Introduce Champions Online

Developer(s)	Cryptic Studios
Publisher(s)	Atari
Engine	Game Tech
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Release date(s)	September 1, 2009 (PC) (Australian release September 10, 2009)
Genre(s)	Superhero MMORPG
Mode(s)	Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T (Teen)

Champions Online is a subscription-based, superhero-themed "massively" (max. 100 players in one area at one time) multiplayer online role-playing game by former City of Heroes/Villains developer Cryptic Studios based on the Champions license. The game has been released for Microsoft Windows and the game is also tentatively being developed for the Xbox 360. The game's rules and setting are loosely based on the HERO System ruleset.

Gameplay
The game itself is action-oriented. Successful attacks and blocks increase a power meter which can then be spent to unleash more powerful actions. Death is handled in a similar manner to City of Heroes, in which a player may choose to be revived by a teammate or respawn at a neutral site, except respawning does not accrue experience debt. Instead, upon death you lose a one of your five possible accrued Hero Stars. These stars are earned for staying alive while defeating NPCs. Your character gains bonuses to their the effectiveness for every star earned (percentage increases to damage, healing, etc.)

The game features an "orb system" where enemies defeated by the player may drop orbs that temporarily benefit the hero's powers, life, or energy.

The game includes non-combat crafting skills, such as various studies in science, arms and magic, in which these have three other specializations players can choose under them. There are also a variety of travel powers, including swinging using webs or grappling hooks, flying, fire flying, jet-boot flying, rocket boot jumping, hover disks, super jump, super speed, teleportation, acrobatics (fast running, leaps and flips), ice sliding, earth flying and tunneling.

Locations

 The action takes place in the Champions universe, featuring Champions characters as NPCs. Regions include urban sprawls, dinosaur-infested islands, underground ruins, and underwater lairs. A special region called "the underground circuit" allows player vs. player competition. Also, stronghold is used for player vs. player scenarios, in which the player will take on the role of a supervillain trying to break out or a superhero trying to contain them. Each region in the game is an "instance" with up to 100 players in it at one time. The regions are reset if you leave and return, only saving "your" state of the regions at certain "save points". It is possible to revisit the same region to redo the same missions again and again.

Locations include:
    * Canada
    * Millennium City, a high tech city built on the ruins of Detroit
    * Lemuria City, an underwater city
    * Stronghold, a high level superprison buried in Devil's Head Mesa
    * Burial Butte, Canada
    * Monster Island
    * Slither Beach
    * Snake Gulch

Characters

The game features a character creation similar to City of Heroes, with additions such as the ability to edit a hero's movement animations, such as a beast-like hero opting to run and leap on all fours. The player may also edit the color and firing position of their powers, such as changing a power's energy animation from red to green or changing the animation to fire from the head instead of the palms.

Another difference from City of Heroes is the elimination of any character class or archetype system; characters can take any skill or power. The game also supports solo play throughout a hero's career if desired.
At level 25, players are able to create their own custom nemesis along with his or her minions using the same character creation system used to make your hero, with added selections specifically for the nemesis. The nemesis' minions will then ambush the player's hero, providing clues and information leading to nemesis missions and eventually a showdown with your nemesis. The level cap is 40, with special endgame content and gameplay at the cap.

Technology

	Minimum Requirements	Recommended Configuration
OS	Windows XP SP2 / Windows Vista / Windows 7	Windows XP SP2 / Windows Vista / Windows 7
CPU	2.5GHz Single Core or 1.8GHz Dual Core	Intel E8400 Core2Duo or Better
Memory	1GB RAM	2GB RAM or Better
Video	NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / ATI Radeon X700 or HD / Intel GMA 4	NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or Better / ATI Radeon HD 3850 or Better
Sound	DirectX 9.0c Compatible Soundcard	DirectX Compatible Soundcard
DirectX	Version 9.0c or Higher	Version 9.0c or Higher
HDD	5GB Free Disk Space	5GB Free Disk Space
Network	Broadband Required	Broadband Required
Optical	6X DVD-ROM	6X DVD-ROM or Better