SMITE players who use Steam will get a prompt when they log in today.

The prompt will ask players to link their Steam account to their Hi-Rez Studios account. While the linking process is optional at the moment, it will become mandatory starting Nov. 5.

SMITE developer Titan Forge has a few reasons for the soon-to-be-mandatory linking: players will no longer need to separately log into SMITE after logging into Steam, account creation is simplified for first-time players, and Steam friends lists can be integrated within SMITE. The developer also all but confirms cross-play is on the horizon with this statement:

“Plus, this new functionality put us in a direction to implement… wait for it… Cross-platform play! *fingers crossed*”

Those with additional questions about Steam account linking can consult the official FAQ here. Anyone who uses the Hi-Rez launcher instead of Steam doesn’t need to worry about linking their account to Steam.