Smite and Smite 2 developer Hi-Rez has announced an undisclosed number of layoffs as part of what studio head Stewart Chisam calls an "internal reorganization and reprioritization".
In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Chisam says the changes Hi-Rez is making are "difficult but necessary" in order to position Smite 2 for "a long and sustainable future".
Those changes, Chisam says, include layoffs which will "disproportionately impact those in marketing and publishing roles". Some developers will be laid off as well, and the layoffs in that department will mainly be focused on devs "working on cosmetic skin content and system features".
According to Chisam, the decision to lay off some of the studio's employees comes after "a comprehensive review of our strategy and operations".
That review has led to Chisam's decision to concentrate Hi-Rez's efforts entirely on Smite 2, although the studio will still employ "small teams supporting light updates for Paladins and Smite 1".
As for what exactly will be prioritized within Smite 2, Chisam says the team is pivoting to focus on "gameplay development in the near term", including new modes, gods, and quality-of-life improvements, rather than "cosmetic and monetization features" which were originally planned...
