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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 launches today with new cinematic trailer
It's the official launch day for SMITE and Hi-Rez Studios is celebrating with a brand new cinematic that shows off a few of the game's MOBA gods in action. SMITE has been in open beta since January 24th, 2013 and has enjoyed a surge in popularity, making it Hi-Rez Studio's fastest-growing game to date. You can download the game for free from its main website and be sure to check out our extensive coverage of the game including videos and livestreams. Don't forget the cinematic trailer just after the jump.
Pirates: Treasure Hunters MOBA reveals new official trailer
Netmarble is getting into the MOBA business with Pirates: Treasure Hunters, a new title first announced for South Korea last November. The competitive multiplayer game looks to be pirate-themed (surprise!) and is developed by Virtual Toys of Spain. There's currently no word of an English port, but you can check out the full video over at MMO Culture and the debut trailer after the jump below.
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]
Heroes of the Storm client screenshots and character list leaked
Blizzard's upcoming universe mash-up MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, has sprung a bit of a leak as screenshots of the game client's login screen and option menus have hit the internet along with a list of the game's playable characters. Massively's sister site WoW Insider reports that many of the playable heroes on the list have been public knowledge for some time now, but there are still a few new contenders, including Warcraft's Muradin Bronzebeard and Zeratul, Tychus, and Sgt. Hammer of Starcraft fame. And while the leaked screenshots aren't particularly interesting since they only display your standard array of PC game options, WoW Insider notes that the more exciting implication behind the screenshots is that the game's beta may be coming soon, though it's worth noting that the screenshots are watermarked as alpha. We'll just have to wait and see about that, but if you need a quick Heroes of the Storm fix, you can check out the full character list, complete with stats and descriptions, at the link below.
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.
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.)
SMITE introduces Zhong Kui, tweaks Guan Yu
It's time for another SMITE update, and you guessed it, Hi-Rez has introduced a new god to its mythology-based MOBA. Zhong Kui, otherwise known as The Demon Queller, is version 0.1.1705's big kahuna. His Demon Bag passive allows him to capture demons and gain protection from each subjugated spirit. Zhong Kui also features a DoT called Expose Evil and a couple of other nifty skills that you can view in the video we've embedded after the cut. SMITE's latest patch also features significant updates for Guan Yu, including a new 3-D model, effects, animations, and art. Full details are available via the patch notes below.
Gamescom 2013: SMITE's latest god, new game mode, and Tencent partnership
MOBAs are great for the MMO gamer afflicted by that nasty distraction called life. They offer progression, PvP, and even some theorycrafting you can take to the water-cooler gatherings at work. In some cases, MOBAs even grant the player a variety of ways to play the game. SMITE is one of these gems. During our pre-Gamescom chat with Todd Harris, co-founder and COO of Hi-Rez Studios, we learned a few details about SMITE's coming additions of a new Match-of-the-Day game mode and the Chinese-themed god named Zhong Kui.
