Hi-Rez Studios


Hi-Rez is an independent, privately held video game studio. 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 ', the third-person MOBA Smite, card game Hand of the Gods: Smite Tactics and the hero shooter Paladins. In 2012, Hi-Rez Studios was recognized as a Top 30 Video-Game Developer by Game Developer Magazine and Gamasutra. Hi-Rez are the current owners of the Metaltech license, including ', ', Starsiege, the ' 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.

History

Erez Goren founded Hi-Rez Studios with Todd Harris in 2005. They hired experienced game developers from other successful titles, including City of Heroes, , and Call of Duty. Hi-Rez Studios employs more than 200 people at its development facility in the northern Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. In August 2018, the company split into three separate development studios.
The Hi-Rez Studios Twitter account tweeted on February 5, 2019 that they had fired community manager Thomas Cheung 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.

Games developed

TitlePlatformYearNotes
Global AgendaMicrosoft Windows2010
Microsoft Windows2012
SmiteMicrosoft Windows, macOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch2014
Jetpack FighteriOS, Android2016
Hand of the Gods: Smite TacticsMicrosoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 42018Shut down Jan.1st, 2020
Paladins StrikeiOS, Android2018
PaladinsMicrosoft Windows, macOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch2018
Realm RoyaleMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One2018Early Access
Rogue CompanyMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch2020Early Access
Smite RivalsMicrosoft Windows, iOS, AndroidTBAOn hold
Tribes UniverseMicrosoft WindowsCancelled

''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.

''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.

''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. Aspects from previous Tribes games such as jetpacks and skiing are featured in the game.
Hi-Rez Studios representative Todd Harris announced the company's abandonment of the game on July 12, 2013.

''Smite''

Smite is a free-to-play third-person MOBA for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, 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 on May 31, 2012 for PC. An open beta followed on January 24, 2013. The beta process produced more than 74 million hours of playtime and a large competitive community. Throughout the beta, Hi-Rez Studios also hosted a series of LAN and online events with cash prize pools. 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, on May 31, 2016 the PlayStation 4 version was released. and on February 19, 2019 the Nintendo Switch version was released

''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. The current version of the card system permits pre-designed loadouts that provide augments to various abilities and stats, as well as “items" that can be purchased by credits. To get credits the player has to play and fight others. Items 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.

''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.