Champions Online = the latest superhero MMO from Cryptic

by Christopher Grant { Feb 14th 2008 at 9:43PM }

Hidden away in plain sight at the top of Game Informer's latest cover (yup, the same one showing off Gearbox's Aliens: Colonial Marines) is a small reference to "Champions Online" – the latest MMO from the folks at Cryptic Studios. We know what you're thinking. "Crypic Studios ... where do I know that name?" Cryptic isn't just the name behind the popular (and recently sold) City of Heroes and City of Villains MMOs, but it was also recently attached to Microsoft's now confirmed-to-be-canceled Marvel Universe Online MMO. The subject matter of Champions Online? You guessed it: superheroes.

Whether Champions Online is stitched together from remnants of the canceled 360-exclusive Marvel MMO or made from a brand-new cape, Game Informer does say the new title will target consoles (plural) and PCs. In which case Cryptic will be competing directly with their previous tight-clad creation on the PC side (awkward) and – with NCsoft looking to announce their first PS3-bound console title later this year – the console space should prove quite competitive as well. Excelsior!

[Via Eurogamer]

Tags: Champions-Online, Cryptic, Cryptic-Studios

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

DangerMouse @ Feb 14th 2008 9:55PM

Meh, I'd rather see some new red faction.

bAssackwards @ Feb 14th 2008 10:02PM

Well this is going to be interesting. Whatever they do I hope mouse + keyboard is allowed.

Huey2k2 @ Feb 14th 2008 10:06PM

I tried CoH... Wasn't a big fan, but who knows, this could be good?

eldee @ Feb 14th 2008 10:15PM

forgive me if i'm more interested in the little blurb right next to it: Red Faction Guerilla

StrangeBum @ Feb 14th 2008 10:22PM

I always felt like MMO games weren't viable enough on consoles. I suppose last gen consoles really didn't have quite the ability to do it, excepting the Xbox of course.

But this generation seems really well suited for it, with all the systems (yes, even Wii to a degree) are suited to online play much better than ever before. Final Fantasy XI has proven to be a generally acceptable game on systems and Phantasy Star hasn't done so bad either.

Plus, City of Heroes was one of my favorite MMOs if just for the superhero factor of it. I welcome this quite readily and with open arms.

ThornedVenom @ Feb 14th 2008 10:25PM

Superheroism is the new Medieval Fantasy.

Oboro B @ Feb 14th 2008 11:03PM

This looks like it could be cool as long as they just don't rehash stuff from CoH.

Ken Seang @ Feb 14th 2008 11:51PM

Yea that new red faction is where the news should be! I could care less of this mmo...

Barbie Fu @ Feb 15th 2008 1:10AM

I guess I'm a geek, this is the old pen&paper rpg that rocked.....could be good.......who knows?, I'm not into mmorpgs..........I'm into video games, not chat and watch stuff happen games......

TrojanGuy @ Feb 15th 2008 2:06AM

I really liked CoH, but after a while the grind got old and there wasn't enough variation in the missions to keep me interested. If this new game can keep a lot of the aspects of CoH but add in some WoW-like features like better mission variation and possibly something like loot that changes your stats and appearance somewhat, it could be great.

LeChuck @ Feb 15th 2008 6:18AM

I'm happy about this. I was looking forward to Marvel UO because I hoped it'd be an improved version of CoH on a console and hopefully this will be just that. Plus without the Marvel license which would only have gotten in the way.

Kira @ Feb 15th 2008 7:58AM

"...the popular City of Heroes and City of Villians..."

Popular? If someone still plays a game, does that mean it's popular?

Shrugged @ Feb 15th 2008 8:58AM

if over one million people find something entertaining.... then yes... yes it is popular.

However it's by no means the 9 million that WOW has...

I'll just never understand the facination with Wizards/Dragons/Elves in the MMO world....

But hey... to each their own

Kamalot @ Feb 15th 2008 9:09AM

There was supposed to be a Champions game for ancient PCs (486s) that never was released. I'm still waiting for it to this day.

Devan @ Feb 15th 2008 11:16AM

CoH already has loot that varies your appearance. They're called Costume Recipes. The same can be said of Enhancements (IOs and others) that change your statistics. Any other form of "loot" isn't really going to add value or be enough to hold long-term interest. Moreover, Champions, the pen and paper RPG, is *very* numbers oriented. If you tried CoH and didn't care for it, I don't see why you'd care for an MMO based on the Champions system.

Batzarro @ Feb 15th 2008 6:27PM

I'll melancholy-like play the wait and see...

Ben @ Mar 1st 2008 7:58PM

I just read the article in Game Informer and it answers alot of your questions so here we go. They're not directly adapting the champion number based system, you use the face buttons for special attacks and rotate in new attacks with one of the shoulders. They promise combat will be fast but not button mashing skill will be involved. You will get loot and you can toggle whether you see your character waring it or not. They're using an evolved version of the engine they were using on the marvel mmo which cryptic owns. You can also create your secret identity and your arch villain.