Hi-Rez Unveils New SMITE Map, Roster Addition, and More at HRX 2018

As Season 5 of SMITE looms, Hi-Rez unveils a new map, a new god, two new pantheons, and the addition of highly requested gameplay upgrades.
As Season 5 of SMITE looms, Hi-Rez unveils a new map, a new god, two new pantheons, and the addition of highly requested gameplay upgrades.

Season 5 of SMITE is set to kick off soon — and players of the popular MOBA have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. During their keynote address at Hi-Rez Expo 2018, the Atlanta-based developer confirmed that SMITE Season 5 will see a plethora of additions in the form of new gods and pantheons, new maps, and gameplay upgrades. 

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To kick things off, Hades will churn the lands of SMITE asunder in a new conquest map featuring what the studio calls “enriched art and gameplay.” Shaking things up in the game’s normative 5v5 mode, the newest map is set to bring a few changes and tweaks to the table in order to create more uniform gameplay for both teams. SMITE Lead Game Designer A.J. “Ajax” Walker said: 

The Season 5 map will feature perfect vertical symmetry between Order and Chaos. Lanes and Jungle paths will have the exact same shape on top and bottom. This balances the map and removes timing differences to each side. Overall, this creates a more consistent gameplay experience.

On top of the map featuring a level playing field and seeing the return of jungle fog, it will also feature new, more detailed art assets, bringing the world of SMITE into greater detail.

Players will be able to test the new conquest map and see the chaos Hades has wrought beginning Jan. 17 on the game’s public test servers. 

This season will also see new pantheons and gods enter the arena, bringing even more variety to SMITE‘s already large roster. Starting Jan. 9 alongside the PC’s 4.25 patch, players will be able to take control of the mythical Warden of the Underworld, Cerberus. There’s currently no official word on what abilities this 93rd addition to SMITE‘s roster will wield. 

Later in the year, Hi-Rez will also release two brand-new pantheons to the SMITE community: Slavic and Voodoo. Information on which gods will make up the initial rosters has yet to be released. 

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more coverage from HRX 2018, as well as SMITE news and information as it develops.   

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Author
Jonathan Moore
Jonathan Moore is the Editor-in-Chief of GameSkinny and has been writing about games since 2010. With over 1,200 published articles, he's written about almost every genre, from city builders and ARPGs to third-person shooters and sports titles. While patiently awaiting anything Dino Crisis, he consumes all things Star Wars. He has a BFA in Creative Writing and an MFA in Creative Writing focused on games writing and narrative design. He's previously been a newspaper copy editor, ad writer, and book editor. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music, watching football, and walking his three dogs. He lives on Earth and believes in aliens, thanks to Fox Mulder.