Hi-Rez Studios has announced two major updates planned for a couple of its current titles. Paladins and Smite are both getting cross-play and cross-progression.
Cross-play enables players across different platforms to connect together. And with cross-progression, accounts across different systems can be connected.
Below is an FAQ that details what’s to come for Paladins and Smite in terms of cross-play and cross-progression:
The Basics
When will cross-play and cross-progression go live?
Cross-play and cross-progression will go live with the 2.01 update for Paladins, and the 6.1 update for SMITE. Both of these updates are currently scheduled to release in mid-to-late January 2019.
Realm Royale will support cross-play from day 1 of release. Cross-progression will be added to Realm Royale at a later date.
Will you support cross-platform voice chat?
Yes! We will be adding cross-platform voice chat to SMITE and Paladins alongside our cross-play system. Cross-platform voice chat will be added to Realm Royale at a later date.
How will this impact the separate PC and Console esports scenes?
In 2019 we will continue to support separate and dedicated SMITE and Paladins esports leagues on PC and Console.
Will there be any downtime or impact to me during the transition to crossplay?
Unfortunately, yes. Both Paladins and SMITE will experience a roughly 24 hour downtime while we merge our cross-platform player databases.
The Paladins downtime is tentatively scheduled for the week of December 3, and the SMITE downtime is scheduled for the week of December 10.
Follow our social media for more updates on this downtime.
Can I report players on different platforms?
You will be able to report players just like you do today, regardless of platform.
Will you have cross-platform leaderboards?
Yes! For cross-play platforms, there will be a global, cross-platform leaderboard.
As players will be able to move freely from across platforms and input methods on a single account, all players will be tracked on the same leaderboard regardless of their main platform or control scheme.
Will the Public Test Server (PTS) be cross-platform?
We hope to add cross-platform PTS in 2019.
Cross-Play
What platforms support cross-play?
Cross-play will be supported across PC launcher, PC and Mac Steam, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
We are technically ready to support cross-play on other platforms as the opportunity arises.
Do I have to create a Hi-Rez Account to cross-play?
No! You will be able to play on any platform without first creating a Hi-Rez Account.
How will you handle cross-platform matchmaking?
By default, casual matchmaking will find the best matches for players regardless of platform or input method.
SMITE and Paladins players can choose to play only against players with the same input method (either keyboard and mouse, or controller) in casual matches. However, players will find higher quality matches, more quickly, by leaving cross-input matchmaking enabled.
SMITE and Paladins ranked matchmaking will be divided strictly by input method. Players will only ever play against other players using the same input method in ranked.
Realm Royale players will always be placed in cross-platform matchmaking.
Can I party or play custom games with my friends on different platforms?
Yes!
Note: If you have both controller and keyboard and mouse users in your party, your party will queue for cross-input matchmaking regardless of player preferences. You cannot play ranked matches with cross-input parties.
Cross-Progression
Can I access my purchases and account progression wherever I go?
By linking your separate platform accounts to a Hi-Rez Account, you will effectively have one account across PC launcher, PC and Mac Steam, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. We are technically ready to support cross-progression on other platforms as the opportunity arises.
Some platform specific skins, containing the Xbox logo for example, may not be available on every platform.
Additionally, some items contained in DLC bundles may only be available on the platform where the DLC was purchased, due to platform requirements.
I play on multiple platforms. How will you treat my separate progress and purchases on different platforms?
When cross-progression is enabled, we will merge your owned content across platform accounts linked with your Hi-Rez Account, in accordance with platform provider policies.
I bought the same thing on multiple different platforms. Will I get a refund when accounts are merged?
No. Given the myriad different ways players can acquire content in our games (free Gems and Crystals, gifts, chest rolls, direct purchase, sales, etc.), we cannot accurately determine how to credit players.
Do I have to create a Hi-Rez Account to access cross-progression?
Yes. Your content will only be available across platform accounts that are linked with your Hi-Rez Account.
Due to this requirement, there is a chance that Nintendo Switch purchases and progress will not be included in cross-progression at the launch of our system. We are still finalizing the account linking process for Nintendo Switch, and Switch will be added to cross-progression as soon as account linking is fully implemented.
Can I link multiple accounts?
You can only link one account per type to a Hi-Rez Account. For example, you can link a Microsoft Account and a Steam Account to a Hi-Rez Account, but you may not link two Steam Accounts to a Hi-Rez Account.
Can I unlink accounts?
Yes. However: If you unlink an account after it has been merged, all progress and purchases will be removed from that account, and it will essentially become a new, level 1 account.
As of now this is the latest we have from Hi-Rez,However the Size of Smite on the Switch hasnt been released yet and is listed as TBD,no word about cross-play and cross progression with PS4.
What do you think? Comment your thoughts….
