Hi-Rez Studios will be making explosive announcements for Rogue Company, SMITE and Paladins at their new online-only headline event ‘Hi-Rez Showcase’ on Thursday 7 January, including keynote reveals and unique panel sessions. In addition to revealing their huge 2021 plans, Season 7 of the SMITE Pro League World Championship (SWC) will reach its epic conclusion on Sunday 10 January.
The $600,000 prize pot is being contended by a global roster of incredible professional, semi-professional and amateur teams competing together across both PC and console. Viewership of the championship this year has rocketed 180% over 2019 thanks to intense rivalries, dramatic personal stories and epic gaming moments:
Breaking the Rival Curse
Ghost Gaming (formerly known as Team Rival) has come in second place at SWC for three consecutive years: Season 4, Season 5, and Season 6. Neither they, nor team member Ben “CaptainTwig” Knight (who has competed in every World Championship) have ever lifted the winner’s trophy. Will January see them finally lift the Hammer and break the “Rival Curse”?
Sanguine Esports: The LATAM Underdogs
Will Sanguine Esports’ incredible run take them all the way to the trophy? Having shattered expectations in the this year’s league – achieving a #1 ranking in the first half of the championships and currently placing #3 – all eyes will be on this talented LATAM team.
SWC Wildcards: Amateur Team Upsets the Whole Semi-Pro Bracket
Having completely upset the North American SWC Wildcards bracket to earn a place at the championships, amateur console players Mind The Gap will see if they can dominate their PC rivals using SMITE’s clever crossplay.
Going for the Threepeat: iRaffer & Adapting
Former teammates Craig “iRaffer” Rathbone (support for Spacestation Gaming) and Kennet “Adapting” Ros (jungler for Radiance) are both vying for their third World Championship win. Having both been active in SMITE esports since 2014, many believe this will be their last SWC – if that’s true, they’ll both be looking to beat the other to the top spot.
Many of these stories will reach their epic conclusion on 10 January. Season 8 will then usher in a new era of the SMITE Pro League, with Hi-Rez Studios revitalising the structure by bringing all eight Pro League teams in-house. This will give teams and players many more opportunities for direct sponsorship and increased revenue. Among the updates are:
- Teams will have all-new names and branding.
- Player & coach salaries will be completely standardised and will increase significantly from the base salary requirements in Season 7.
- Teams / players will have the opportunity to secure their own sponsorships to further supplement their base income.
- Hi-Rez will also offer 100% revenue sharing to the players on all sales of merchandise or in-game items for their team, effectively cutting out the “middle man” and allowing players to reap the full benefits of their promotional efforts.
The ‘Hi-Rez Presents’ keynote address (starting 7 January @ 3:30 p.m. EST / 21:30 CET) and all the updates for each game will be broadcast on each title’s official Twitch channels:
- Rogue Company: www.twitch.tv/roguecompany
- SMITE: www.twitch.tv/smitegame
- Paladins: www.twitch.tv/paladinsgame
