January 9, 2026

Smite 2: What to Expect from the January Patch

Historically, Smite 1 always delivered a massive January patch, often ushering in a whole new season. With the Smite 2 team being smaller and given recent staffing changes and a rough Alpha start, I’m unsure exactly what the team can deliver this time around.

The State of Open Beta

The game is thankfully on more stable footing now, though developers have admitted to lacking certain staff and are actively hiring to resolve bottlenecks. My assumption remains: the Open Beta continues with confirmed updates OB26 (Jan 13th) and OB27 (Jan 27th), and we almost certainly won’t see a full “Season” launch yet.

The next gods to join the fray are Discordia (a magical mid with carry aspects) and Chiron (a physical carry). Smite 1 had 130 gods; Smite 2 is currently at 67. These two will bring us to 69, leaving us about 60-odd gods short of the original roster.

Conquest Map: Why No New Layout?

My reasoning is simple: the developers just finished a comprehensive lighting pass on the current Conquest map. I can’t see them dedicating that much time and effort only to release an entirely new map immediately after. Given this visual commitment, I doubt the core geometry will be drastically changed anytime soon; it simply doesn’t make sense from a resource standpoint.

Instead, I expect to see smaller, targeted gameplay changes perhaps adding, changing, or moving jungle camps, or updating map bosses.

Console UI and Wishlist

I was personally hoping for a UI update for console perhaps a virtual cursor to make store navigation easier. I provided that feedback during the Alpha and early Beta, but there were clearly bigger problems to address first. Given the ongoing staffing challenges, I’ve unfortunately given up hope of that happening in the January window.

Gods, Items, and the Road Ahead

At best, I suspect we will see some item reworks or new additions focusing on anti-heal expansion and simplifying overly complicated items. I would love to see a pass that reduces the sheer number of options to make the system more intuitive.

Honestly, the current balance system “sort of” works. I just dislike how often players build poorly, and I’m not sure you can fix that even with greater simplicity. Given the current meta in Solo, I’m expecting a major nerf to the Reaper/Lash combo.

In an ideal world, I would love to see ten or more gods released in bulk, but that’s not feasible. Right now, the focus is clearly on carefully porting over the Smite 1 roster with a consistent, aggressive schedule. What I’m truly hoping for is a clear roadmap. Since November and December are slowed by holiday breaks, I expect the current schedule of two gods every three weeks to continue.

The January Balance Pass

Even if we don’t get major feature updates, I’m expecting a substantial balance pass for 2026. I’m not sure which gods will be hit; my level of play differs from the semi-pro meta, so I don’t always experience the most “broken” issues.

Future releases have been teased via datamining: Artio and Nut were the December highlights. (And yes, I am still annoyed Nut wasn’t released in November it was an obvious joke that was missed!)

With Discordia and Chiron up next, the logic seems to be filling gaps in CC and specific “tech.” Chiron has interesting mechanics similar to Khepri, so it’s likely they are looking at gods with similar abilities that the current roster is missing. Designers have stated King Arthur is a massive pain to recreate due to his complexity, and while I expected Tyr by now, he’s still missing likely due to balance fears.

Matchmaking

The matchmaking was recently changed, and honestly, I’m quite happy with how it’s feeling. It’s noticeably improved; given the times I usually play, I’ve seen a definite uptick in match quality. While casuals are in a good spot, I would love for Ranked to get that same level of love at some point soon.

Quality of Life Wishlist

Smart Auto-buy: A small change, but one that would drastically help newer players. Right now, it’s easy to spot a new player just by their build. I’d love for the system to be “smarter” and adapt to meta shifts over time.
Performance & Clarity: Improving general performance is always on the list, but I specifically want better UI clarity. I would love for the devs to explain what the hell certain icons mean looking at you, red square. Half the time it feels like it’s giving info to the designers instead of the players!
Aspect Reworks: I’d love to see more “Old Aspects” get a rework to keep them feeling fresh as the game evolves.

Final Thoughts: Tempered Expectations

I’m tempering my expectations for the January patch, but honestly, the game feels like it’s in a much better state these days. It’s genuinely fun I’m actually having more fun with Smite 2 than I was with the original game toward the end.

While Ranked still feels a bit god-awful, the casual experience is solid, and I’m finally starting to pick the game up again. I’m not as good as I used to be, but with a bit of practice, I can feel myself improving. If the team can keep this momentum and maybe surprise us with a roadmap, 2026 could be a massive year.