Smite
FREE-TO-PLAY THIRD-PERSON MOBA (2014) by HI-REZ STUDIOS. Distinct from most MOBAs — uses OVER-THE-SHOULDER 3rd-person camera + skillshots vs traditional top-down auto-attack. Playable as GODS from various mythologies (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Hindu, Chinese, Mayan, Japanese, Celtic, Slavic, African, Roman, Arthurian). 130+ playable gods. Standard mode: CONQUEST (5v5 with 3 lanes + jungle). Peak popularity 300k+ MAU; SMITE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (SWC) with $2M+ prize pools. SMITE 2 (2024, early access) rebooted engine + gameplay.
Quick facts
Category
Esports
Type
Team sport
Players
6–10
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
2014 launch (March 2014 PC); PS4/Xbox 2015; Switch 2019; Smite 2 early access Aug 2024
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Destroy enemy team's Titan (base structure) by pushing through lanes + jungling.
Rules
Basic rules
5 players per team; 3 lanes + jungle (Conquest); pick god from 130+ pool
MOBA fundamentals.
OVER-THE-SHOULDER 3rd-person camera — skillshots aimed manually
Signature differentiator.
Gods from world mythologies: Zeus (Greek), Ra (Egyptian), Thor (Norse), Vishnu (Hindu), etc.
Cultural pantheon.
Roles: Solo (top), Mid, ADC (Carry), Support, Jungle
Standard MOBA roles.
Items purchased with gold from kills + farming
Standard MOBA economy.
Scoring
Team ranked ladder + individual MMR + tournament prize pools.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Ranked ladder placement | Bronze → Grandmaster tiers |
| SMITE World Championship prize pool | $1-2M annually |
| Regional pro leagues | SMITE Pro League (SPL) circuits |
Win condition · Destroy enemy Titan or team surrenders.
Equipment
PC (Windows), PS4/5, Xbox One/Series, Switch
Multi-platform crossplay
Controller or M/KB
Both viable; PC pros use M/KB
Free-to-play with cosmetics + god unlocks
Ethical monetization
Terminology
- Titan
- Team's base structure — destroy to win Conquest.
- Skillshot
- Aimed ability requiring player targeting (vs auto-targeted).
- Ward
- Vision item placed in jungle.
- Blue/Red Buffs
- Jungle monster buffs boosting mana/attack.
- SPL
- SMITE Pro League — top competitive circuit.
- SWC
- SMITE World Championship — annual tournament.
Major competitions
SMITE World Championship (SWC)
annual · Global (usually USA) · since 2015
SMITE Pro League (SPL)
annual seasons · NA, EU, LAN circuits · since 2015
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Hi-Rez Studios (developer + tournament organizer)
Founded 2005 · Alpharetta, Georgia, USA
Titan Forge Games (developer subsidiary)
Founded 2019 · USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Andinster, Baskin, PolarBearMike (SPL veterans)
- Aror, Weak3n, Cyclone (former SPL stars)
- Team NRG, SoloQ Wins (championship organizations)
- DM Brasil (South American champions)
Frequently asked
Smite vs League of Legends / Dota 2?+
SMITE differs fundamentally from LoL + Dota with 3RD-PERSON OVER-THE-SHOULDER CAMERA + skillshot-first combat. This feels more like a shooter/action game than traditional top-down MOBA. Same 5v5 lane + jungle + objective structure otherwise. God + mythology theming is signature — 130+ gods from Egyptian, Greek, Norse, Hindu, etc. pantheons. Widely regarded as the 3rd-largest MOBA after LoL + Dota 2.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Smite— Wikipedia