Smite 2 upgrade, release date plans, and more come into focus

When’s the last time most MOBA players thought about Smite? The game’s developers seem to have realized that it likely wasn’t very recent, and thats’s the likely impetus for the upcoming release date for Smite 2.

The original Smite was released in 2014. The game took a different approach to the popular MOBA genre, moving the player to a third-person perspective rather than the traditional aerial perspective seen in such popular genre titles as League of Legends and Dota 2, as well as the once-popular Heroes of Newerth.

It was likely a sound decision by developer Hi-Rez Studios, as it did allow Smite to stand apart from its competition. But as the years have gone on, the game has continued to fade in popularity relative to the seeming unending strength of both LoL and Dota 2. Could a new sequel be the answer?

What’s different about Smite 2?

The biggest change in store for players in Smite 2 would seem to be the port of the game over to Unreal Engine 5. In theory, this could allow for a variety of new ability effects and environmental interactions, in addition to the more obvious change of increased visual fidelity.

None of these changes are guaranteed, but developer Hi-Rez Studios has specifically referenced its intentions to utilize the increased capabilities of Unreal Engine 5 to create new gameplay opportunities for players. Thus it would stand to reason that UE5 would be taken advantage of in ways that go beyond allowing players with the right hardware to crank up their graphics settings even higher.

What is the Smite 2 release date?

There is not yet an official release date for Smite 2, with the game being labeled on store pages as “coming soon.” The game’s release date may be kept intentionally vague to prevent any sort of public delay, should it take longer than expected to complete the new version of the game.

Expectant fans aren’t likely to be too stressed about the Smite 2 release date timing given that the game’s current iteration is still available to play. In fact, the Smite World Championship is currently being held, providing a suitable backdrop for Hi-Rez’s announcement of its new sequel.

A 2024 release date does seem likely given the amount of information and media already being shared, and the fact that Smite 2 will be based around the original game, already looking very much like it despite the technical upgrades.