Dead MOBA from Fortnite dev returns for free on Steam to rival Smite 2

Paragon lives on in a new form

While Dota 2 and League of Legends very much have the MOBA genre in its classic RTS variety in their hands, things are getting more interesting when it comes to specimen being played from a third-person perspective. Smite 2 was announced just recently as a successor to the hitherto most successful game of this type, but other studios are trying to push into this contested space – with the use of necromancy.

Well, not quite. It’s close, though. Remember Fortnite developer Epic Games’ Paragon? Omeda Studios, which was founded by one of the defunct game’s most avid players, does and is trying to bring it back in the form of Predecessor. Currently available as an Early Access title on Steam, Predecessor will go free-to-play as part of its open beta initiative on March 28, 2024. MOBA fans won’t only be able to play the game for free on PC, though, as it’s coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on the same day. Predecessor features crossplay, so friends can play with each other regardless of their platform of choice.

Predecessor is deeply rooted in Paragon, but uses the newest technology / Omeda Studios

Built in Unreal Engine 5 on the bones of Epic’s Paragon, which was shut down in 2018, the title is described as a fast-paced MOBA combining strategic thinking, teamwork, and lots of action. Quintets of players oppose each other in each match, picking characters from a pool of more than 30 heroes in order to destroy the other team’s base. In classic MOBA fashion, players get XP and gold for killing creeps and enemy players, allowing them to level up and unlock new skills as well as purchase powerful items.

Upcoming updates to the game include visual improvements, additional item slots, a new game mode, and ranked play for the more competitive players out there.

Predecessor is hoping to benefit from Smite’s transition into Smite 2 as well as the death of Paragon: The Overprime, which will shut down its servers on April 22, 2024.

Overprime, too, was based on the ashes of the original Paragon, which essentially means that it has the dubious distinction of being a game that’s already died twice. One can only wish Omeda Studios the best of luck to not make it three.