta period. To join the new open beta, visit the official site and create an account. Want to see SMITE in action? Then be sure to catch Massively TV's Lunchtime Livecast on Saturday the 26th at 11:00 a.m. EST. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
A star is born as Hercules makes his SMITE debut
Hi-Rez Studios' SMITE is going the distance with its newest playable god. Players can now go from zero to hero by slipping into the sandals of everyone's favorite super-strong demi-god, Hercules! Good ol' Herc fills the role of token berserker in SMITE with an ability that causes his attacks to gain strength as his health gets lower. Hercules's titanic strength also lends itself to a number of abilities that help him to gain control of the battlefield. He can drive enemies back with a ferocious charging strike or knock them into the air with a mighty earthquake. And if Hercules is his team's one last hope, he can use his ultimate attack to hurl a gargantuan boulder at his opponents. If you want to see the man who puts the "glad" in "gladiator" in action, head on past the cut for Herc's big reveal trailer. [Source: Hi-Rez Studios press release]
SMITE issues doomsday patch with Mayan god
Everyone's hopping on board the (non-existent) apocalypse bandwagon, and SMITE may have the edge on irony. Today the MOBA has expanded to include the Mayan god Xbalanque as well as a host of new features and additions. These changes include special holiday skins, a jousting map and 1v1 queue, a themed "match of the day," changes to the conquest map, and an improved item store. Hi-Rez Studios is participating in a 24-hour "post-apocalyptic" livestream charity event for Child's Play tomorrow, and our very own Patrick will be joining them to cover it. Check out Xbalanque's reveal video after the jump, if only to figure out how to pronounce his name! [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
Teaming up with Hi-Rez for some Halloween SMITE
Halloween is a holiday when people typically dress up in outlandish costumes and go out hunting for treats. This year, I got to put a bit of a different spin on it by dressing up as a mythological god and going out to hunt for gold and items in some games of SMITE. Hi-Rez invited Massively along for its Halloween stream earlier this week, and I tagged along for some great fun. Despite being relatively inexperienced with the game, Reason Gaming's Lassiz was along for the ride as well, and his professional play helped lead us to a decisive victory. Although it's still in closed beta, SMITE currently boasts a surprisingly large playerbase with hundreds of thousands of players and a very unique twist on the MOBA style. If you're looking for more information or a way to try the game for yourself, read on!
SMITE enlists Freya, Queen of the Valkyries
SMITE's mining the Nordic pantheon for its starting lineup these days, as Hi-Rez Studios has revealed the newest playable character: Freya, Queen of the Valkyries. No, kids, Freya's not just a lingerie brand; she's a kick-butt warrior with a very long sword. Hi-Rez released a five-minute video on this tattooed protagonist to get players up to speed. "Every rose bears thorns, but this one wields swords," the video narrator begins before launching into a rundown of the character. Freya is a melee magical fighter who can use her magical power to beef up her physical attacks. Freya boasts abilities such as Irradiate, Pulse, and Banish, although her Valkyrie's Discretion is perhaps the coolest. This ultimate ability allows her to fly above the battlefield and attack without fear of reprisal. Check out Freya's video after the jump!
SMITE rolls out a video for Ares
Interested in the deities of SMITE? You'll be quite happy to know that the game has put out a new video revealing one of the game's many heroes. In a stunning move that should shock nearly no one, one of the heroes available for play in this game of warring gods is Ares, the Greek god of war. And while almost any student of mythology could give you a brief rundown of who Ares represents (people who like war), the video goes into depth about Ares' abilities and combat roles. Ares in SMITE is meant as a melee magical tank. His abilities allow him to chain other gods for continual damage and increased movement speed, bolster the defenses of himself and nearby allies, and breathes fire from his shield to cut down high-health targets. At the apex of his power, Ares can pull several enemies together to him while dealing extensive damage. Take a look past the cut to see a full rundown of his skills as well as some demonstrations of their tactical execution.
PAX Prime 2012: SMITE
The battle of the gods rages on at PAX Prime 2012 with Hi-Rez's upcoming MOBA title, SMITE. Not much has changed since the last time we saw the game at PAX East, but as the game draws ever-closer to launch, MOBA fans have quite a bit to be excited about. The game has added a few new gods since the last time we saw it (this time around I had the pleasure of playing as the Chinese dragon Ao Kuang), and according to Hi-Rez's COO Todd Harris, the studio is aiming to incorporate at least 30 deities prior to launch. On the topic of launch, Harris states that Hi-Rez is aiming for a first-quarter 2013 release (perhaps around February), though that date is by no means final. Regardless, MOBA players looking for a fun, frenetic, and accessible new title should keep their eye on the mythology-laden game as it continues to add more playable gods in the run-up to launch. And don't forget that you can register to participate in the game's beta right now by heading over to the SMITE official site. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 31st - September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, PlanetSide 2, RIFT: Storm Legion, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Hindu group continues to protest SMITE, asks QuakeCon to pull the game from the lineup
Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society for Hinduism, has made a point of protesting the addition of Hindu deities to the lineup of Hi-Rez Studios' upcoming MOBA SMITE. He's now taking that protest to the next level by appealing directly to the organizers of QuakeCon 2012, asking that the game to be removed from the competitive lineup due to its offensive usage of religious figures. Zed asserts once again that making deities (particularly Kali) into characters in a video game hurts the devotees of Hinduism, claiming that Hinduism is the only tradition portrayed by the game that is still active. The Hindu American Foundation has also expressed displeasure at the way the game has handled figures from the religion, although the HAF has also stated that it is working closely with Hi-Rez Studios to ensure that the information contained within the game is at least accurate. The organizers of QuakeCon 2012 have not publicly responded to the request.
Religious group calls for removal of Hindu deities from Hi-Rez's SMITE
In Hi-Rez Studios' upcoming action-oriented MOBA, SMITE, players are able to play as a variety of gods, goddesses, and miscellaneous deities from multiple world mythologies and religions. If you recall my impressions of the title from PAX East earlier this year, you'll remember that I got to play as Kali, the four-armed, scimitar-wielding Hindu goddess of change and destruction. Well, it turns out that the Universal Society for Hinduism has caught wind of the fact that SMITE players can control Hindu deities such as Kali and Agni, and the organization's president, Rajan Zed, is not pleased. Zed claims that "controlling and manipulating goddess Kali and other HIndu deities... is denigration as these deities are meant to be worshiped," not "reduced to just a character in a video game." As such, Zed called for the immediate removal of all Hindu deities from the title. Hi-Rez, however, has no plans to do so. The studio's COO, Todd Harris, gave the following response: "SMITE includes deities inspired from a diverse and ever expanding set of pantheons including Greek, Chinese, Egyptian, and Norse. Hinduism, being one of the world's oldest, largest and most diverse traditions, also provides inspiration toward deities in our game. In fact, given Hinduism's concept of a single truth with multiple physical manifestations one could validly interpret ALL the gods within SMITE to be Hindu. And all gods outside of SMITE as well. Ponder that for a minute. Anyway, going forward SMITE will include even more deities, not fewer."
SMITE schools us with tutorial video
Getting a handle on MOBA-style games can sometimes be tough, particularly if you're brand-new to the genre. That's why Hi-Rez Studios has created an eight-minute tutorial video for its upcoming SMITE: for purely educational purposes. If it so happens to get you totally excited about the game, well, it's not the devs' fault, now is it? The video explains both the ins and the outs of MOBA gaming in general as well as SMITE in specific. Players are walked through a 5v5 match between the gods. Some of SMITE's particulars are important to note, such as how the game is played in third-person over-the-shoulder view and relies on skill to hit targets (versus locking on to them). You can get your beginners SMITE certificate by watching the video after the jump. Certificates are completely fictitious and will be mailed seven to nine weeks after course completion. Make sure to also read about our recent hands-on impressions of the game!
Universal Monsters Online is a thing
MOBAs seem to be the hot new thing, with games like the indie SmashMuck Champions following in the footsteps of heavy-hitters such as League of Legends and Dota 2. Now we can add another one to the list, as Bigpoint Games has announced an in-development MOBA centered around some unlikely champions: classic Universal Studios movie monsters. That's right: In the upcoming Universal Monsters Online, players will be able to go head-to-head with one another as iconic movie monsters, including Dracula, the Wolf-Man, Frankenstein's monster (and his bride), and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Gameplay details are scarce, but if you happen to be in the game's target demographic of classic-horror-movie-buff-slash-MOBA-gamer, head on over to the game's official site and have a gander.
New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month
Watch out, MOBA fans: A new challenger has appeared! Indie game developer Kiz Studios announced in a press release today that its upcoming MOBA title, SmashMuck Champions, is set to enter closed beta this month. Of course, if you're anything like us, you're probably wondering what the heck a SmashMuck Champions is. According to the game's official site, the title is "a free-to-play action/strategy game featuring online multiplayer combat" in which players "build and train their own SmashMuck teams... to do battle in the toughest sport on Planet Muck." Gameplay-wise, the game seems to be your standard MOBA with a few not-so-standard twists. The addition of persistent champion gear plus interesting new mechanics such as stat-boosting training routines aim to put a new spin on the old formula. But hey, you don't have to take our word for it. The game will be entering closed beta testing on May 27th, so if you're a MOBA fan looking for a new thrill, just head on over to the game's official site and sign up for yourself. Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget to check out the game's latest official trailer after the cut. [Source: Kiz Studios press release] %Gallery-155368%
PAX East 2012: Hands-on with Hi-Rez's new MOBA, SMITE
Move over, MOBAs -- there's a new kid in town. As PAX East 2012 rocks onward, Hi-Rez Studios is flaunting its newest upcoming title, the action-game-inspired MOBA SMITE. Today I got the opportunity to sit down with the game and get my face ground into the floor by the myriad more-experienced players with whom I played. But regardless of my utter incompetence, I still got some hands-on time with the title, so indulge me for a moment and let me tell you about it. The basic layout of the game will be quite familiar to any MOBA player. It sticks to the tried-and-true formula set forth by Defense of the Ancients in almost every possible way. There are three lanes, each lined with a number of defensive towers, and the ultimate objective is to work in tandem with your teammates and allied NPC creeps with the goal of pushing through the towers and destroying the enemy's giant minotaur. Wait, what?
League of Legends update bringing sharper AI, new bots
League of Legends is well known for its challenging team-based gameplay and its rather steep learning curve, leading many users to play co-operatively against AI in order to hone their skills. In addition, co-op vs. AI is "the primary game mode for a surprisingly large percentage of users" according to senior producer Mark Norris. In light of this, Riot Games is bringing a huge new update to League of Legends' AI matches. For starters, Riot will be introducing AI bots for a whopping 40 of the game's champions, allowing players to test their mettle against a wider variety of opponents. In addition, the AI itself is in for an update that will allow bots to behave more like their human counterparts by utilizing predictive targeting for skillshots (such as Ashe's ultimate) and employing a great deal more strategy than the current bots. Of course, there are still some things that bots can't do (such as intelligent jungling), but Norris suggests "that's actually a huge advanced area that we do want to look at and get into, that we're in the the real rudimentary stages of trying to figure out right now." For the full details on what awaits players in the upcoming AI update, just click on through the link below and read the full story.
LOCO: Evolution goes live, brings new city and features
Last month, we learned that Alaplaya's free-to-play MOBA, Land of Chaos Online would be rebranding itself with its upcoming LOCO: Evolution content update. The wait is now over, however, as LOCO: Evolution is live, and so are the multitude of features that come with it. Players can now explore the new city hub of Arhonnas, accept and complete quests, track achievements, and much more. For the full details, head on over to the game's official site.
League of Legends announces the start of Season Two with new video
The time has finally come, League of Legends players: Season Two is upon us. And to commemorate the occasion, Riot Games has released a video recapping the events of Season One and introducing players to what they can expect in Season Two. Season Two's tournaments, for those not in the know, will reward players with 5 million USD in prizes, so if you've got the skills, there's money to be made. To check out the full video, just click on past the cut.
League of Legends surpasses 11.5 million active players
It looks like League of Legends has really hit the big-time. In a press release today, Riot Games announced that its popular free-to-play MOBA title has surpassed 11.5 million active players. To put that into perspective for you MMO gaming folks, when Blizzard last announced its World of Warcraft figures, the game weighed in at about 10.3 million active players. To put the icing on the cake, Riot notes that League of Legends has about 1.3 million players at peak times each day, whereas the current game du jour, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, reports about 250,000 concurrent players at peak times on Steam. Needless to say, Riot Games is more than pleased with this turn of events. The studio's CEO, Brandon Beck, attributes the game's success to the players, saying that "the incredible passion and dedication of our players is positively inspiring. Our community's boundless enthusiasm is why they are central to every decision we make at Riot." So good work, League of Legends fans, and good luck to those of you looking to make a name in Season Two. [Update: Click on past the cut for an enormous infographic detailing more stats on this milestone.] [Source: Riot Games press release]
League of Legends announces ranked team system
Changes are coming to League of Legends' ranked team structure. Riot Games announced today that it is going to be introducing a brand-new feature: ranked teams. Players can form a premade 3v3 or 5v5 team, give it a name, and track its progress as they work their way up the ladder. Team ratings will operate independently of the members' individual ratings, thereby making the new system a true "measure of you and your friends' ability to work together in a competitive environment." More information will be made available closer to Season 2's launch.
