Titan Forge Games has announced that they will continue to support and maintain the original free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game Smite, even after the release of Smite 2.

The upcoming Smite 2 was unveiled with promises of improved visuals, character overhauls, and various other enhancements. Alpha playtesting is scheduled to begin this spring, allowing players to explore the game in the coming months.

During a press briefing attended by TechRadar Gaming (TRG), it was clarified that a dedicated team will continue to work on Smite while the rest of the developers focus on the sequel. However, no new playable characters will be added to the original game after the introduction of its 130th character.

Titan Forge Games stresses that Smite and Smite 2 are different games and will be treated as such. Executive producer Alex Cantatore explains that while the existing Smite player base enjoys “very hardcore features,” Smite 2 offers an opportunity for the team to “reset that complexity level” and focus on making key elements of the game map more engaging without unnecessary layers of complexity.

Cantatore also emphasized that the decision to keep Smite running was made to demonstrate respect for the players’ investment, attachment, and enjoyment of the original game, ultimately aiming to ensure player satisfaction.

He stated, “If you want to keep playing Smite 1, it’s awesome that you should be able to keep doing that for as long as you want. Especially if you have a PS4 and you can’t afford a PS5, or you have an older PC, we want to make sure that there’s still a Smite for you that you can go out and play. And some people are gonna prefer that.”

Smite 2 is set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Looking for more games like Smite? You can find some excellent games to play with friends on our list of the best multiplayer PC games, as well as some fantastic budget-friendly options in our roundup of the best free games.