Hi-Rez reportedly ends major updates for Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company

Hi-Rez's Ongoing Developments: Limited Updates for Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company

Major Updates Halted

Hi-Rez has announced that major updates for Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company will be discontinued for the foreseeable future. This decision has been met with disappointment by many players, but the studio assures that the servers will remain operational and available content will continue to be accessible.

Confirmation from Official Discord Servers

The official Paladins Discord server confirms the cessation of active development, stating that the servers will remain online. Moderator PWNDotcom has issued an announcement confirming this information.

Loss of Staff and Impact on Games

Hi-Rez has laid off approximately 70 employees, including balance designers and eSports staff. This follows previous layoffs in October 2022 aimed at ensuring long-term success, as well as the closure of two games.

Focus on Smite 2

In response to the decision, Hi-Rez president Stewart Chisam has stated that Smite 2 will now become the primary focus of the company's operations. This follows Chrisam's previous statements acknowledging a leadership failure in the 2022 layoffs.

Recent Updates and Community Response

In recent months, Paladins has received primarily bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements. While some players have expressed disappointment in the lack of major content updates, the game's developers have been dedicated to maintaining stability and addressing issues.

Industry Trends and Concerns

Hi-Rez's decision reflects a broader industry trend of companies discontinuing support for older games in favor of new projects. This practice has raised concerns about the preservation of institutional knowledge and the well-being of development teams.

Conclusion

The news of limited updates for Smite, Paladins, and Rogue Company has sparked controversy and concern within the gaming community. While Hi-Rez assures that the games will remain playable, the decision raises questions about the long-term health of the company and the industry as a whole.