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Champions Online, DDO free-to-play golden

Cryptic Studios' superhero-themed MMOG dons cape for September 1 PC launch, while Turbine's Dungeons & Dragons Online prepares to update September 9.

It has been nearly four years since Cryptic Studios released its last original product--City of Villains--but that dry streak is about to come to an end. Today, the Atari subsidiary announced that the PC edition of its massively multiplayer online role-playing game Champions Online has gone gold in the lead-up to its September 1 launch. An Xbox 360 edition of the game is expected to arrive later this year.

Jump-kicking confused women is a very heroic thing to do.

Jump-kicking confused women is a very heroic thing to do.

Originally part of 2K Games' product portfolio, Champions Online moved to Atari after the publisher purchased Cryptic in December.

Tracing its roots back to the now-canceled Marvel Universe Online, Champions Online features myriad character customization options, ranging from body structure to costumes to superpowers. The MMOG was bumped to September from its announced July window after Cryptic decided additional development time was necessary.

Champions Online isn't the only major PC MMOG release that will occur during the first part of September. Turbine said today that Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited has gone gold in advance of its September 9 launch. Those enrolled in the DDO VIP program will gain access to the expansion beginning September 1.

In addition to adding new content, the update splits DDO's current subscription model, letting players forgo a monthly fee but still purchase add-on packs, items, and other services a la carte through the new DDO Store. Alternatively, gamers can continue to pay a subscription fee, granting them full access to the online game.

For more on both games, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Champions Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online.

44 Comments

  • mavyn

    Posted Aug 21, 2009 4:29 pm GMT

    I am in the open beta. CO is amazing. If you like COH/COH you will love this one. It is a huge improvement in gameplay. Lots of quests, great graphics in a beautiful environment. I can't wait to review this game.

  • Xan4toX

    Posted Aug 17, 2009 3:49 pm GMT

    Jump-kicking confused women is a very heroic thing to do.lol XD
    This game sucks =)

  • Karmazyn

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 11:44 pm GMT

    You need to pay to get the game it will cost between 29.99 and 39.99 plus monthly fee between 7.99 and 11.99 it makes a cost of 154 GBP per year. It is a way too expensive. Not for me. I am gonne pass and spend this 154 GBP on games like Halo Odst, Forza 3, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 new Batman and I will have more fun that anyone else playing this !!!

  • Gezquester

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 1:39 pm GMT

    Champions is amazing! Can't wait for open Beta Monday!

  • dexter_safe

    Posted Aug 16, 2009 11:26 am GMT

    well im happy that it's coming to xbox 360.(even tho it'll cost more to buy it on 360)........

  • theholyemu

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 11:10 pm GMT

    @buffdaddy69 My computer cost as much as 360 and runs games just fine on high or very high... ecept for Crysis. Also, i had litlle to none lag and bugs were pretty minmal for a beta and Cryptic's service was very good. They fixed bugs pretty quickly.

  • sircyrus

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 7:27 pm GMT

    Like Infamous? o_O

    It more reminded me of a 3rd person Marvel Ultimate Alliance, rather than the isometric camera.

  • 12345678ew

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 4:14 pm GMT

    i'm friends with some IT guy down the street that got me into in house testing for this in january, it's really fun actually. reminds me a bit of infamous in the fighting style, except your less all powerful.

  • sircyrus

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 2:58 pm GMT

    @buffdaddy69
    Any lag issues in CO would have nothing to do with it being on the 360 vs PC. It wouldn't be Microsoft hosting the servers, it would be Cryptic.

  • theholyemu

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 1:08 pm GMT

    Y is evryone wanting a 360 one so badly? The one pc just ended its closed beta, which i was in, and the open beta starts on monday. Besides, it comes out earlier and has better graphics! Anyways, I loved playing champions in the closed beta, and defnitely getting the game. In my opinon the best MMO out there.

  • MrCha1nsaw

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:15 pm GMT

    Ah, as long as there are more hints and confirmations that a 360 version will be released...I'm happy. =)

  • Barighm

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:03 pm GMT

    @jazilla

    Yeah, when the final costs are calculated, it is cheaper just to go with the subscription fee, but a lot of players want to have a choice in what extras they purchase rather than spending the money for "the whole deal". Assuming a player has the discipline to just purchase the stuff he or she wants...it can be cheaper.

    Btw, noticed a few misconceptions here: CO is a regular subscription-based game. It's DDO that's gonna be free to play.

  • jazilla

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 10:54 am GMT

    Wouldn't the subscription based version of the game be the better way to go? Micro-transaction based games are spendier in my experience.

  • SirSpoon84

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 10:47 am GMT

    def gonna play DnD soon

  • RandomCTG

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 10:42 am GMT

    another game where you have to pay to play...

  • rann89

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 10:19 am GMT

    I'll try out DDO now since I'm not constrained by a timed trial to give it a test run and see if I like it. I like their strategy; gives me a chance to test out the game, without making me devote all my attention to it in 10 days before forcing me to make a choice.

    Though to be honest I'm looking at Champions, lol

  • athenian29

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 9:07 am GMT

    DDO FTW! I have to get that...

  • CreepyBacon

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 8:28 am GMT

    Way to many people are prejudging CO and I'm not sure why. I'll be playing the beta monday and will make my own mind up on it. Looks like good fun to me.Refreshing change from fantasy with dwarfs and things. Microtransactions don't bother me, the game has plenty of customization I wont ever need to buy anything else and if the day comes that i do..i simply unsub because they lied. End of the day try it properly before talking smack. Closed beta is hardly a good test of a retail product.

  • Kaully

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 7:50 am GMT

    @rockwii13 CO, if it ever come to 360, will charge a monthly fee like is counter part on PC. This fee is for Server maintenance and update. Like any other MMO (FFXI, Phantasy Star) Cause the Live fee cover only the live experience and service of Microsoft. CO fee should be around 15$ like all other MMO out there.

    And for the other ppl wondering why it isn't on 360 yet, it's because they are dealing with microsoft to know how the updating systems will work. Cause the game was designed to be played with the 360 controller from the start.(source:Official CO site)

  • rockwii13

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 7:06 am GMT

    I really hope the 360 version of Champions Online doesn't have a monthly fee. Why should we pay for an Xbox, pay for a gold subscription, pay for the game, then pay to use the game?! That sounds a bit rediculous. I'll see what the reviews are and see if the fee is reasonable, but there is too many other things coming out for me to spend that much money.

  • Rammone4

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 6:11 am GMT

    @ TRIPWOLF: Lol...Maybe if you had a "Quad Core" amd 2.33 Ghz cpu, a PNY 9800 Geforce GC with 1GB of on board RAm, and 3 GB of Memory, CO would run like a charm. To play "Next Gen" RPGs, you prolly need an equivalent of this setup...

  • SlayerX13

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 5:26 am GMT

    @ TRIPWOLF

    Not on my PC :/
    CO runs great for me.

  • Tripwolf

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 3:53 am GMT

    Champions Online is poorly optimized and runs sluggishly.. unless they pull a rabbit out of a hat and I hear about it - I won't be buying it. I'll be checking out DDO when it goes free though.

  • superkoolstud

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 3:24 am GMT

    so is Champions going to have a monthly fee?

  • Katakalypto

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:39 am GMT

    @buffdaddy69

    If the game ever makes it to the 360,I'm pretty sure that it will just use credit cards.

  • MrT__

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:26 am GMT

    They'd better have improved the optimisation of CO a lot since I tried the beta the other month, gave up after less than an hour because of the snails pace graphics (my computer is only a year old).

  • Karolysas

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:25 am GMT

    Plz F2P

  • uncleTACO8873

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 11:18 pm GMT

    damn, the title made it sound like its free to play with gold account. thanks for the confusing let down.

  • tomamagic

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 9:51 pm GMT

    I will be playing Aion in Sept . . .*thumbs up*

  • sircyrus

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 9:06 pm GMT

    @GoldenGun
    That's not what they said. They said anything that affects the gameplay, meaning MT items, will also be available ingame - though sometimes it will be a comparable item rather than the exact same item.

    But for costume pieces, they have never said those will be available to unlock ingame as well. They've been mum on that issue, which can be assumed to mean that they only intend the items to be attainable without dishing out the cash for.

  • GeigerdolylWodd

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 7:46 pm GMT

    @nofriekinlemons
    I'm leaning towards not and I've never played an MMO before. Still waiting for a demo of Huxley that I can play just to see what makes it unique as an FPS. Oh and Borderlands

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 6:49 pm GMT

    I really wonder how the pay system for Champions on 360 is going to be? Is it gonna make you use a credit card liek sqaure did? or can you just use time cards or microsoft points to put time on you're account?

  • GoldenGun

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 6:14 pm GMT

    @ sircyrus: They have stated that anything that's sold in MT's can be achieved through playing the game. MT's will only give your character the costume choices, earlier rather than later.

  • feliscele

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 6:03 pm GMT

    Watch the Champions Online 360 version get delayed three times and then canceled. Just watch.

  • Gruug

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 5:05 pm GMT

    Champions Online is nothing like CoH/CoV. Gameplay is much faster. Graphics are much better. Don't like MTs but will sub up for at least six months and see where things go.

  • SirSpoon84

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 5:03 pm GMT

    well crud, there it goes

  • SirSpoon84

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 5:03 pm GMT

    anyone else having trouble watching video?

  • sircyrus

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:39 pm GMT

    With Champions Online centering around character customization, it's completely ridiculous of them to have costume MT's.

    Either you give players the freedom to design the character they want, or you don't. They aren't, thanks to their decision to charge extra for those costume options, so they should stop with the advertising saying that they are.

    MT's and multiplatforming (2 issues which plague Champions Online) are the 2 worst concepts to come to gaming, and are the surest way to drive PC gaming into the ground.

  • Viktormon

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:33 pm GMT

    I like the option to subscribe one prize for life.
    And the microtransaction items aren't any items that gives you any fighting opportunity, it's only items that makes your character look cooler.
    So it's up to you if looking cool is worth to pay for.

  • NuKkU

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:30 pm GMT

    thats cool man

  • nappan

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:23 pm GMT

    Free to play... microtransactions of necessity excluded offer may vary no purchase necessary check the fine print because they're gonna **** yah!. Welcome to MMOG town.

  • Emraldo

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:16 pm GMT

    Played City of Heroes (and Villains). Great character customization, boring gameplay. Expecting more of the same.

  • Jiggy_Wilson

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:11 pm GMT

    Come on Crypic, make Champions free to play...whose a good studio? Whose a good studio? You are! Yes you are! Now go make it free to play!

  • nofriekinlemons

    Posted Aug 14, 2009 4:05 pm GMT

    im still hesitating whether i should buy this or not

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