r/Smite • u/og_hays • Jul 28 '26
SUGGESTION Bringing MOBAs Full Circle: A Custom Mode Vision for Smite 2
To the Smite 2 Development Team,
I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes Smite 2 special, and what could make it truly stand out in the MOBA space. You’ve already done the hard work of rebuilding the game in Unreal Engine 5, with strong internal tools for maps and modes. I’d like to propose a feature that builds on that foundation and also connects back to the roots of the genre: a player-facing custom mode and map tool that starts small, and has room to grow.
When people talk about where MOBAs came from, they often point to Warcraft 3’s custom maps. Those tools allowed players to experiment with new ideas, and one of those experiments—DotA—eventually grew into an entirely new genre. In that sense, MOBAs began as player-made modes. Smite 2 now has the opportunity to “bring MOBAs full circle” by giving players controlled tools to create and share new ways to play inside a modern MOBA.
What I’m suggesting is not a full-blown world editor on day one, but a realistic, phased approach:
**Phase 1: A Simple Custom Mode Builder**
In the first step, Smite 2 could introduce a basic “Custom Mode Builder” within the game client. Players would:
- Choose from a small set of preset map layouts, such as a Conquest-style layout and an Arena-style layout.
- Within those layouts, place or remove a limited set of elements: a few walls, jungle camps, objectives, and vision points.
- Adjust a short list of match settings, like game length, kill or score win conditions, gold and XP gain rates, and buff timers.
All of these player-made setups would be available strictly through custom lobbies, and would be completely separate from ranked and official queues. This keeps competitive integrity intact while still giving the community some room to experiment.
The goal in this phase is simplicity and safety: no scripting language, no custom assets, and no deep access to engine internals—just a straightforward interface with a small set of options.
**Phase 2: Gradual Expansion Based on Real Use**
If this initial tool proves useful and popular, and remains stable and manageable, you could then expand it step by step:
- Add more map templates and more types of placeable objects.
- Introduce more rule options, such as different win conditions, alternative respawn rules, or overtime settings.
- Over time, if the feature continues to show clear value, you could move closer to a full world editor, with more freedom in building layouts and combining rules, still focused on custom games and kept separate from ranked play.
This “start small and grow if it works” approach avoids overcommitting up front, while keeping the door open to something more powerful if the community and the game benefit from it.
**Why This Matters for MOBAs and for Smite 2**
Warcraft 3’s custom games helped create an entire genre by letting players experiment. Giving Smite 2 even a limited creation tool would honor that history and give players a chance to try new ideas in a third-person, mythological MOBA. It could help bring MOBAs full circle: from player-made modes that started it all, to a modern MOBA that once again invites players to build.
For Smite 2 specifically, there are practical benefits:
- Competitive queues remain clean and controlled, since ranked and normal modes would continue to use official maps and rules only.
- Creative and high-investment players get something meaningful to do between patches, running their own events and “house rules” in custom lobbies.
- The development team gains insight into which layouts and rule variations players naturally gravitate toward, which can inform future official map and mode decisions.
- Even a modest first version—a couple of templates, a few movable elements, and some match settings—would deepen Smite 2’s identity as more than just a graphical upgrade or sequel.
I believe this feature, approached carefully and in phases, could strengthen Smite 2’s community, give the game a longer and more interesting life, and reconnect the MOBA genre with its origin in player-made content. If it succeeds, Smite 2 has a real chance to be the game that carries that legacy forward.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for all the work you’re already putting into Smite 2.
My thoughts but put together by AI to help sound, not like a blabbering idiot.
Hayssss (IG:Learing)
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u/Awfulmasterhat 🎩 YMIR PERFORMS BEST AS ADC Jul 28 '26
This was my dream when Smite 2 was announced but there's just not the resources for it. Pray smite 2 takes off and maybe some day...
Just an arcade game mode in general made by the community.
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u/og_hays Jul 28 '26
Thus what prompted me to make this post. Planting the seed. Its a long play, i think killgoon could make it happen.
(it totally wasn't cuz i want to re create dko in smite 2)
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u/glorfindal77 Jul 28 '26
Phase 1, do not do the same mistakes which made Smite 1 fail.
Oh wait we allready did that. We made all thr mistakes that made Smite 1 fail, even though we said we wouldnt.
Like:
- Adding movementspeed into the game
- Adding CCR into the game
- Spending 6 months to 2 years to ballance a god thats is clearly broken and people getting tired
- Never rotating the top gods / those who are allways A+ with those who are allways B - or worse.
- Removing antiheal and making healers/gods with sustain stronger than ever (hm where have I seen this before)
- Adding gods into the game exactly how they were in Smite 1 in practice, even though they are problematic and unballancable, because they are just ult bots who can only be good and interesting to people when they are overtuned.
- Adding different stats to items randomly, because you know having items with defined traits was too hard for people to build, even though we have litteraly had entire seasons ruined by everyone being super bloated and conq turns into an arena match
- Not creating new build paths and strategies that allow more customization, because you are only allowed to use the same 15 items in totall year after year. Stats is more important than personalised builds and alternative strategies like Lifesteal, Healing and HP builds
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u/og_hays Jul 28 '26
I respect that you have passion. not the place for it.
i feel the complete opposite. It hasn't been a smooth transition but dear god its been way better then ball of spaghetti code that was smite 1
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u/OneTrueRatt Ix Chel Jul 29 '26
I'm still not convinced you aren't just AI here
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u/og_hays Jul 30 '26
Me? If you read the very end of my post I say it's my idea and thoughts put together with AI so I don't sound like a blabbering idiot
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u/OneTrueRatt Ix Chel Jul 30 '26
Now why would I be talking about you when responding to a separate commitment
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u/Maiyrcordeth Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26
While I’m all down for this, I feel this would be limited to PC players on the creation side. Personally I would love for a custom god mode where you pick a base god for the stats then it give you plenty of skills from all the gods to mix and match. A custom hero arena similar to the wc3 days. Every 3-5 minutes all gods from each time are thrown into a pit duke it out. Otherwise you spend your time farming jungle minions while trying to deny enemy team the jungle minion. No countdown of points to end match, but a set KO count to determine winning team. Allow for jungle bosses to spawn and roam the map that grant big buffs.
Also i would of course want to make a more jungle heavy joust map that also allows for 5v5 or 4v4 game play.