City of Heroes
News, coverage and analysis tracking City of Heroes across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Massively Overthinking: How much effort do you put into your MMO characters’ backstories?
The Massively OP staff discusses the varying levels of effort they put into creating backstories and personalities for their MMORPG characters. While some players craft elaborate narratives, others prefer simpler concepts or let personalities emerge organically through gameplay, with some games like Palia naturally encouraging more in-depth role-playing.
Vague Patch Notes: You cannot balance an MMO for fun
This article argues that 'fun' cannot be directly balanced in Massively Multiplayer Online games, as it is a subjective and vague concept. While numbers and rewards can be tweaked, true fun is personal and cannot be universally achieved through game design adjustments. The author uses examples from World of Warcraft and other MMOs to illustrate the complexities of balancing player enjoyment with game mechanics.
MMOs don't need 'to be 200 hours of unique content' at launch, says industry vet
MMO design veteran Jack Emmert argues that new Massively Multiplayer Online games do not need to launch with an excessive amount of unique content. He suggests that focusing on a strong core experience and a committed live team allows for organic growth based on player desires, contrasting this with the current industry trend of over-scoping.
"People want MMOs, and the sales of New World proved it" – Cryptic Studios head Jack Emmert on why MMOs are ripe for reinvention
Cryptic Studios CEO Jack Emmert believes the MMORPG market is still strong, citing the sales of New World as proof, despite recent cancellations. He argues that successful MMOs should focus on a distinct vision and niche audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone, which often leads to diluted experiences. Emmert also emphasizes the importance of rapid prototyping and controlled scope for long-term success in the genre.
City of Heroes Homecoming says it’s not abandoning Mac players, so stop panicking
The Homecoming team for City of Heroes has stated they have no plans to abandon Mac players, despite concerns arising from Apple's deprecation of Rosetta 2 support. While the future depends on Apple's actions, the developers are actively working on solutions to ensure continued Mac compatibility.
MMOs are better if classes are imbalanced—you just need to do it on purpose
This article argues that intentional class imbalance can improve the player experience in MMOs, fostering unique contributions and community interaction. While perfect balance aims for efficiency, it can lead to homogenization, making individual roles feel less special. The author suggests that embracing intentional imbalances, as seen in older MMOs, can create more engaging and memorable gameplay experiences.
The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG has the most realistic diseases and poisons?
This article discusses the lack of realistic disease and poison mechanics in modern MMORPGs, contrasting them with older titles like City of Heroes and Ultima Online where these effects could be genuinely debilitating. The author asks readers for examples of the most gruesome or realistic disease and poison implementations in the genre.
The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG still really needs to have a mobile client or spinoff?
The author questions which MMORPGs still lack a mobile client or spinoff, despite the success of games like RuneScape and Albion Online on mobile. The article highlights the potential for games like Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, and World of Warcraft to benefit from mobile integration, citing the recent Guild Wars 1 port announcement as a point of discussion.
Perfect Ten: MMOs with player-generated content that somehow didn’t require blockchain
This article discusses several MMORPGs that feature robust player-generated content systems without relying on cryptocurrency or blockchain technology. Games like Final Fantasy XIV, Star Wars Galaxies, and Warframe are highlighted for their successful implementation of user-created content, demonstrating that player engagement and creativity are sufficient motivators for content creation.
The Daily Grind: Are you a chronic reroller in MMOs?
This article discusses the common player habit of 'rerolling' characters in MMORPGs and other RPGs. The author admits to frequently restarting with new characters, finding the appeal in the fresh potential and immediate gratification of advancement, a tendency exacerbated by the genre.
The Daily Grind: Who’s the best robot in an MMORPG?
This article discusses the prevalence and appeal of robots within Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs). It highlights examples from Star Wars Galaxies, Star Wars: The Old Republic, City of Heroes, and WildStar, posing the question of which robot character is the best in the genre.
MMO Week in Review: Guild Wars in your pocket
ArenaNet announced a mobile port of Guild Wars Reforged with cross-progression, coinciding with the game's 21st anniversary. This week also saw Final Fantasy XIV patch 7.5, Pearl Abyss selling EVE Online studio CCP Games to its management, and Star Wars The Old Republic revealing the planet Ryloth for its 8.0 update.
Loving MMOs in 2026 is an exercise in frustration, grief, and moving on
The current state of MMORPGs in 2026 is frustrating due to a lack of new titles and constant changes to existing ones, leaving players reliant on older games. This situation is attributed to the conflict between the long development cycles of MMOs and the short-term profit demands of shareholders, leading to cancellations and instability within the genre.
The Daily Grind: Is gliding more fun than flying in MMORPGs?
This article discusses the evolution and enjoyment of gliding mechanics in MMORPGs, comparing it to traditional flying. While initially underwhelmed by Guild Wars 2's gliding, the author now appreciates its contribution to player freedom without trivializing world traversal, noting its prevalence in recent survival sandboxes like Aloft, Palia, Nightingale, and Farever.
Massively Overthinking: Should MMOs reward players for content they were gonna do anyway?
This article discusses the potential negative impacts of over-gamification in MMORPGs, where rewards for basic activities like logging in or completing daily quests can diminish intrinsic motivation. Several writers share experiences of feeling obligated to play rather than enjoying the game, leading to burnout and a loss of interest. The discussion explores whether these systems benefit players or studios in the long term.
City of Heroes Rebirth devs release a new launcher to support the community’s rogue servers
The City of Heroes Rebirth team has released a new launcher to support unlicensed rogue servers for the MMORPG. This 'City of Heroes Multiverse Launcher' acts as a shared entry point, allowing individual servers to customize their appearance and provide players with a unified way to download the game and updates. The launcher consolidates several small servers under the Homecoming banner, offering a convenient alternative for players.
Perfect Ten: MMORPGs that indulge in character multiclassing and subclassing
This article lists ten MMORPGs that feature multiclassing or subclassing systems, allowing players to combine different classes for unique character builds. Games like City of Heroes, Dungeons and Dragons Online, and Elder Scrolls Online are highlighted for their robust or mandatory multiclassing mechanics.
City of Heroes celebrates its 22nd birthday with an anniversary event and new badge
City of Heroes is celebrating its 22nd anniversary with an in-game event and a new 'Exuberant' badge available until May 31st. The Homecoming servers are hosting the event, which includes dropping anniversary time capsules. NCSoft licensed the Homecoming rogue server community in 2024, a significant positive development for the game's history.
City of Heroes Homecoming has begun promoting fan-favorite mission architect arcs
The Homecoming team for City of Heroes is promoting fan-created missions within the Mission Architect system by flagging them as 'dev's choice' arcs. This initiative aims to highlight quality player-crafted content and support its designers, a practice reminiscent of the original Paragon Studios' approach. Players can find recommendations for these story-driven missions on the Homecoming AE forum.
Perfect Ten: Old MMORPGs we used to talk about all the time but aren’t mentioned today
This article discusses ten MMORPGs that were once highly anticipated and frequently discussed but have since faded into obscurity. Games like Tabula Rasa, RIFT, Mythos, The Secret World, and Marvel Heroes are highlighted, with reasons for their decline ranging from studio closures and mismanagement to shifting player interest and lack of sustained development.