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"Thousand times brighter than OLED": How cheap material bound to revolutionize solar panels could one day also make your laptop display finally readable in bright sunlight

The ULTRA-LUX project, led by technology company Imec, has developed a new type of light-emitting diode (LED) – known as perovskite LEDs (PeLED) – that might one day consign OLED displays to history.

Some of the best TVs and the best laptops today use OLED (organic LED) technology in their displays – a technology in which each pixel is its own light source. 

It's become widely popular in recent years, and the technology is being increasingly adopted by manufacturers for all kinds of devices, but researchers now claim to have usurped this technology with the invention of PeLEDs.

Is it time to wave OLED goodbye? Probably not.

"This novel architecture of transport layers, transparent electrodes and perovskite as the semiconductor active material, can operate at electrical current densities tens of thousands of times higher (3 kA cm-2) than conventional OLEDs can," said Paul Heremans, an Imec senior fellow and principal investigator. 

OLED utilizes carbon-based thin-film materials as a semiconductor, but displays are limited by a relatively low maximum brightness; the power density is 300 times smaller than that of LEDs which use III-V crystalline semiconductors. 

It means, for example, you can't feasibly use your OLED smartphone on a bright, sunny day. LCD displays, by contrast, offer dimmer individual pixels but can instead offer a brighter overall display.

Researchers with the ULTRA-LUX project, however, have wielded the potential of perovskite – a class of material with a specialized crystal structure – to serve as the semiconductor in LED-based displays. In doing so, they've created a display technology that can be up to 1000 times brighter than state-of-the-art OLEDs, according to research published in Nature.

This material, which is used in solar-powered cells, can withstand very high current densities, but hasn't been used in such a way as to emit light in a display. Using their architecture, Imec demonstrated the potential of PeLEDs in future displays, and the researchers now plan on building one.

It may well be a good few years, however, before we start to see displays on the market powered by this kind of display technology, given there's a fair amount of research and engineering still to be done.

More from TechRadar Pro

Bright TV display

These are apparently the best tech firms to work for - and Apple only just makes the list

Job evalutation site Glassdoor has released its list of the "best places to work" for 2024, with a number of tech firms managing to break into the top spots.

There was particular interest for Nvidia, which was named as the second best company overall, and Apple, which managed to claim a spot in the list after falling out in 2023.

Management consulting giant Bain & Company took the top spot, but there were high rankings for other notable tech firms, including Service Now (#3), Procore Technologies (#5), VMware (#7) and Deltek (#8).

Glassdoor Best Places to Work

Outside of the top 10, there were also high placings for the likes of Adobe (#15), Microsoft (#18) and Google (#26), with 31 tech firms making up the top 100 in total - a fall from 41 in 2023.

9to5Mac noted that Salesforce, Intel, Netflix, and Yahoo dropped out of the top 100 list in 2024, and there was once again no place for Meta. Among the tech newcomers in the list were Lenovo and Samsara.

Nvidia took second place overall thanks to its average 4.7/5 rating over the past year, just 0.1 behind Bain.

“Worklife is rapidly changing, and professionals are turning to Glassdoor to share their experiences about working for some of the most competitive employers in the world,” said Christian Sutherland-Wong, Glassdoor Chief Executive Officer. 

“The Best Places to Work award is a stark reminder of the power of Glassdoor, from arming professionals with career insights and real-time conversations about all things work and life, to providing employers with feedback to improve. Glassdoor has evolved to make sure that transparency isn’t a fad, but rather, a foundational component in the future of work.”

The study comes following recent figures showing layoffs in the technology space have continued at pace. In 2022, around 165,000 tech workers were laid off, followed by over 262,000 in 2023, and more than 3,000 in the first two weeks of January 2024 alone (via layoffs.fyi).

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Persone al lavoro in ufficio

Purple just dropped a ridiculous $400 discount on its Original mattress – this deal won't stick around

Right now you can buy the Purple mattress at the lowest price we've seen it at in the past year. There's up to $400 off at Purple, with the full $400 off the queen size, bringing the price down to $999, which matches the lowest price we ever see on this mattress. This offer doesn't crop up often, and is always worth snapping up when it does appear. 

If you struggle to get comfortable at night on most of the best mattresses, it might pay to try out something different. And because of its unique feel, the Purple mattress could be just what you need. 

Its GelFlex Grid gives it a feel quite unlike most other beds; it contours to your pressure points while supporting the parts of your body that don't lie on it quite as heavily, and it'll adapt to you in any position. In our Purple mattress review, our tester found that he slept like a baby throughout his trial, and unlike many foam mattresses it didn't result in him overheating in the night. This makes it a strong choice for any sleep style.

Don't wait on this deal, though; Purple mattress deals don't happen all the time, and not only do we not expect this deal to last for much longer, it's hard to say when (or if) we'll see the price this low again. Here's what you need to know:

Purple Plus mattress

Queen size: was $1,399 now $999 at Purple

Overview: The Purple mattress provides a sleep feel quite unlike other mattresses. Its GelFlex Grid contours to your pressure points while supporting the rest of your body, and our reviewer found that it noticeably improved his sleep quality. It does a great job of keeping you cool at night, and it's also a winner when it comes to motion isolation.

Price history: A queen size Purple mattress has $400 off right now, which is the biggest discount we've seen over the past year. While the MSRP has stayed steady since the beginning of 2023, the for most of the year the discount fluctuated between nothing and $200 off, and on Black Friday you'd have paid $1,199 for a queen size.

Extras: The Purple mattress comes with free shipping and returns, and you'll get a 100-night sleep trial as well as a 10-year warranty.View Deal

Buy it if...

You need great support: Whichever way you lie on it, the Purple mattress delivers great support thanks to its responsive GelFlex Grid. So if you tend to move around a lot in the night you'll get all the cushioning you need in every position, and you won't wake up sore.

You overheat at night: Thanks to its breathable top cover and the airflow-enhancing GelFlex Grid, the Purple mattress won't trap your body heat like other foam mattresses, and our tester found that he didn't get too warm sleeping on it.

You share with a fidgeter: Because the Purple is an all-foam mattress, it's great at eliminating motion transfer than beds. So if you're regularly disturbed by a restless partner, the Purple mattress should help you get a much better night's sleep.

Don't buy it if...

 You enjoy a traditional feel: The Purple mattress has a unique feel that's almost entirely down to its GelFlex Grid, and it's not one that everyone's going to get on with. If you prefer an old-school mattress feel, the Saatva Classic is an excellent choice, and there's 15% off in the Saatva sale.

❌ You'll want to move your mattress around: One thing that surprised us about the Purple mattress is just how heavy it is. If you anticipate having to move it around your house, you might get on better with one of the best hybrid mattresses with a layer of springs instead of heavy foam.

❌ You're on a budget: The Purple Original's great value, but it's not cheap. If you want a similar feel at a lower price, you'd do well to check out the Purple NewDay, the cheapest model in Purple's range.

The Purple mattress on a bed with a graphic overlaid saying "DON'T MISS"

A tiny radioactive battery could keep your future phone running for 50 years

A Chinese company has developed a new nuclear battery that could keep your phone running for 50 years without charging.

Betavolt Technology claims to have successfully miniaturized atomic energy batteries, which measure less than a coin at 15 x 15 x 5mm. The compact battery uses 63 nuclear isotopes to generate 100 microwatts and a voltage of 3V of electricity through the process of radioactive decay.

The battery is currently in the pilot testing stage and Betavolt plans to mass-produce them for commercial devices like phones and drones, but also states nuclear batteries could be used for aerospace equipment, AI, medical equipment, advanced sensors, and micro-robots. The Beijing-based company claims to have drawn inspiration from devices such as pacemakers, and satellites.

Betavolt is planning to boost its tech to produce a 1-watt battery by 2025. And while it still has some way to go, the company seems confident stating development is way ahead of European and American scientific research institutions and enterprises.

Tiny nuclear batteries

Image 1 of 3

size of the nucleat BV100 Betavolt battery next to a coin

(Image credit: Betavolt)
Image 2 of 3

Breakdown of the elements used to create the BV100 Betavolt nuclear battery

(Image credit: Betavolt)
Image 3 of 3

Close up of the nuclear battery BV100 created by Chinese company Betavolt

(Image credit: Betavolt)

This technology could revolutionize electronics by removing the need for chargers or portable power banks altogether creating devices that run continuously and whose batteries do not degrade in terms of capacity and lifespan over charging cycles in the way Li-ion batteries do.

It could even prove to be safer too, as Betavolt states that the BV100 will not catch fire or explode in response to punctures or even gunshots, unlike some current batteries that can be unsafe if damaged or when exposed to high temperatures.

Such unlimited power could provide drones that fly continuously, phones that run constantly, and electric cars that don’t require recharging. 

Currently nuclear batteries are used for spacecraft, underwater systems, automated scientific stations as well as crafts like the Mars rover, but they are large, heavy, and generate a lot of heat, as well as being expensive. However, Betavolt states that it uses a different approach.

How Betavolt's radioactive battery works 

To create the radioactive battery, Betavolt's scientist used nickel-63, which is a radiactive element, as the energy source and then diamond semiconductors as energy converters. 

The team developed a single-crystal diamond semiconductor that is just 10 microns thick, and then placed a 2-micron-thick nickel-63 sheet between two diamond semiconductor converters.

The decay energy of the radioactive source is then converted into an electrical current.

Betavolt claims the advantages of its atomic energy batteries are their lightweight, feature a long service life, as well as feature high energy density, and can work normally under extreme temperatures from -60 to 120-degrees Celcius. 

Due to the modular design multiple atomic batteries could be connected to provide a higher energy output that could power automotive technology, as well as AI systems just to name a few.

Toxic reputation 

Understandably most people wouldn’t want to carry nuclear material in their pocket; particular not viewers of HBO's fantastic but chilling Chernobyl series. Many could be hesitant to adopt the widespread use of nuclear batteries due to the negative connotations of nuclear tragedies like the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 or the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011.

However, the Betavolt also addressed the concerns about radiation, stating the battery is safe as it has no external radiation and is suitable for use in medical devices inside the human body like pacemakers and cochlea implants.

Betavolt says that after it has decayed the 63 nuclear isotopes become copper, which would be non-radioactive and not cause any environmental threat.

While it sounds like something from 1950s science fiction this technology could change the face of electronics by providing unwired, always-on devices that could be spell a new revolution in nuclear energy use. 

You may also like

Close up of Betavolt nuclear battery

Lenovo unveils most bizarre laptop of 2024 - franken-notebook is literally two computers stuck together that can run Windows and Android at the same time

Lenovo unveiled its most unconventional laptop yet, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid, which is essentially two computers fused together, allowing the device to run both Windows and Android. 

Revealed at CES 2024, the latest addition to Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus portfolio combines a Windows laptop base system and a tablet that can function independently or in conjunction, enabling users to switch between Windows 11 and Android 13 with ease. 

The laptop part, known as the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid Station, can be used independently from the tablet when connected to an external display - so you can still use it even if the tablet goes missing. The Android device, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid Tab, can also be detached for standalone use. 

Two devices for the price of one

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is designed for a range of users, including media content creators, designers, logistics professionals, and financial analysts. Its dual functionality allows it to handle virtually any mainstream task in a variety of formats. When the Tab is attached, it delivers a vivid 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display. 

The Hybrid Station is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU and Intel Arc graphics, with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. It has two USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports and an audio jack. 

The Android tablet is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It has one USB-C port. 

Both devices have long-lasting batteries that intelligently manage power delivery, and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. 

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid is expected to be available starting Q2 2024, with a starting price of $1,999.

More from TechRadar Pro

ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid

Twitch CEO addresses company’s layoffs, says the platform isn’t 'profitable at this point'

The CEO of streaming platform Twitch, Dan Clancy, has publicly spoken about the company’s recent layoffs, and revealed that right now, “we aren’t profitable.”

This came during a community chat hosted on Twitch yesterday (January 11). Clancy stated: "We've implied this before, where we say we need to run it sustainably, but I'll be blunt: we aren't profitable at this point. Amazon has been extremely supportive of Twitch and a big thing for being sustainable over time is ensuring that we don't lose money.”

It was confirmed on January 10 that the company is laying off over 500 people. At the time, Clancy said that “it has become clear that our organization is still meaningfully larger than it needs to be given the size of our business.” 

He added: "This decision, while incredibly difficult and painful, is necessary to ensure that we can continue to serve our streamers sustainably without impacting their ability to support their careers on Twitch.”

Back to Clancy’s livestream, and the CEO reiterated his confidence to users of Twitch that “we’re still going to be able to service your needs.”

“We’ve very focused on continuing to grow Twitch, and continuing to make Twitch the place it has been for so long,” he explained. “I want to be clear that we still have more than enough resources, we are still a reasonably sized organization. We’re still going to be able to service your needs, we’re still going to be able to improve the product. 

“We won’t be able to do as much as we would have done before, but I think we’re still going to see a lot happening in [2024] that you’ll be very excited about. [...] Our focus is on making Twitch the best place to live stream, the best place to build communities.”

This week, it was also confirmed that both Unity and Discord are making large staff cuts, with Unity laying off around 1,800 people and Discord laying off 170

Looking for some new games to play? You can find some fantastic recommendations on our lists of the best PC games, best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games.

Twitch

Thousands of WordPress sites under threat from dodgy plugins

A popular WordPress plugin with more than 300,000 installs carried two high-severity vulnerabilities that could allow threat actors to completely take over the websites, experts have warned.

Cybersecurity researchers from Wordfence discovered the flaw in early December last year, and reported it to the developers.

As per the researchers, the vulnerable plugin is called POST SMTP, a tool that helps webmasters deliver emails to their visitors. It carried two major flaws - CVE-2023-6875, and CVE-2023-7027.

Hundreds of thousands of potential victims

The former is a critical authorization bypass vulnerability affecting all versions of the plugin up to 2.8.7. By abusing the flaw, a threat actor could reset API keys and thus gain access to sensitive log information, such as password reset emails. They can even abuse the vulnerability to install backdoors, modify plugins and themes, tamper with the site’s content, or redirect users elsewhere (for example, to a malicious phishing page, or to a site marred with advertising). 

The latter is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability, also present in all versions up to 2.8.7. By abusing it, hackers can inject arbitrary scripts.

The flaw was first spotted in early December, with the patch being made available on January 1, 2024. Those using the POST SMTP tool should make sure the plugin is brought to version 2.8.8.

According to BleepingComputer, there are some 150,000 websites running POST SMTP versions older than 2.8. The other 150,000 are using a newer, but still vulnerable, version. Since the patch was released, some 100,000 new downloads have been made. 

POST SMTP is a free plugin, rated 4.8/5 on the WordPress plugin repository. 

Generally speaking, WordPress as a website builder is considered safe. However, there are tens of thousands of free plugins carrying different vulnerabilities. Some of the plugins, despite being popular with the users, are no longer being supported by their developers, putting the users under great risk.

More from TechRadar Pro

Laptop computer displaying logo of WordPress, a free and open-source content management system (CMS)

There's a huge winter sale at Amazon - shop the 21 best deals worth buying

Amazon is having a massive winter sale with clearance prices on thousands of items, including tech gadgets, kitchen appliances, vacuums, TVs, Apple devices, and fitness equipment. I've gone through the sale and picked out the 19 best deals that are worth buying from top brands such as Apple, LG, Keurig, Bissell, and Fitbit.

Shop Amazon's full winter sale

Amazon's winter sale includes huge discounts on some of last year's best-selling items as the retailer makes room for new 2024 products. Some highlights include the Apple Watch 9 on sale for its lowest price ever of $329, the all-new 4K Fire TV stick marked down to $34.99, and the best-selling Bissell Pet Hair Eraser vacuum on sale for a record-low price of $199.99. You can also score Fitbit deals on its best-selling activity trackers and smartwatches with prices from $49.

Below, I've listed links to the most popular categories from Amazon's winter sale, followed by more of today's best deals. If you're looking to shop for more winter sales around the web at other retailers, I've listed all the top bargains around the web further down the page.

Amazon winter sale - quick links

Amazon Winter sale - the 25 best deals

Fire TV Stick Lite with Alexa Voice Remote: was $29.99 now $21.99 at Amazon
Amazon's cheapest streaming device is the Fire TV Stick Lite, which is on sale for just $21.99 - only $7 more than the record-low price. The budget streaming player allows you to enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills and features an Alexa voice remote.View Deal

Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote: was $39.99 now $24.99 at Amazon
Amazon also has the best-selling Fire TV Stick on sale for just $29.99 - $10 more than the record-low price we saw during Black Friday. The HD streaming player allows you to enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills and features an Alexa voice remote, plus support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Amazon Alexa for hands-free control. View Deal

All-new Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote: was $49.99 now $34.99 at Amazon
Stream your content in higher resolution with the all-new Fire TV Stick 4K, which is marked down to $34.99 thanks to today's 30% discount. The best-selling Fire Stick allows you to stream your favorite content in 4K Ultra HD resolution with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.View Deal

Fullstar Vegetable Chopper: was $39.99 now $23.95 at Amazon
The Fullstar vegetable chopper has over 100,000 positive reviews on Amazon and is on sale for $23.95 at Amazon's winter sale. You can chop your favorite veggies in a flash with the four interchangeable blades that allow you to julienne, chop, and slice vegetables. View Deal

Eufy Smart Scale C1: was $29.99 now $23.98 at Amazon
The top-rated Eufy smart scale is on sale for $23.98 at Amazon right now - the lowest price we've seen. The Eufy Smart Scale C1 can measure your body's body fat ratio, BMI, bone mass, muscle mass, as well as your weight and gives you a more detailed way of checking in with your health and what that number on the scale actually means.View Deal

Toloco Massage Gun: was $75.99 now $39.99 at Amazon
This top-rated massage gun is getting a massive discount at Amazon's winter sale, down to just $39.99 when you apply the 20% discount at checkout. The Toloco massage gun features 20 different speed levels and 15 replaceable massage heads to relieve pain in all parts of your body.View Deal

Fitbit Inspire 3 fitness tracker: was $99.95 now $69.95 at Amazon
The cheapest Fitbit deal, aside from the kids model, is the ultra-slim Fitbit Inspire 3 on sale for $69.95 - the lowest price we've ever seen. Made for everyday wear, the Inspire 3 offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring and tracks sleep, workouts, stress, and more.View Deal

Fitbit Charge 6: was $159.99 now $129.95 at Amazon
The Charge 6 is Fitbit's latest activity tracker and Amazon's is slashing the price down to $129.95 - the best deal you can find. The Charge 6 includes updated HR sensors, making it one of Fitbit's best overall fitness trackers; plus, you're getting a comfortable band, a bright AMOLED screen, built-in GPS, and a Stress Management Score.View Deal

Keurig K-Classic Single-serve Coffee Maker: was $149.99 now $79.99 at Amazon
If you're looking for a coffee maker that can brew more than one cup, Amazon has the best-selling Keurig K-Classic on sale for a record-low price of $79.99. You're getting a large 48-ounce water reservoir and the ability to make multiple K-cup pod brew sizes.View Deal

Ninja AF080 Air Fryer: was $129.99 now $99.95 at Amazon
Join the air fryer craze and get the best-selling Ninja air fryer on sale for $99.95. The two-quart air fryer has over 15,000 positive reviews on Amazon and features a compact design that is perfect for people working in a small space.View Deal

Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven: was $119.99, now $79.95 at Amazon
This popular air fryer from the Instant brand does it all, and it's on sale for $79.95 at Amazon. That’s a great deal for the six-quart air fryer, which comes with a display window, six different functions, and Instant’s EvenCrisp technology for even cooking.View Deal

Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Lift-Off Vacuum Cleaner: was $279.99 now $199.99 at Amazon
The Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo provides powerful suction that features a FurGuard self-cleaning brush roll to pick up pet hair seamlessly. The lightweight vacuum can also transform into a detachable, portable canister vacuum for quick and easy cleanups. Today's deal from Amazon's winter sale brings the price down to $199.99.View Deal

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation): was $129 now $99 at Amazon
The Apple AirPods 2 are always a holiday best-seller, and Amazon has the earbuds on sale for just $99. While we saw the AirPods drop briefly to $69 during Black Black Friday, Walmart's price is the best deal you can get right now and is highly recommended if you want new AirPods and don't need noise-canceling technology.View Deal

Apple AirPods (3rd Generation): was $179 now $149.99 at Amazon
Amazon just dropped the AirPods 3 to $149.99, which is just $10 more than the record-low price. Compared to the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3 feature a longer battery life thanks to the MagSafe charging case, which provides more than 30 hours of total listening time and can be charged using a Qi-compatible charging mat or a Lightning connector.View Deal

Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C): was $249.99 now $189 at Amazon
The AirPods Pro 2 are in stock after selling out during the holidays, and Amazon has earbuds back down to a record-low price of $189. You're still getting all the same features as the previous Lightning version but with boosted dust resistance and the new and future-proof USB-C charging port. View Deal

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS): was $249 now $199 at Amazon
Amazon has the Apple Watch SE on sale for $199 - $20 more than the record-low price we saw during Black Friday. You're getting all the basic features that people love about the Apple Watch, such as GPS technology, heart rate monitoring, and health and fitness tracking. You can check out our Apple Watch SE 2 review to see why we awarded this model four and a half stars out of five.View Deal

Apple Watch Series 9: was $399.99 now $329 at Amazon
Amazon has the Apple Watch 9 on sale for $329 - the lowest price we've ever seen. The Apple Watch 9 is more powerful than ever thanks to the S9 SiP chip, which delivers a brighter display and 18 hours of battery life. You also get advanced health and safety features, GPS technology, and the new double-tap feature that allows you to use your Apple Watch without touching the display.View Deal

Apple iPad 10.2 (2021): was $329.99 now $249 at Amazon
Apple's 2021 iPad may be slightly older tech, but the 10.2-inch Retina display and A13 Bionic chip ensure excellent picture quality and superior performance to this day. The entry-level tablet can do it all without issue, according to our Apple iPad 10.2 review, whether that's browsing the net, streaming media, light work, or playing games. Today's deal is just $20 more than the record-low and a fantastic price for an Apple tablet. View Deal

Amazon Fire TV Omni Series 55-inch 4K TV (2021): was $549.99 now $399.99 at Amazon
If you're looking for a mid-size budget display, you can get this 55-inch Amazon Fire TV on sale for $399.99. Amazon's highly-rated Omni Series TVs feature 4K resolution support, Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and hands-free TV with Alexa. So, instead of using your remote, you can control the volume and launch channels completely hands-free. View Deal

Hisense 65-Inch U6K Series mini-LED 4K TV: was $799.99 now $598 at Amazon
If you're looking for a bigger display, you aren't going to get much better than this Hisense 65-inch 4K TV on sale for $598. The U6 Series TVs are Hisense's least expensive models with mini-LED backlighting, plus a QLED display, full-array local dimming, and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ high dynamic range.View Deal

LG C2 65-Inch 4K Smart TV (2022): was $1,899.99 now $1,446.99 at Amazon
The LG C2 OLED was rated as last year's best TV, and Amazon has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,446.99 - the best deal you can find right now. The gorgeous display is praised for its intense brightness and vivid colors in our LG C2 OLED review. The 65-inch TV also packs an a9 Gen5 AI Processor, Dolby Atmos, and voice control - all for under $1,500, which is incredible value for this highly-rated OLED TV.View Deal

More winter sales

Amazon deals

Smite 2 devs admit that they’re ‘concerned’ about players’ reactions to the lack of transferable content from the original

Smite 2 has been officially announced, and despite the significant improvements that have been shown off, developer Titan Forge Games has concerns that some players may be unhappy about the lack of transferable content between the two games. 

The upcoming multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) won’t be replacing Smite 1, which is sure to be a relief for loyal fans. Unfortunately, it was also confirmed in the announcement today (January 12) that players’ content won’t directly transfer from the original to the sequel. While all gem-purchasable skins added to Year 11 of Smite will be “cross-gen skins,” which will also unlock in Smite 2, others won’t be carried forward due to the amount of time and effort it would take.

“I think that this is internally the bit that we're most concerned about,” Smite’s executive producer, Alex Cantatore, tells TechRadar Gaming (TRG) in an interview. “I think we feel very confident with the gameplay, the graphics.”

He explains that he’s assured that players will instantly be able to see what an upgrade the sequel is, with factors that they “didn’t realize” they were missing. “But there definitely is a layer of, like, people put a lot of time and money into Smite 1, and it's a lot to ask them to move on to a new game,” Cantatore adds. 

Instead of content being directly transferred, two loyalty reward systems are being introduced. ‘Legacy Gems’ equivalent to however many gems (free and paid) players have spent in the original game, will be distributed to Smite 2 players, which can be used for 50% off the majority of in-game purchases. The amount of Legacy Gems received will be doubled for players who buy a Founder’s Pack for Smite 2.

Key art for Smite 2.

(Image credit: Hi-Rez Studios)

Additionally, the first update of Year 11 in Smite 1 will introduce ‘Divine Legacy,’ which rewards players for the time they’ve spent playing Smite over the years. Depending on how long they’ve been playing, players can unlock up to 11 skins to use in Smite 2, and their progress will earn them badges to use in the sequel, too.

Speaking more about these reward systems, Cantatore says that the team “evolved this plan at least five times,” adding more and more until their player groups remarked on how “generous” they were. 

“So, we are very hopeful that players look at this and they say, ‘Wow, you guys are really doing something great for the players, you care about the players,’ because we really do -  this was really designed with the players in mind,” Cantatore continues. “But we understand that there’s probably going to be some players that are disappointed because, you know, they want everything to transfer. But it just wasn’t possible for us to make this level of an evolution of a game and also bring everything from the past along.”

Adding to the discussion further, Titan Forge Games’ general manager, Travis Brown, tells us that the two systems are designed to reward both the players who’ve spent a lot of time in Smite, as well as those who’ve spent a lot of money. “It's more about incentives that we wanted to give to players that play Smite to move to Smite 2, but then also anyone that has ever lapsed, and not played Smite 1 anymore, just has a pile of rewards waiting for them when they log in on Smite 2 day one,” he says. 

Smite 2 is planned to enter alpha testing this spring and is set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Be sure to look at our roundups of the best free games and best multiplayer PC games for even more excellent games to play. 

A pre-alpha screenshot from Smite 2.

❌