Tribes: Ascend users will probably be a little upset to hear that development updates for the free-to-play game are slowing down. Currently, Hi-Rez Studio's focus is on its other lineup of games, including MOBA SMITE and Global Agenda 2. It's much more likely for Hi-Rez to bring Tribes 2 over new updates.
However, to soften this blow of bad news, Hi-Rez is considering bringing mod tools and level editors to the community, allowing there to continually be new content generated for the game. "The main community request we’re hearing, which was always a part of Tribes, is for some way for the community to create their own maps," stated Hi-Rez co-founder Tod Harris. "So, over the next six months, as far as what’s next for Tribes, that’s really the area we’re going to be exploring. We don’t really have any details on that, but that’s what we’re hearing mainly from the community. They’d like a way, independent of our own map schedule, which is obviously slowing down, to be able to update their own maps. We’re going to be exploring that."
Considering the lack of content coming for Tribes, bringing user generated content to the game is probably the best way to keep the remnants of the community interested in the game. However, Harris states that this is currently a possibility that the developer is exploring, but nothing is set in stone. "I don’t have any other specifics I can give other than the intent we’re going to support it," he explained.