Atari and Cryptic announced the one million character milestone today, using the figure as an example of the strong reception Champions Online has received from both fans and game critics since the game launched in early September. A million superheroes running about saving the day is nothing to scoff at, though I'm sure the companies would rather that was a million registered players. Still, Atari seems pleased.

"We are very pleased with the wonderful praise Champions Online is receiving," said Jim Wilson, CEO, Atari, Inc. "We credit the great MMO fan base and look forward to seeing what players create as the game continues to grow and develop. We are working hard on new content and updates that will expand the universe and give Champions fans more to explore."

Expect that number to increase by a large amount this weekend, with a free trial of Champions Online kicking off tomorrow.

Judging from the game's simplistic, stylized look, you wouldn't think you'd need a powerful machine to run it, and you'd be correct in that thinking. Champions will run just barely on a 2.5GHz single core CPU with 1GB of RAM and a GeForce 7800, and if you are a PC gamer who doesn't have at least that, then you've received this post through a time portal at least two years in the past.

Now to make it really sing you'll need a 2GHz dual core, 2GB of RAM, and either a GeForce 8800 or ATI Radeon HD3850 or better...which are oddly enough the two video cards I have in the PCs in my home. Yes, I know. The need to upgrade is strong in this one. Check out the full requirements below, while I surf PriceWatch for video card upgrades.

Minimum System Requirements

* OS:Windows XP/Vista
* CPU:2.5GHz Single Core or 1.8GHz Dual Core
* Memory:1GB RAM
* Video:NVIDIA GeForce 7800 / ATI Radeon X700 or HD / Intel Graphics with Dual Core
* Sound:DirectX Compatible Soundcard
* HDD:5GB Free Disk Space
* Network:ADSL / Cable Modem
* Disc:DVD-ROM
* Driver:DirectX 9.0c

Recommended System Configuration

* OS:Windows XP/Vista
* CPU:2GHz Dual Core or Better
* Memory:2GB RAM or Better
* Video:NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or Better / ATI Radeon HD3850 or Better
* Sound:DirectX Compatible Soundcard
* HDD:5GB Free Disk Space
* Network:ADSL / Cable Modem or Better
* Disc:DVD-ROM
* Driver:DirectX 9.0c

System Specs Revealed! [Champions Online - Thanks Macy!]

In what feels like the fastest massively-multiplayer online role-playing game development turnaround in the history of the genre, Roper told Strategy Informer that the company's new take on the online superhero game would be simultaneously launching in Europe and the states on July 14th. The game was officially announced just last February, though one assumes that Cryptic's resources and assembled knowledge in creating the City of Heroes franchise for NCsoft aided greatly in the design process.

Champions Online Dated, releases 14th July 2009 in US and Europe [Strategy Informer]

This launch video for Issue 14 is an overview of the mission creation system, which we've gone over rather exhaustively in the past. Now that the system is live, it's all up to the creativity of the game's player base as to whether the new system is an amazing success or a colossal waste of time and resources.

It's basically "Am I Hot Or Not?" for the superhero set. Characters generated in the beta version of Champions Online appear in the special section of the website, where players can then assign one to five stars to the creations, with the top heroes highlighted on the page.

With ratings ranging from "Pretty Neat" to "Super Cool" make it more of a game of "am I awesome or more awesome?" than "am I hot or not?", the feature does manage to highlight some of the options available in the game at this early stage.

Check Out the New "Rate My Champion" Feature on www.champions-online.com!

Los Gatos, Calif. – January 22, 2009 – Cryptic Studios™, a leading developer and publisher of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), announced a new “Rate My Champion” feature on the Champions Online website which will allow the public to view, and rate, characters created in the Beta version of their upcoming game, Champions Online (www.champions-online.com).

Well known for the extensive character creation options in their games, Cryptic Studios is now out-stripping their own prior accomplishments in the area of character customization. "The Champions Online character creator defines the new standard in avatar customization in MMOs," said Randy Mosiondz, Lead Designer for Champions Online. The new “Rate My Champion” feature on the website makes public for the first time the vast array of customization possible in the soon to be released game.

Visitors to the website are invited to vote on their favorite Champions using a ranking scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest (www.champions-online.com/rate_my_champion/).

Please visit www.champions-online.com today to learn more about exciting new developments in Champions Online!

While there really isn't all that much to see in the wide shots presented in what amounts to an animated holiday greeting card, it does bolster my initial impressions that anyone who has played City of Heroes should feel right at home in Champions Online. Things should be much more exciting in character creation, where the real meat of a Cryptic-created superhero game lies.

Now through 11:59 Eastern on Sunday night, lapsed City of Heroes players in good standing will be able to log in and play the game for free in order to experience how far the game has come since they last stopped playing. All returning players will receive a total respec for each character, and a costume tailor token for each costume slot that will allow them to take advantage of new costume pieces.

With the sweeping changes made in the game over the past couple of issues, now is the perfect time to hop back on and see how your alter ego fares in this new, updated Paragon City.

Reactivation Weekend!! [City of Heroes Community Forums via Massively]

By far the biggest — for this grim 'n' gritty 90's comic book fan's money — is the option to not have your character dress like a total idiot. In a bold swing away from other Superpowered games, characters in Champions online will be able to completely customize their look and dress in normal street clothes rather than compulsory star-spangled tights, underwear-pervert chic and flappy cloaks.

If capes are your thing, though, Cryptic are happy to confirm the option of "long scarves, torn cloth and cowls". They have also been hard at work implementing attacks with chains, whips and mummy bandages - which gives some insight into the kind of bizarre details a game like this requires.

Ask Cryptic [Champions Dev Blog]

Cryptic Studios Announces Champions Online

LOS GATOS, CA - February 20, 2008 - Cryptic Studios™, one of the leading independent developers of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs), announced today Champions Online™, their first ever self-developed and self-published MMORPG. Champions Online, based on the popular pen-and-paper Champions RPG, will give players the power of total customization of their hero experience while they explore a vast universe of richly detailed 3D environments. Champions Online is slated for release in Spring 2009.

Cryptic Studios also announced today that it has acquired the Champions intellectual property (IP) from Hero Games. First published in 1981, the Champions role-playing game is one of the first RPGs to forgo the traditional dice-rolling system of character generation in favor of a point-based system. Cryptic Studios has licensed back to Hero Games the right to produce Champions RPG books, and the sixth edition of HERO System and Champions, set to release in 2009, will include rules on how to recreate Champions Online characters and scenarios.

"We thought carefully about which IP to select for our next game," said Jack Emmert, chief creative officer of Cryptic Studios. "I've been playing the Champions RPG since it first came out and I love both the rich history and the wide array of compelling characters which made this an obvious choice for Cryptic Studios."

"I am very excited to be working on Champions," said Michael Lewis, president of Cryptic Studios. "We have a powerful development team, a better engine, more resources, and a vision for a new kind of MMO experience. Bringing the operating side of the business in-house enables us to be more efficent, get our developers even closer to the customer, and ultimately make a better game and long-term experience."

Champions Online is all about total customization - it will offer a near infinte amount of character customization so that all players will have a unique game experience. Gamers will be able to create their hero's name, back story, costume, powers and abilities as well as design their own personal arch-enemy and his or her back story, which will guarantee a truly unique experience.

"Champions Online brings a lot to the table. Gamers have literally billions of options to create their own fully customized hero," Emmert said. "Couple that with the unique character generation system and tons of beautiful, expansive environments in which to roam, and Champions Online is going to be unlike anything MMO fans have seen before."

For more information on Champions Online and Cryptic Studios, please check out the feature story in the March issue of Game Informer magazine on newsstands now, or visit http://www.crypticstudios.com/

Marvel, other comics go online [Yahoo! News via Evil Avatar]