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Wondering what’s coming to all Hi-Rez’s great Xbox games in 2022? If you missed our annual Hi-Rez Presents Keynote address which just wrapped up, read on to find out what’s coming to Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company.
Smite: Season 9 – The Dharmic Era
New God: Shiva
Finally, the battleground of the gods quakes under the steps of a great and terrible dance: the opening motions of the Rudra Tandava.
Shiva the Destroyer will join Smite in February as the first god of Season 9 as one of the most requested gods in our history. The third aspect of divine Brahman, Shiva visits both righteous destruction upon his foes and blessed bliss for allies, with his ultimate ability displaying the terrible majesty of his annihilating dance that brings the cycle of existence to a close.
We’re so excited to bring Shiva to Smite, and finally return to the Hindu pantheon with our first Hindu God in almost five years. We’ve worked closely with Hindu consultants and specialists to ensure Shiva is presented faithfully and sensitively; in a way we hope all Hindus will be proud of.
You don’t have to wait until February to enter the Dharmic Era. Shiva’s impacts will be felt on the Conquest map from the Season 9’s start in late January. Watch the new Conquest Map fly-through here. His influence will add Hindu aesthetics to our core MOBA game mode, and bring a new gameplay feature: The Obelisk of Indra’s Scepter.
New Mode: Slash
Season 9 introduces an all-new free game mode, Slash, available this January. Combining two of Smite’s most beloved game modes, Siege and Clash, Slash combines a summonable Juggernaut with nonstop 5v5 action. You can experience this new Maya and Egyptian-inspired map as soon as Smite Season 9 launches later this month. Watch the Slash Map fly-through here.
2022 God Teaser
Along with Shiva, five more playable gods will join the fight in 2022, including some revealed in this new teaser trailer. Keep an eye on our social media on Twitter and Facebook for more updates on these newcomers.
Paladins: Season 5 – Schism
New Mode: Siege: Beyond
Meanwhile in the realm of Paladins, the champions enter a new warfront with Siege: Beyond, an all-new variant of the classic Siege. This is a living game mode, one which Evil Mojo Games intends to evolve throughout the year and introduce drastic shakeups to Paladins’ most popular game mode.
This first version of Siege: Beyond, available later this month with the Season 5 update, features a brand-new item shop to increase your tactical options far beyond classic Siege. And don’t worry, classic Siege lovers: Both Siege: Core and Siege: Beyond will be separately available modes.
New Champion: VII
As the chaos sweeping the realm perpetually escalates, each battle ferments further unrest. Some order is needed.
The brass-masked gaze of VII turns upon the battlefield with pitiless exactitude, ruthlessly executing the judgements of the Outer Tribunal. VII’s skillset is dynamic; his far-reaching grapple allows for devastating ambushes while his select-fire weapon lets him shift from automatic shots, burst fire, and mag-dumping, utilizing the best strategy for any who dare oppose him.
Abyss Hunter Academy Event Pass
While VII targets the enemies of the Outer Tribunal, other champions devote themselves to challenging the abyssal foes threatening the realm, protecting the innocent… and getting to class on time.
Join their fight with the Abyss Hunter Academy Event Pass this January and school those demons with the Class President Rei and Schoolyard Maeve skins. We’re proud to announce that hit YouTube recording artist AmaLee wrote and recorded the theme song for this Event Pass, which you’ll be able to enjoy in-game.
Rogue Company: Ending Year 1, and Kicking Off Year 2
New Rogue: Glimpse
Dropping into the battle zone is Glimpse, a genetic experiment gone rogue. Where she once used her stolen cloaking tech to escape her creators, she now employs it to search for them. Glimpse vows to grant these shadowy foes the same destruction they had planned for her.
Glimpse is the final rogue of Year 1, coming next week to Xbox. If you own the Year 1 Pass, you already own Glimpse, so don’t forget to log in and try her out!
Project Saint
This final update of Year 1 will also officially kick off Project Saint, a new initiative focusing on quality-of-life improvements and new play experiences in Rogue Company.
You’ve seen the first steps of this in our Season 4: Umbra Update, with the introduction of an all-new matchmaker for better quality games and the release of the Battle Zone game mode. First Watch Games plans to continue down this path, making Rogue Company better with every update. The team is already working on features like Human Backfill to replace leavers, and a rework to the Interaction system – no more repairing your armor when you want to pick up a teammate!
New Map: Meltdown
Glimpse’s experience with secretive facilities conducting dubious experiments comes at the perfect time: An AI research lab has managed to get its self-destruct sequence tied to the eruption of Earth’s dormant volcanoes, and Jackal just started the countdown.
This hot spot is the site of Rogue Company’s newest map, Meltdown, coming with the Year 2: Season 1 update in February. Dive in, prevent global catastrophe, and teach some mad scientists not to plug a machine god into the world’s lava.
That wraps up our major new announcements for Rogue Company, Paladins, and Smite. But this week is far from over for Hi-Rez: The Smite World Championship runs January 7 to 9 on twitch.tv/Smitegame! Tune in and find out who lifts Thor’s Hammer and claims the title of world’s best.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of all 450+ Hi-Rez employees, thank you for your continued support and participation. We put our hearts into Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company because you love them so much. We can’t wait to jump into the battle zone, saddle up in the realm, and go forth onto the battlefield and enjoy victory, together.
SMITE
Hi-Rez Studios
Enter the Battleground of the Gods
Join 35+ million players in SMITE, the world’s most popular action multiplayer online battle arena. Become a legend of myth, enter the Battleground of the Gods, and play FREE now!
100+ Gods
Unleash each deity’s unique strategies, legendary weapons, and earth-shattering powers. Rain lightning down upon your foes as Zeus, assassinate from the shadows as Loki, or transform and trick your foes as the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Which God will you choose?
Unique Perspective
Unlike other MOBAs, SMITE puts you directly onto the battlefield with a third-person action viewpoint. From blind-side ambushes to aimed shots, a new pantheon of strategic possibilities awaits.
Become Godlike
Never played a battle arena before? Don’t worry. Auto-buy, auto-level, and the deathmatch-like Arena mode let you jump right into divine MOBA action. Aspiring pro? Top the ladders, join a competitive team, and you too could be playing at the SMITE World Championship.
© 2012 – 2021 Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. “SMITE”, “Battleground of the Gods”, “Titan Forge Games”, and “Hi-Rez Studios” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All trademarks and copyright material are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2021 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro.
Paladins
Hi-Rez Studios
Join 50+ million players in Paladins, the free-to-play fantasy team-based shooter sensation. Wield guns and magic as a legendary Champion of the Realm, customizing your core set of abilities to play exactly how you want to play.
© 2015 – 2021 Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. “Paladins”, “Champions of the Realm”, “Evil Mojo Games”, and “Hi-Rez Studios” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All trademarks and copyright material are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Rogue Company
Hi-Rez Studios
Gear up and drop in to Rogue Company, the third-person tactical action shooter that puts the fate of the world in your hands. Defeat the enemy team in objective and action based game modes featuring exotic locales, thrilling gun-play, and explosions…lots of explosions. Assemble your team and play FREE now!
Skydive into high-stakes missions in hot spots around the globe. Take part in action-packed 4v4 and 6v6 game modes; control the point in King of the Hill, fight to survive in Strikeout, or plant and defuse bombs in Demolition. Looking to be more competitive? Join the Ranked queue to show off your skills. Or relax in a rotating Limited-Time Mode.
Drop in as one of the many agents of Rogue Company, each with their own unique set of skills, weapons, and gadgets! Fire explosive napalm with Switchblade’s Chaos Launcher, use Saint’s revive drone to save your teammates, or take the enemy team offline with a hack from Gl1tch. Which Rogue and play style will you choose?
Throughout each match, you’ll earn cash to spend in the in-game store. Choose how you approach each round — will you buy a katana to get up-and-personal with your foes, or the Tyr sniper rifle to take them down from afar? You can also unlock high-tech gadgets, ranging from Dima’s favorite explosives to a disorienting tear gas.
Rogue Company is 100% Free to Play. All Rogues can be unlocked free and come with additional free rewards that you can collect just by playing the game. Even better: Rogue Company supports full cross-play and cross-progression, meaning you can play with your friends regardless of platform, and bring your unlocks wherever you game.
Are you ready to save the day, look good, and get paid? Download Rogue Company and play for FREE today!
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