Xbox One's Smite Leaves Beta Next Week, Founder's Pack Going Away

The Xbox One version of Smite is leaving open beta next week, and with it, the founder's pack is going away.

Developer Hi-Rez Studios has announced the game will officially launch on August 19, bringing an end to the extensive testing period that began with a closed alpha test this spring. An open beta allowing anyone to download and play the free-to-play MOBA began in July.

With the beta coming to a close, the opportunity to buy the founder's pack is also ending. This $30 DLC pack includes 400 gems (Smite's premium in-game currency), two unique skins, and access to all existing characters in the game, as well as every character being added in the future. This will only be available until August 31; after that, the Ultimate God Pack will become available, granting access to all characters (but without the extra goodies).

Also going away at the end of the month is the chance to merge your PC and Xbox accounts. This allows you to transfer select progress and items from the PC version to the Xbox One version. A list of exactly what transfers is available in this FAQ on Smite's website.

Even after being released, new content will still come to the game. New characters continue to be released; one was added to the PC version just last week, and should be available in the Xbox One version in the coming weeks. Additionally, Hi-Rez recently revealed plans to overhaul the map featured in Smite's Joust mode, having recently done so with the Arena mode's map.

Smite officially launched on PC last year. It's a MOBA not entirely unlike League of Legends and Dota 2, but whereas those games are played with an isometric camera, Smite plays out like a third-person action game. It recently topped 10 million players, and to celebrate, Hi-Rez is currently offering a special Hercules skin that is voiced by Kevin Sorbo, the star of the '90s Hercules TV show.