Champions Online

[Jack of Tears]

Being pretty blatant about it, too. The Supreme Serpent even looks like Serpentor.

[Doug]

To quote the old GI Joe Commercials...

"SERPENTOR!, Serpentor. The most evil foe of GI JOE!"

[Nargrakhan]

To quote the old GI Joe Commercials...

"SERPENTOR!, Serpentor. The most evil foe of GI JOE!"

It's Fumbles. It was always Fumbles.

[Nargrakhan]

I still haven't figured out if she shaves or not.



What a bored Narg does.

[Nargrakhan]

Executive Producer for CO has changed:

http://www.champions-online.com/node/594895

Seems like they fired Bill Roper and put the Lead Programmer in charge.

For those who don't know about Bill, he was Executive Producer for Hellgate London. You know... one of the few MMO's that actually 100% failed.

Well... they shit canned him out the company all together:

http://www.champions-online.com/node/595033

That it happened the same day that City of Heroes launched their newest expansion, is likely no coincidence.

I believe the server population on CO dropped to abysmal levels these last 48 hours.

The other project he headed, Star Trek Online, has also been running into the gutter. Most everyone there, is waiting to abandon the MMO as soon as Old Republic is out.

[Jack of Tears]

Hellgate: London was actually pretty decent ... though they never should have tried to add an MMO element to it.

That is lame about the game bottoming, here I was looking forward to them getting the thing fixed so I could play it again. (played the beta before they nerfed everything one day to launch and was thinking if they fixed the problem and gave it another year of testing maybe it could be salvaged)

Say Narg, by the way, how is your L5R game going?

[Nargrakhan]

Hellgate: London was actually pretty decent ... though they never should have tried to add an MMO element to it.

I hear it's coming back, as Hellgate London: Resurrection, but was bought out by a Korean MMO company. Not sure if that's good news or bad news...

That is lame about the game bottoming, here I was looking forward to them getting the thing fixed so I could play it again. (played the beta before they nerfed everything one day to launch and was thinking if they fixed the problem and gave it another year of testing maybe it could be salvaged)

Yea. CO never recovered from that launch day nerf... I mean it's had some good times, but they're not outweighing the shadow of that screw up. The CoH update proves that the CO community, is looking for anything to escape. They want a Comic Book MMO, but something fresh (as CoH and CoV are dated). When DCU Online is out, I think CO will officially die a slow death.

Say Narg, by the way, how is your L5R game going?

I'll update in the l5r thread.

[Nargrakhan]

lol... didn't play CoH because the two servers I use are full (kept getting disconnected).

Screenshot of when I tried to log on.

I suppose that's good and all... but I can't play with my friends.

[Nargrakhan]

The game will be F2P next year.

Greetings, Champion!

We’ve got some big news we wanted to share with you right away.

Beginning Q1 2011, Champions Online will offer a free-to-play gameplay option. Everyone can download, play and enjoy Champions Online at absolutely no cost!

Since you’re a Champions Online subscriber, we just want to let you know that you have options, and the game as you know it doesn’t have to change.
We’re breaking play options down into two categories: Gold and Silver. Gold players will receive the same consideration subscribers receive now – full access to new content, Adventure Packs, powers and so on. You can become a Gold player by taking advantage of our great subscription options, which will remain available. So, since you’re already a subscriber, you’ll be a Gold player right away, and your Champions Online experience won’t change, and Gold and Silver players will not be segregated in the gameworld.

Silver players can enjoy much of the game’s content for free, but they’ll have the option pay for certain a la carte premium upgrades and services that Gold players can access at no charge.

We’re sure you have a lot of questions. That’s good! We’re looking forward to working with you to answer them. Right now, we’ve set up a new short FAQ and a special Q&A forum to begin answering your more in-depth questions.

We plan on entering our free-to-play beta on November 9, and to launch the new, free-to-play version of Champions Online in the first quarter of 2011. We can’t wait to grow the game with you, and we hope you’re as excited as we are!

As always, thanks for your continued support. We’ll see you in Millennium City!

-The Champions Online Team

Link to FAQ

Link to Q&A

[Jack of Tears]

I was wondering how long that would take. Me, I'll all for it ... after the god awful release I have never gone back, but this is just the sort of thing that'll encourage me to give it another shot. And, if the game is better, they have fixed all the problems that made to run away from it in the first place, I might even become convinced to upgrade to a pay per month service until TOR comes out. I look forward to it.

Oh, and rereading the last few posts reminded me - how is your L5R game going, Narg?

[Nargrakhan]

As per Atari's latest financial release, Cyptic Studio is to be sold to another company immediately. If Atari cannot sell Cryptic, then they are to be terminated.

Champions Online and Star Trek Online are the IP's Cryptic holds.

It is not a recommendation: it's a corporate order.

[Jack of Tears]

Well, maybe whoever buys Champions will fix the problems and turn it into the game it should have been. STO ... I doubt anyone will want it.

[Nargrakhan]

Found the official doucment in question.

Cryptic is responsible for losing MILLIONS of dollars. They're considered a complete and total failure. Guess the F2P plan failed.

I don't think someone can divide Champions from Cryptic.... Cryptic owns Champions (as in the entire comic and rpg universe). Atari is selling (or dumping) Cryptic, but only Cryptic can sell Champions.

Star Trek Online is license to Atari though, IIRC. They just hired Cryptic to make it. I assume though, Atari will include STO as part of the same package.

[Doug]

You think anyone would want to buy them with their track record at the moment?

[Nargrakhan]

Chinese company called Perfect World bought Cryptic and all it's IP assets.

Price? $50 million dollars.

Heh... all three American comic book MMO's are owned by Asian countries:

Champions Online is Chinese
City of Heroes is Korean
DC Universe Online is Japanese

Go figure...

[Doug]

Chinese company called Perfect World bought Cryptic and all it's IP assets.

Price? $50 million dollars.

Heh... all three American comic book MMO's are owned by Asian countries:

Champions Online is Chinese
City of Heroes is Korean
DC Universe Online is Japanese

Go figure...

Perfect World International has Perfect World and Forsaken World as it's main MMO offerings. Adding Cryptic will help them Diversify their MMO Portfolio and they get Cryptic's Engine which, I bet, was the real reason they bought them. (The Engine and tools helped Cryptic to crank out 2 almost finished MMOs in 3 years)

[Nargrakhan]

Twincest. They added twincest... as "real money" combat pets.



It's like they knew about me.