SMITE 2 is stepping up its game with one new God every 8 weeks and weekly ports until 2025. Can it really challenge Overwatch 2?

Ever since Overwatch’s success, every game company has wanted a piece of the hero-shooter genre. While many have tried, only a few have succeeded in capturing the attention of gamers. One of the most notable and recent success stories has been Marvel Rivals, which made a massive splash.

Players are looking forward to the new schedule. | Image Credit: Titan Forge Games

It looks like there is another contender lurking in the shadows as SMITE 2 has recently released its schedule for the new god releases. The game is making a commitment to a release schedule that includes one new God every eight weeks and porting one God every week until August 2025.

SMITE 2’s hero release schedule makes it worse for Overwatch 2

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While SMITE 2 is technically not a traditional hero-shooter game, it allows players to select Gods from a large pool. It is a third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) where players control Gods from various mythologies, each with unique abilities.

Ever since its launch into early access on August 27th, 2024, it has been steadily growing its player base, and now, with 2025 kicking off, the developers at Hi-Rez Studios and Titan Forge Games are aiming to take things to the next level.

To keep players on their toes and maintain diverse gameplay, the developer team will also be introducing a new God every eight weeks, which will likely come with additional updates and content enhancements.

The god roster already contains 45 gods, and with the new schedule, it will expand exponentially. Players can expect not just more variety but also the potential for a much deeper and more strategic experience as more Gods join the fray.

While the reaction to the new schedule has been very positive, players are worried that there might be a lack of polish or that developers will be burned out. That said, players are really excited for the future new gods to see what new abilities and synergy they will bring to the team.

Why is this release schedule a big deal?

Players are excited to see various new Gods on the roster. | Image Credit: Titan Forge Games

So why does this aggressive release schedule matter, especially when compared to Overwatch 2? One of the biggest issues Blizzard’s game has faced since its release is the slow arrival of new content, particularly the new heroes.

In fact, the new hero release schedule has been widely criticized for taking too long to bring new content to the game. In contrast, SMITE 2 is pushing forward with a far more rapid pace, keeping players on their toes.

What makes this pace even more significant is the developer’s history. Hi-Rez Studios also created Paladins, which was one of the first titles to recreate the magic of Overwatch. While Paladins was a solid game in its own right, it lacked the polish and appeal.

Additionally, SMITE 2‘s schedule is very similar to Marvel Rivals. Recently, it was revealed that NetEase is planning to release a new hero every 6 weeks, which is 2 weeks faster than Hi-Rez Studios. Given the Marvel Rivals‘ success, who wouldn’t want to replicate that?

In the end, only time will tell if SMITE 2 has what it takes to finally overtake Overwatch 2 for the studio, but right now looking at the release schedule and player’s response, it’s looking like a real possibility.