SMITE open beta begins for Xbox One

Xbox One owners don't have to wait for an invite to play Hi-Rez Studios' MOBA game SMITE anymore. The open beta for the free-to-play game has just launched, which means anyone with Microsoft's console can download and play.

For those of you unfamiliar with SMITE, here's a quick description:

"SMITE is the online battleground of the gods. Players choose from a diverse cast of deities and use their unique powers to triumph over the opposition in 5v5 team matches. SMITE is a new take on the MOBA genre; rather than observing from above the action, the game's third person perspective puts players into the thick of combat."

The open beta launch comes just a couple of months after the closed beta of SMITE began and anyone who participated in that test will find their progress will continue in the open beta. While the game is free-to-play, Hi-Rez is still selling its SMITE Founder's Pack for the Xbox One for $29.99 that unlocks all of the games's Gods, both present and future, along with 400 of its in-game gems and two exclusive character skins. The Founder's Pack won't be available after SMITE officially launches for the Xbox One, which will happen later in 2015.

Source: Xbox

John Callaham