City of Heroes
News, coverage and analysis tracking City of Heroes across the outlets.
Latest coverage
The Daily Grind: Would Ship of Heroes have succeeded if Homecoming didn’t happen?
This article discusses whether Ship of Heroes would have succeeded if the City of Heroes private server Homecoming had not launched. The author suggests that the existence of Homecoming, the original superheroic MMORPG, likely contributed to Ship of Heroes' downfall, making its own demise inevitable.
WRUP: Stat blocks for the weird dudes at your local McDonald’s edition
The Massively OP staff and community share their gaming plans for the weekend, with discussions centering on MMORPGs like City of Heroes, Final Fantasy XIV, and World of Warcraft. Several staff members also reflect on the most impactful video games from their past, with Ultima Online, City of Heroes, and Dragon Quest being frequently cited.
One Shots: Going for the spacegold
This week's "One Shots" column highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Ryzom's virtual sporting events, Final Fantasy XIV's nighttime cityscapes, and a humorous take on a hero invading a villain's lair in City of Heroes. Players are encouraged to share their own memorable in-game moments.
WRUP: Absolutely true facts about The Wolf edition
Several Massively OP staff members share their weekend gaming plans, including time in City of Heroes, Monster Hunter Wilds, Final Fantasy XIV, and World of Warcraft. The discussion also touches on personal anxieties related to job interviews and important decisions.
Vague Patch Notes: In which I do not memorialize Elyon
This opinion piece reflects on the nature of player connection to games, using Elyon and Astellia Online as examples of games that failed to maintain player interest or community. The author contrasts these with Final Fantasy XIV and Warframe, highlighting how emotional impact and shared experiences, even in flawed games, can be significant.
The Daily Grind: Are there features in your MMORPG that nobody uses?
This article discusses the phenomenon of underused features in MMORPGs, using Star Wars Galaxies' auction system and City of Heroes' LFG tool as examples. It questions why these features persist and prompts players to share their own experiences with unused game mechanics.
One Shots: This gnome does not approve of your life
This week's "One Shots" column features community screenshots from various MMOs, including Istaria, City of Heroes, Fallout 76, Guild Wars 2, and Lord of the Rings Online. The article highlights humorous and interesting in-game moments shared by players.
WRUP: Here are the items that you have gotten mustard stains on edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' roundup features community and staff discussing their weekend gaming plans. Titles mentioned include City of Heroes, Lord of the Rings Online, Palia, The Division 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guild Wars Reforged, Eternal Strands, and World of Warcraft. A bonus question asks about preferred fruits, with responses ranging from oranges to coconuts.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 577: Stars Reach’s next generation trek
The Massively OP Podcast episode 577 covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, the upcoming MapleStory Classic World, a preview of Stormforge, playable Kodan in Guild Wars 3, and Palia's fall roadmap. The hosts also touch on Daybreak Game Company's financials and other meta site topics.
MMO Week in Review: Way too early access
This week's MMO news covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, which some consider premature. Other highlights include a look at Guild Wars 3's Kodan, Daybreak's acquisition of Cold Iron Studios, new content for EverQuest Legends, and an analysis of the survival game Stormforge. The article also touches on various other MMO updates, rumors, and industry discussions.
WRUP: This is where the fish lives edition
The Massively OP staff and community share their weekend gaming plans. Brianna Royce will check out Stars Reach and City of Heroes, Chris Neal is playing Palworld, Eliot Lefebvre anticipates updates for Final Fantasy XIV and Warframe, Sam Kash plans to play Guild Wars Reforged and Gloria Victis, and Tyler Edwards is catching up in World of Warcraft. Pierre is returning to Final Fantasy XIV and replaying A Plague Tale: Innocence in anticipation of A Plague Tale: Requiem.
Betawatch: Stars Reach hits early access stumbles and Guild Wars 3 outlines its Kodan details
This week's Betawatch covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, with developer Raph Koster apologizing for initial issues. Guild Wars 3 has also detailed its playable Kodan, while City of Heroes and Stormforge have received updates. The roundup includes news on numerous other MMOs in various testing phases, including Aero Tales Online, Elder Scrolls Online, and Aloft.
City of Heroes Homecoming is finally testing i28p4 with two new powersets: Light Affinity and Sonic Aura
City of Heroes Homecoming has released patch i28p4 to open beta, introducing two new powersets: Light Affinity and Sonic Aura. The update also includes a revamp of the Citadel TF, a new PvPvE arena mode called Onslaught, a new villain arc, and numerous gameplay fixes and balance adjustments.
Perfect Ten: The 10 MMORPG expansions from 2004
2004 was a pivotal year for the MMORPG industry, marked by numerous significant expansions for established titles. This list highlights ten key expansions, including EverQuest: Gates of Discord and Omens of War, Dark Age of Camelot: New Frontiers and Catacombs, Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia, Anarchy Online: Alien Invasion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed, Meridian 59: Evolution, and Ultima Online: Samurai Empire. These expansions introduced new content, classes, features, and gameplay mechanics that shaped the genre.
Massively Overthinking: What year of MMOs would you pick to repeat forever?
The Massively OP staff discusses which year in MMORPG history they would choose to relive forever. Contributors like Brianna Royce, Carlo Lacsina, Chris Neal, Sam Kash, and Tyler Edwards share their picks, ranging from the early days of Ultima Online and EverQuest to the peak of World of Warcraft and the launch of Guild Wars 2.
Vague Patch Notes: The challenge of staying in an MMO
This opinion piece discusses the challenges of consistently creating content for a single Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game over extended periods, using Final Fantasy XIV as a primary example. The author reflects on the personal toll and potential burnout associated with long-term game coverage, emphasizing the importance of taking breaks and pursuing other interests to maintain passion and content quality.
The Daily Grind: Which MMORPG studio’s reputation has changed most dramatically over time?
This article discusses how the reputations of MMORPG studios like NCsoft and Blizzard Entertainment have changed dramatically over time. It highlights how studios can recover from past missteps through actions like reviving games or developing successful franchises, while others squander initial goodwill.
WRUP: Under no circumstances can Kenneth be allowed to have a second magic hat edition
The Massively OP staff and community share their weekend gaming plans, with titles like Lord of the Rings Online, The Division 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and ZeroSpace being mentioned. The discussion also touches on favorite puddings and general gaming interests.
Massively Overthinking: Are there any MMORPGs or MMO features that are good kinda by accident?
This article discusses MMORPGs and their features that became popular or fun by accident, often in ways unintended by developers. Examples include "alting" and the architect system in City of Heroes, content trains in Guild Wars 2, and the unintended consequences of Grand Theft Auto Online's content creator. World of Warcraft and Fortnite are also cited for features that evolved beyond their original design intent.
The Daily Grind: Does your MMO have a rivalry with another game?
This article discusses the phenomenon of rivalries between Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs), using examples like Destiny 2 and Marathon, and the long-standing perceived competition between World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV. It questions the legitimacy and origins of these rivalries, encouraging readers to share their own experiences.
