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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!]
SMITE's newest addition is Janus, the god of portals and transitions
Hi-Rez is busily adding more stuff to SMITE, and this week's update will include the new god Janus, a revamped Mountain Man Odin skin, new ward skins, and a Team Solomid Apollo skin in honor of SMITE's launch tourney victors. Janus is the god of portals and transitions, and you can learn all about him in the clip after the cut. [Thanks Soren!]
May SMITE's odds be doubled in your favor this weekend
SMITE's odds may not be ever in your favor, but at least they are this weekend thanks to a double favor event. Hi-Rez is also gifting players with 10 free cash shop gems for every first win of the day. The promotion, when paired with SMITE's numerous game modes, means that "there are tons of gems to be earned this weekend" on top of the double favor for each game played. [Thanks Soren!]
SMITE unveils Bastet's 'Night Prowler' catsuit
Lest you think catgirls are the private domain of Asian and superhero games, Hi-Rez Studios has upgraded SMITE heroine Bastet with a brand-new "Night Prowler" skin that leaves neither curve nor tail to the imagination. For a small fee, you can ensure that your version of the Egyptian goddess of cats does all of her ass-kicking in a black leather catsuit, just as the Ancient Egyptians would have wanted it. We've got the video after the break. You're going to go click on it now. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
SMITE brings out the Hindu god Kumbhakarna
The Sleeping Giant, Kumbhakarna, is the latest god to enter into SMITE's cage match pantheon. This Hindu god might not be the most nimble or even the most awake, but he has power nevertheless. Kumbhakarna doesn't die when he hits zero hit points; he falls asleep and eventually wakes up at 25% health. He can also throw back enemies, root bad guys with a smash, and... yawn for a mez. You can check out his moves in the god reveal after the break. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
SMITE brings out Ullr right before official release
The official launch of SMITE is just a few days away -- March 25th, to be specific. But there's still time to work in one more deity to the game's overall lineup. The last pre-launch patch has added Ullr, the Glorious One, a hunter capable of working in both melee and ranged combat with equal damage. Using his ultimate ability swaps stances, letting him attack with greater speed from range or steal life with his melee hits. Swapping between ranged and melee stances also shifts how Ullr's abilities work. Ranged mode allows him to fire a column of damage or use a targeted AoE along with a buff to physical damage. Melee mode, however, swaps abilities to a ranged attack, a leap to a target location, and a movement speed buff. The patch has also updated the physical models of several gods, meaning that when the game goes live next week, it'll be in the best state possible... and with one more god to play.
SMITE blazes a trail with Agni
The latest addition to SMITE's roster of deities is a real hothead. He's a firebrand. He is literally on fire. What we're getting at is that he's a god of fire. Agni, a deity of the Hindu faith, has been brought on board as a mage with a variety of flame-based abilities, allowing him to unleash major fire-based damage across a battlefield. Agni's core gameplay revolves around ticking damage and interplay between his abilities. His first ability, Noxious Fumes, allows him to place a damage-over-time field on the ground, which he can ignite with any of his other abilities. He also gains a buff to set enemies ablaze with his spells after landing several normal attacks. With a combination of mobility, area effects, and steady burns, he seems the sort to play if you enjoy laying a burning field of destruction... but perhaps you should check the video past the cut to be sure. [Source: Hi-Rez Studios press release]
SMITE unveils your new nemesis, Nemesis
Hi-Rez has introduced a new goddess to the world of SMITE. Nemesis, Goddess of Revenge, is a physical melee warrior who "unleashes her vengeance on all who oppose her." According to the lore, Nemesis is in charge of dishing out punishment to both humans and gods guilty of hubris; her method is summed up nicely by the phrase, "Let the punishment fit the crime." Nemesis's abilities center on her massive blade. Swift Vengeance allows for a quick dash and slash followed by a second dash and slash, Slice and Dice is an AOE attack that damages and slows targets, Retribution creates a shield around her that absorbs damage, and Divine Judgment reduces the health and movement speed of a target god while stealing some of his or her protections. Catch Nemesis in action after the break.
Hi-Rez adds Geb, new arena map to SMITE
Hey SMITE fans! Hi-Rez has released a new god called Geb. Geb is the god of earth, who "pummels his opponents as a guardian," according the latest reveal vid. In case you're wondering, Geb's passive ability is called Hard as Rock, which causes opponents' crits to only do a percentage of damage instead of the usual 100 percent. Hi-Rez has also introduced a new arena map and an alternate game mode with this patch. Click past the cut to see Geb's video and hit the links below for the full patch notes.
SMITE's Nu Wa uses the elements to smi... crush her enemies
Elemental mage-lovers have a new champion for their cause in Nu Wa, SMITE's guardian of heaven. Nu Wa is a half-human, half-snake master of elemental forces. She harnesses the powers of earth, water, fire, etc., to attack from a strategically safe distance. Some of Nu Wa's powers include throwing down a fog to stealth allies, summoning clay soldiers, launching a flame strike on a flammable foe, and casting the pillars of heaven to create an electrical field. Today's update also includes an optional Amethust Nu Wa skin, a revamp to the friends UI, and an improved beginner tutorial. You can check out Nu Wa's backstory and powers in her official video reveal after the break along with plenty of giant tortoise mutilation and gratuitous cleavage.
SMITE set for launch next March
Hi-Rez Studios has officially announced that SMITE, its over-the-shoulder, free-to-play, god-combat MOBA, will launch in North American and European territories on March 25th, 2014. By the time the release rolls around, SMITE will have been in open beta for just over a year. To celebrate the launch, Hi-Rez will be hosting a $100,000 tournament near its headquarters in Atlanta. The tournament will include the top four North American and top four European teams that will have qualified via the SMITE Weekly Tournament events that begin January 4th. SMITE has pulled in 2.5 million registered users to date. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
SMITE video shows off revised He Bo, God of the Yellow River
Although not implying that the old He Bo was washed up, SMITE treated the God of the Yellow River to a makeover. A mage who uses water to drown and destroy his enemies, He Bo's new visage better fits his mythology. His skills include the passive Steady Flow (a buff that increases his magical power), and three active attacks: Water Cannon, Water Spout, and Atlas of the Yellow River (previously known as Flood Waters). He Bo's ultimate attack is Crushing Wave. Besides the revised god, today's update includes other changes as well, including a semi-transparent mini-map that players can control the opacity of, a new view mode that allows players to follow the action of their teammates even after death, and improvements to the league and god screens as well as the match lobby. For more on this update, check out the official notes. And to hear the lore behind the god He Bo and see a demonstration of his skills, watch the video below. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
SMITE introduces new playable god Ah Muzen Cab
Hi-Rez Studios' SMITE already has a formidable roster of gods and goddesses from around the world, but the devs have just revealed yet another addition: Ah Muzen Cab, Mayan god of -- get this -- bees. That's right, SMITE has officially introduced the single most terrifying entity to ever exist outside the realm of Lovecraftian horror. Ah Muzen Cab seems to fill the role of a ranged support class, and he has a number of abilities that make it easier for his teammates to bring death to the enemy. His passive ability, named simply "Bees," causes enemies hit by some of his abilities to be harassed by bees, which deal damage over time and reveal affected enemies' locations on the minimap. He can also place beehives, which grant Ah Muzen Cab healing over time plus buffs to movement and attack speed while near a hive. To see all the nasty, bee-centric tricks Ah Muzen Cab has up his sleeves, check out the official reveal trailer after the cut.
Sun Wukong returns to SMITE
Another god has stepped into the SMITE arena, and it's one who will be familiar to longtime players of the game. Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, is making his return to SMITE with a new look and new abilities. Wukong is a physical melee character who has special protections against critical attacks depending on his health and uses his massive cudgel to dish out damage to enemy gods. Sun Wukong also has the ability to transform into an eagle, ox, or tiger, with each form bringing a special combat effect. As an eagle, he moves quickly and passes through enemies. As an ox he injures and knocks back any enemy in his path. And as a tiger he pounces on and stuns the first enemy he encounters. Check out the full reveal video from Hi-Rez after the break. [Source: Hi-Rez press release]
SMITE puts together an animated trailer
If you were at New York Comic Con this past weekend, you had the opportunity to see the new animated trailer for SMITE. If you weren't, however... well, maybe you still like animated trailers but don't like going to New York City. For that reason (along with presumably many others) the animated trailer is now available for everyone to view online, embedded just past the break. The trailer isn't going to offer you any great insights into the intricacies of SMITE's plot, since the whole thing more or less comes down to a bunch of gods beating the stuffing out of one another anyway. But it does certainly set the stage for the game's framing device, and if you like watching gods beating the stuffing out of one another, you don't need that much of an excuse in the first place.
The Stream Team: Decisionally challenged weather edition, October 7 - 13, 2013
I don't know about you, but in my neck of the woods Mother Nature is suffering some kind of identity crisis. In the span of a single day we have had bone-chilling cold and frost, sun-scorching heat, and monsoon-inspired rainstorms. Every time we have a season-appropriate cold snap, the second I go to remove my air-conditioner, we have a blistering heat wave. People were pumpkin harvesting in shorts for heaven's sakes! Is it fall? Or is it summer? If the weather is any indication, we need to institute a new season. We could call it Summall. Or maybe Falmer. Then people can just expect to employ heavy coats and shorts within hours. Like they do in Colorado! Like the weather of late, I'll admit to being decisionally challenged at times (especially when trying to pick what to do in a game with so many options!). Luckily, for any who suffer that same affliction, your favorite Stream Team hosts will never conflict on the Massively TV schedule. So who's playing what when this week? Check out the schedule and see!
SMITE unveils Thanatos, Hand of Death
SMITE's roster of gods just got a little deeper with the addition of Thanatos, Hand of Death. Thanatos is a melee physical character with abilities centered on his massive scythe and has skills that enhance his movement speed, deliver massive damage, and siphon life from other gods. His entry in the SMITE arena stems from his boredom with ending the lives of mortals and the challenge represented by sending gods into death's domain. Check out the reveal video from Hi-Rez after the break for an in-depth look at Thanatos' abilities and a bit of story background on what makes him tick.
Hi-Rez CEO: Without SMITE, Tribes would have 'closed down'
Hi-Rez co-founder and CEO Erez Goren took to Reddit yesterday to deliver a message about his studio's history and its plans for the future. Discussed in the post were challenges of making a profitable game (Global Agenda, for example, lost money throughout its lifespan) and some of the reasoning behind recent decisions made by Hi-Rez about its biggest titles. On the subject of Tribes Ascend, Goren explained that the decision to go free-to-play was made in an effort to give fans easy access to the game. Goren noted that the game broke even "at best," though some financial concerns may have been the result of poor monetization strategies. According to Goren, Tribes Ascend launched to good reviews and a positive community response, but nothing Hi-Rez did could stop players from leaving the game over time. Goren also answered calls for mod tools and accusations that Tribes development was shuttered due to the success of the studio's new MOBA, SMITE. Goren explained that Hi-Rez's development platform does not support modding and that developing the feature set would represent a massive cost to the company, and noted that without the successful development of SMITE, Tribes likely would have been shut down along with the studio itself. According to Goren, the success of SMITE is "very unusual" but has allowed Hi-Rez to expand its team and to find financial stability. Hi-Rez feels as though the future of SMITE is bright, and is dedicated to making it "the best MOBA game in the world" through continued development and partnerships with publishers like TenCent.
PAX Prime 2013: SMITE's graphical updates, 10v10 mode, and e-sports
I found myself in unfamiliar waters as I waded into the Twitch booth at this year's PAX Prime. All around me were gamers -- but not just any gamers. These guys were wearing jerseys with sponsorship logos and carrying custom gaming mice and headsets. These guys were pro gamers, and they were there to play SMITE. I had a different agenda, so I tracked down Hi-Rez chief operating officer Todd Harris to talk about upcoming changes to the game. He admitted to me that his team isn't doing a lot of big changes, but that is largely due to the game's continuing success. He did have a few things to show me, though.
The Stream Team: Labor Day edition, September 2 - 8, 2013
To the youngsters, Labor Day has always always seemed misnomer since folks actually get to take time off from school and work. So a more appropriate moniker would be Play Day, amirite? But the older crowd knows that the day was meant to honor the hard work and contributions of workers. So in the spirit of honoring hard work, we pay homage to those who tireless toil to entertain us -- The Stream Team! Hats of to you, and a three-BBQ-rib salute to boot! Want to join us in this week-long celebration for our streamers? Then tune in to Massively TV and watch a live show or two and catch a few reruns as well. We've got all you need to know right here. (For the snacks, however, you're on your own.)
