Today at Hi-Rez Expo, Hi-Rez announced a new visual overhaul and its 93rd character for Smite and new pantheons arriving later in 2018—but the biggest announcements are all about Paladins.
Smite Season 5 lets the dog(s) out
Smite’s patch 4.25 / Season 5 brings relatively modest additions that include a visual overhaul and modest, fan-requested gameplay changes to Smite’s Conquest (5v5) mode. In addition, a new character will be bursting from the underworld: Cerberus.
The biggest Smite news, however, is that two all-new pantheons will be released later this year: Slavic and Voodoo. (Bring on Baba Yaga!)
Season 5 begins January 17th.
Paladins brings team-based 100-player battle royale
Paladins will see the introduction of a new 100-player, team-based Battle Royale mode that combines an enormous map with MMO-like elements to create 20-minute matches of PUBG-like mayhem.
Battle Royale mode pits teams against each other in a map more than 300 times the size of a typical Paladins Siege mode map. Expect to spend time exploring, looting dozens of outposts, and watching for Zeppelins dropping legendary gear—which will undoubtedly draw enemy teams and inspire fierce fighting for loot.
Paladins is free-to-play, and the Battlegrounds mode will be free for all Paladins players upon release. An early alpha version is playable at Hi-Rez Expo, and a full release of the Battlegrounds game mode will be added to Paladins in 2018.
“Riding on a mount through this massive fantasy-themed map, looking for gear and cooperating with your team, Paladins: Battlegrounds delivers some of the feel of open-world MMO PvP but all within a 20-minute match.”
Todd Harris, Executive Producer, Paladins
In addition to the new Battle Royale game mode, Hi-Rez has announced even more for Paladins in 2018 :
- New Champion: Moji. This magical character introduces a new species to the Realm, the Leipori. She rides a summoned two-headed dragon into battle and feeds it snacks to reload its magical energy.
- New game mode: Team Deathmatch. Kill or be killed in this new game mode, which comes with a new map: Trade District.
- New mount type: Battle Cats. The first battle cat mount, the Primal Prowler, is exclusively available free to Twitch Prime members. Twitch Prime members will also get a Twitch Prime King Bomb King skin, and other bonus content.
- New mobile game: Paladins Strike. Still in development, Paladins Strike is a hero-based shooter with MOBA-like controls and a top-down view and interface optimized for mobile gaming. (Players can sign up for testing at HRXStrike.com.)
- First-ever Paladins World Championship and the Paladins Console Wars run through Sunday. Teams participating include Virtus Pro, G2, Kanga esports and many others. Watch the action live on Twitch, Facebook, Mixer, and YouTube.
PC & Video Gaming Examiner 