April 23, 2017. Exactly a year ago, we released our SMITE: Most-Wanted Features article. One year later, it’s time to look back and see what was implemented and which features we’re still dying for in SMITE.
God History Screen for Console Users
Status: Implemented
Believe it or not, at the time of our original SMITE Most-Wanted Features post, SMITE console players didn’t have anywhere to go except third-party sites to get more detailed stats on how they performed with specific gods. The God History screen was finally added to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. We like to think it was because we pointed out the absence in our 2017 Most-Wanted Features article (just kidding).
Gifting
Status: Not implemented
Gifting is still one of our absolute most-wanted features in SMITE. Hi-Rez hasn’t implemented gifting yet, and, as far as we’re aware, the developer has not even addressed the concept of gifting chests, skins and bundles directly to other players. Sure, you can buy gems, but that’s like giving a gift card and is nowhere near as thoughtful or fun. Do we need to play the “Every other MOBA has it” card here?
Queue-Time Time Killer
Status: Not Implemented
SMITE’s long ranked queues beg for something to pass the time. Unfortunately, that thing isn’t found in SMITE; players and streamers instead opt to tab out and play other games. But what if you could test builds in jungle practice while queuing? What if you could play a bot game while searching for a match? What if there was a mini game that would quiz you on items and god abilities that could be played from the menu? “What if” indeed; this feature is still not implemented in SMITE.
Clan Point Dump
Status: Not Implemented
You’d be hard-pressed to find a feature more ignored than SMITE’s clan honor system. The only thing that changes every year we take a screenshot of the clan store is the amount of clan honor we have that is collecting dust. There are still five clan chests with the same five Shadow skins as rewards. Players have asked Hi-Rez to make boosters or other small items purchasable with clan honor, but nothing has happened as of yet.
Multiqueue
Status: Implemented
Multiqueue, or the ability to queue for more than one game mode at the same time, was added to SMITE since our original post. Now that multiqueue is here, it’s hard to imagine we once lived without it. In a game with so many modes, being able to queue for two or three or eight modes at the same time just makes sense, especially with Adventures now in the mix.
Improved Replay System
Status: Probably Worse
By all accounts, SMITE’s replay system has gotten worse, not better. In our original article, we argued every ranked game should have a replay for two reasons: players can improve by watching back their games, and replays are a valuable tool in checking up on hacks and cheating. Since then, nothing has changed with regard to only high-ranked players getting replays, and in fact the system has gotten worse. Last we heard, watching replays was completely broken on console, and PC’s system is questionable as well. The last replay we tried to watch never even loaded.
Better and More Detailed Stats
Status: Not Implemented
Above, on the left, you can see the stats page from Season 4. On the right, you can see the stats page from Season 5. The only thing that has changed is that the user has a few more skins and didn’t bother to grind ranked this split. We want to see win rates, our actual MMR number and hard data, not how many cosmetics we own.
Meaningful Ranked System
Status: Getting There
While SMITE has had a ranked system since beta, it’s never meant much. A player telling you they are Diamond could mean they are very good, or very bad. Hi-Rez has not yet nailed down a ranking system that properly correlates player skill with their matchmaking rating, or MMR, and then correlates their MMR to a rank.
However, Season 5 seems less extreme than players qualifying directly into Diamond in Season 4 and other seasons of the past. Hi-Rez also admitted they may have been placing players too far away from their MMR — probably because of how poorly Season 4 was received — and will be adjusting how much they bring players’ ranks at the end of the split in patch 5.7.
Assessment
Looking over what’s changed and what hasn’t doesn’t impress. Multiqueue and the History screen for console users are great, and we’re happy they’ve been implemented, but features like a functioning replay system and a serious ranked ladder are must-haves for a competitive video game. The absence of gifting continues to be noticeable into 2018. Here’s hoping we’ll be able to cross a few more of these items off in our 2019 assessment.
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