Hi-Rez Studios

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Hi-Rez Studios
Hi-Rez Studios logo.png
Type
Private
Industry Video game industry
Founded 2005
Headquarters Alpharetta, Georgia, United States
Key people
Erez Goren
Todd Harris
Stew Chisam
Mike Dudgeon
Products
Global Agenda
Tribes: Ascend
Smite
Paladins
Number of employees
450+[1]
Divisions
Alacrity Arthouse
Evil Mojo Games
Heroic Leap Games
Titan Forge Games
Subsidiaries
Hi-Rez China
Hi-Rez UK
Website hirezstudios.com
Hi-Rez Studios is an independent, privately held video game developer based in
Alpharetta, Georgia, United States. The company was established in 2005 by Erez
Goren and Todd Harris. Hi-Rez Studios' games include the squad-based shooter Global
Agenda, the critically acclaimed Tribes: Ascend, the third-person MOBA Smite, card
game Hand of the Gods: Smite Tactics and the Hero shooter Paladins.[2] In 2012, Hi-
Rez Studios was recognized as a Top 30 Video-Game Developer by Game Developer
Magazine and Gamasutra.[3] Hi-Rez are the current owners of the Metaltech license,
including Battledrome, Earthsiege, Starsiege, the CyberStorm series, and the Tribes
series. With the exception of Battledrome and CyberStorm, the games were released
as freeware by Hi-Rez on October 30, 2015.[4]

Contents
1 History
2 Games developed
2.1 Global Agenda
2.2 Tribes Universe
2.3 Tribes: Ascend
2.4 Smite
2.5 Paladins
2.6 Jetpack Fighter
3 References
4 External links
History

Hi-Rez Studios offices in Alpharetta, Georgia

Erez Goren founded Hi-Rez Studios with Todd Harris in 2005. They hired experienced
game developers from other successful titles, including City of Heroes, The Elder
Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and Call of Duty.[1] Hi-Rez Studios employs more than 200
people at its development facility in the northern Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta.[1]
In August 2018, the company split into three separate development studios. The Hi-
Rez Studios Twitter account tweeted on February 5th, 2019 that they had fired
community manager Thomas Cheung [5] after being arrested on charges of child sex
solicitation along with 20 others in a joint sting operation by the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation and Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.[6]

Games developed
Title System Release date Notes
Global Agenda Microsoft Windows February 1, 2010
Tribes Universe Microsoft Windows Cancelled
Tribes: Ascend Microsoft Windows April 12, 2012
Smite Microsoft Windows March 25, 2014
Xbox One August 19, 2015
PlayStation 4 May 31, 2016
macOS July 7, 2016
Nintendo Switch November 16, 2018
Jetpack Fighter iOS January 7, 2016
Android July 27, 2016
Hand of the Gods: Smite Tactics Microsoft Windows February 20, 2018
Xbox One February 20, 2018[7]
PlayStation 4 February 20, 2018[7]
Paladins Strike iOS May 2, 2018
Android May 2, 2018
Paladins Microsoft Windows May 8, 2018
Xbox One May 8, 2018
PlayStation 4 May 8, 2018
macOS May 8, 2018
Nintendo Switch June 12, 2018
Smite Rivals Microsoft Windows TBA On hold
iOS TBA
Android TBA
Realm Royale Microsoft Windows June 5, 2018 Early Access
PlayStation 4 January 22, 2019 Early Access
Xbox One January 22, 2019 Early Access
Global Agenda
Global Agenda is an online team-based game. The game went live on February 1, 2010.
In April 2011, Global Agenda became the first free-to-play game released on the
Steam platform, introducing Elite and Free Agents and an in-game cash shop
featuring Agenda Points.[8]

Tribes Universe
Tribes Universe was a massively multiplayer online shooter developed by Hi-Rez
Studios based on the Tribes series. The game, along with Hi-Rez Studios' Tribes
intellectual property acquisition from InstantAction, was first announced on
October 23, 2010. While alpha testing was said to begin at the start of 2011,
development on Tribes Universe was canceled when Hi-Rez Studios decided to start
working on Tribes: Ascend.[9][10]

Tribes: Ascend
Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play multiplayer-only first-person shooter and part of
the Tribes franchise. It was announced by Hi-Rez Studios on March 11, 2011, at the
PAX East, and released on April 12, 2012. Tribes: Ascend earned a metascore of 86,
and PC Gamer ranked it at #8 in an article on the Best Shooters of All Time.[11]
Aspects from previous Tribes games such as jetpacks and skiing are featured in the
game.[12]

Hi-Rez Studios representative Todd Harris announced the company's abandonment of

the game on July 12, 2013.[13]

Smite
Smite is a free-to-play third-person MOBA for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One,
Playstation 4, and OS X. Players take on the visage of mythological deities from
different pantheons and take part in arena combat, using powers and team tactics
against other player-controlled deities and non-player controlled minions. Hi-Rez
Studios announced Smite on April 21, 2011, at PAX East, and began its closed beta
period in May 31, 2012 for PC. An open beta followed in January 24, 2013. The beta
process produced more than 74 million hours of playtime and a large competitive
community.[14] Throughout the beta, Hi-Rez Studios also hosted a series of LAN and
online events with cash prize pools.[15] Smite was officially released in North
America and Western Europe on March 25, 2014 for the PC. On August 19, 2015, Hi-Rez
Studios released the Xbox One version,[16] and on May 31, 2016 the PlayStation 4
version was released.[17]

Paladins
Paladins is a free-to-play online team-based game. The player has to pick a
champion each with unique abilities to fight. There are four types of groups:
Damage, Support, Flank and Front Line.[18] The current version of the card system
permits pre-designed loadouts that provide augments to various abilities and stats,
as well as "burn cards" that can be purchased by credits. To get credits the player
has to play and fight others. Cards can be upgraded mid-match to provide additional
performance bonuses.The game was announced on August 5, 2015. Paladins went into
open beta on September 16, 2016, and released on Steam as an early access title the
same day.[19]

Jetpack Fighter
Jetpack Fighter is a free-to-play high speed platformer for mobile. The game was
released first for iOS on January 7, 2016, and Apple editors featured it as a Best
New Game. As of July 27, 2016, the game has been released on Android. The game has
earned a metascore of 83.[20]