# Hi-Rez Studios
**Hi-Rez Studios** is an independent, privately held video game developer and publisher based in [Alpharetta, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/alpharetta-georgia), United States, known for free-to-play multiplayer games such as *Smite*, *Paladins*, and *Rogue Company*. The company was established in 2005 by [Erez Goren](https://www.edgepedia.org/erez-goren) and [Todd Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/todd-harris) and is one of the largest video game studios in the southeastern United States.[1](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hi--rez-Studios) Its games have been played by more than 70 million people worldwide on PC, mobile, and console.[2](https://www.hirezstudios.com/about)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005, by Erez Goren and Todd Harris[1](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hi--rez-Studios) • [3](https://www.engadget.com/2008-10-27-hi-rez-studios-and-global-agenda-the-studio.html) |
| Headquarters | Alpharetta, Georgia, United States[1](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hi--rez-Studios) |
| Best-known games | *Smite* (third-person MOBA, more than 35 million players), *Paladins*, *Rogue Company*, *Global Agenda*, *Realm Royale*[4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/) |
| Current flagship | *Smite 2*, announced January 2024 and rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5[5](https://gameinformer.com/news/2024/01/12/smite-2-is-an-unreal-engine-5-sequel-to-smite-alpha-testing-begins-this-spring) |
| Structure | Operates as a publisher over internal studios, including Titan Forge Games (*Smite*), Evil Mojo Games (*Paladins*, *Realm Royale*), and First Watch Games (*Rogue Company*)[6](https://www.unrealengine.com/developer-interviews/rogue-company-is-a-fun-competitive-and-accessible-shooter-that-s-crossplay-across-all-major-platforms) |
| Business model | Free-to-play, games-as-a-service, with an emphasis on cross-play across platforms[2](https://www.hirezstudios.com/about) |
| Recent restructuring | June 2023 reorganization into three branches under the rebranded Hi-Rez Ventures, with about 10 percent of the workforce laid off[7](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/hi-rez-studios-restructure-leads-to-consolidations-and-layoffs) |
## History and founding
Erez Goren, a self-made millionaire who wrote his first video game during high school, created Hi-Rez in 2005 after more than 20 years in software and retail application development. His stated goal was to combine a persistent MMO universe with highly competitive first-person shooter action, and the studio was independently funded and self-published from the start.[3](https://www.engadget.com/2008-10-27-hi-rez-studios-and-global-agenda-the-studio.html) The company's first game was *Global Agenda*, released in 2010.[4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/)
The studio describes its identity as an [Unreal Engine](https://www.edgepedia.org/unreal-engine) action game developer: *Global Agenda* was a third-person behind-the-back game, *Tribes* was a first-person shooter, and that action-game experience shaped later titles.[8](https://www.pcgamer.com/smite-interview-hi-rez-ceo-todd-harris-on-competing-mobas-f2p-economics-and-religious-sensitivity/)
## Games
**Smite.** *Smite* is a free-to-play, third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) in which players control gods, goddesses, and other mythological figures in team-based combat. It was developed and published by Hi-Rez for Microsoft Windows, macOS, [PlayStation 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-4), [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch), and [Xbox One](https://www.edgepedia.org/xbox-one), with cross-platform play between versions.[9](https://portal.ksba.org/public/Meeting/Attachments/DisplayAttachment.aspx?AttachmentID=481787) By 2020 the game engaged more than 35 million players worldwide.[4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/) A designer credited with its creation lists 40+ million players and more than $700 million in revenue earned, shipped on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.[10](https://www.colmanbryant.com/smite)
**Paladins.** *Paladins: Champions of the Realm* is a free-to-play, fantasy class-based first-person shooter developed by Evil Mojo Games, a development studio under the Hi-Rez publishing group. It launched out of beta on May 8, 2018.[11](https://paladins.fandom.com/wiki/Paladins) The game runs on [Unreal Engine 3](https://www.edgepedia.org/unreal-engine-3) and, like *Smite*, draws on code assets from earlier Hi-Rez games, including *Global Agenda*.[11](https://paladins.fandom.com/wiki/Paladins)
**Rogue Company.** *Rogue Company* is a free-to-play 4v4 third-person shooter and the first title from First Watch Games, a division created under the Hi-Rez banner with senior developers drawn from Hi-Rez, Blizzard, Daybreak, Electronic Arts, Vicarious Visions, and other studios. It supports crossplay across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, [PlayStation 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/playstation-5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and entered free-to-play open beta on October 1, 2020.[6](https://www.unrealengine.com/developer-interviews/rogue-company-is-a-fun-competitive-and-accessible-shooter-that-s-crossplay-across-all-major-platforms) • [4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/)
**Smite 2.** In January 2024, developer Titan Forge Games and publisher Hi-Rez announced *Smite 2*, a sequel rebuilding the third-person action MOBA from the ground up in [Unreal Engine 5](https://www.edgepedia.org/unreal-engine-5). Because *Smite* runs on Unreal Engine 3, each skin takes roughly two months to transfer to the sequel.[5](https://gameinformer.com/news/2024/01/12/smite-2-is-an-unreal-engine-5-sequel-to-smite-alpha-testing-begins-this-spring)
The company's catalog also includes *Realm Royale*, *Paladins Strike* (2017, mobile), and *Smite Tactics*, a free-to-play turn-based strategy card game.[4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/) • [12](https://www.mobygames.com/company/16016/hi-rez-studios-inc/games/)
## Studio structure and technology
Hi-Rez operates as a publisher over semi-autonomous internal teams. Under the Hi-Rez umbrella are Titan Forge Games (*Smite*), Evil Mojo Games (*Paladins* and *Realm Royale*), and First Watch Games (*Rogue Company*).[6](https://www.unrealengine.com/developer-interviews/rogue-company-is-a-fun-competitive-and-accessible-shooter-that-s-crossplay-across-all-major-platforms) The company creates its games in house, including a full production studio on its premises.[13](https://www.mmogames.com/articles/archives/the-history-of-smite-focus-and-rezolution)
The studio traditionally built its games on-premises, but beginning in mid-2018 it began testing [Microsoft Azure](https://www.edgepedia.org/microsoft-azure) and migrated its infrastructure there, using Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and the Azure SQL Database Hyperscale tier to support the 2020 *Rogue Company* launch.[4](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/)
## Restructuring and layoffs, 2023 to 2025
In June 2023, Hi-Rez restructured to focus the business around its top priorities, *Smite* and *Paladins*. CEO Stewart Chisam announced that the studio would be split across three branches operating as independent studios of the newly rebranded Hi-Rez Ventures. A company representative confirmed that around 10 percent of the overall workforce was affected, with a heavier impact on publishing and back-office roles.[7](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/hi-rez-studios-restructure-leads-to-consolidations-and-layoffs)
In October 2024, Chisam announced further layoffs across the company, disproportionately affecting marketing and publishing roles as well as staff in the Evil Mojo, G&A, and Titan Forge divisions, and the company closed two other games to concentrate its efforts entirely on *Smite 2*, outside of small teams supporting light updates for *Paladins* and *Smite* 1.[14](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/smite-developer-hi-rez-studios-lays-off-employees-to-ensure-long-term-success/) • [15](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/smite-developer-hi-rez-studios-cuts-senior-management-positions-because-after-all-the-other-layoffs-the-company-had-a-lot-of-senior-management-in-relation-to-our-current-size/) A further round in February 2025 cut dozens of developers across the *Smite* team.[16](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/hi-rez-studios-cut-dozens-of-staff-from-smite-team) In June 2025, the studio cut senior management positions, explaining that after the earlier layoffs the company had a large amount of senior management relative to its current size.[15](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/smite-developer-hi-rez-studios-cuts-senior-management-positions-because-after-all-the-other-layoffs-the-company-had-a-lot-of-senior-management-in-relation-to-our-current-size/) [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-atlanta-journal-constitution) reported that the Alpharetta-based developer laid off nearly half its staff amid broader challenges in the games industry.[17](https://www.ajc.com/news/business/metro-atlanta-video-game-developer-hi-rez-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff/L7APXPAZNFEHZLTL5HYELNM4HI/)
## References
1. [Hi-Rez Studios Careers and Employment, Indeed](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Hi--rez-Studios)
2. [About, Hi-Rez Studios](https://www.hirezstudios.com/about)
3. [Hi-Rez Studios and Global Agenda: The studio, Engadget (2008)](https://www.engadget.com/2008-10-27-hi-rez-studios-and-global-agenda-the-studio.html)
4. [Hi-Rez launches latest Rogue Company game with Azure, Microsoft Developer (2020)](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/games/articles/2020/11/hi-rez-launches-latest-rogue-company-game-with-azure/)
5. [Smite 2 Is An Unreal Engine 5 Sequel To Smite, Game Informer (2024)](https://gameinformer.com/news/2024/01/12/smite-2-is-an-unreal-engine-5-sequel-to-smite-alpha-testing-begins-this-spring)
6. [Rogue Company is a fun, competitive, and accessible shooter, Unreal Engine developer interviews (2021)](https://www.unrealengine.com/developer-interviews/rogue-company-is-a-fun-competitive-and-accessible-shooter-that-s-crossplay-across-all-major-platforms)
7. [Hi-Rez Studios lays off employees in company restructuring, Game Developer (2023)](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/hi-rez-studios-restructure-leads-to-consolidations-and-layoffs)
8. [Smite interview: Hi-Rez COO Todd Harris, PC Gamer (2013)](https://www.pcgamer.com/smite-interview-hi-rez-ceo-todd-harris-on-competing-mobas-f2p-economics-and-religious-sensitivity/)
9. [KHSAA board attachment describing Smite](https://portal.ksba.org/public/Meeting/Attachments/DisplayAttachment.aspx?AttachmentID=481787)
10. [Smite, Colman Bryant portfolio](https://www.colmanbryant.com/smite)
11. [Paladins, Official Paladins Wiki](https://paladins.fandom.com/wiki/Paladins)
12. [Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. games, MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/company/16016/hi-rez-studios-inc/games/)
13. [The History of SMITE: Focus and (Rez)olution, MMOGames](https://www.mmogames.com/articles/archives/the-history-of-smite-focus-and-rezolution)
14. [Smite developer Hi-Rez Studios lays off employees to ensure 'long-term success', PC Gamer (2024)](https://www.pcgamer.com/games/moba/smite-developer-hi-rez-studios-lays-off-employees-to-ensure-long-term-success/)
15. [Smite developer Hi-Rez Studios cuts 'senior management positions', PC Gamer (2025)](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/smite-developer-hi-rez-studios-cuts-senior-management-positions-because-after-all-the-other-layoffs-the-company-had-a-lot-of-senior-management-in-relation-to-our-current-size/)
16. [Update: Hi-Rez lays off devs, ends development for three games, Game Developer (2025)](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/hi-rez-studios-cut-dozens-of-staff-from-smite-team)
17. [Metro Atlanta video game developer Hi-Rez lays off nearly half its staff, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution](https://www.ajc.com/news/business/metro-atlanta-video-game-developer-hi-rez-lays-off-nearly-half-its-staff/L7APXPAZNFEHZLTL5HYELNM4HI/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Game industry › Developers and studios › Individual studio profiles › North American studios*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license