Cryptic gives up on console Champions

By Oli Welsh Published 25 March, 2010

Also: new zone added in free expansion.

Cryptic Studios boss Jack Emmert has finally laid the Xbox 360 version of Champions Online to rest.

"100 per cent of our focus is on making the current PC product the best it can be. There are no current plans for a console version of Champions," Emmert posted in a forum thread about the departure of producer Bill Roper from the project.

It seems likely the kibosh has been put on the planned console versions of Cryptic's other game, Star Trek Online, too.

In October last year, Star Trek Online producer Craig Zinkievich told Eurogamer that Cryptic's console ambitions were being frustrated by the platform holders' failure to understand the market.

"I'll be honest, the business part of bringing MMOs to consoles has been really sticky," he said. "Trying to get Sony, trying to get Microsoft to really understand MMOs; really understand what needs to happen for MMOs, and then figure out all the business aspects of those games, has really been a difficulty for all of the MMO developers."

Champions and Star Trek were already up and running on 360 at that point, he said.

On a happier note, Champions Online has been graced with a free expansion this week which adds the game's first new zone, bayou city Vibora Bay.

Aimed at level 37-40 players, Vibora Bay fleshes out the endgame content with an epic storyline based around a fallen angel and a rising of occult forces, new enemies, new powers, new perks and new group Lair called Therakiel's Temple.

Revelation was originally planned to be a paid expansion, but Cryptic decided to waive the cost of the download after getting a negative reaction from the game's community.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (17) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ZuluHero #1 2 years ago

    I think most of us guessed it was never going to happen...

  • RodHull #2 2 years ago

    Always strikes me as odd that the most accomplished online console has never had an MMO. Here's hoping that MS can slip EA/Bioware a few doubloons to port The Old Republic to the 360.

  • InternetRed #3 2 years ago

    Is it really Sony/MS though? I mean, it seems more like they are having problems making a MMO for the different aspects (live for example, vs the open format of the PS3's online), and have basically said "you know what, sod this, it's too difficult, it's their fault!".

    I do think there should be a decent MMO for the consoles (preferably PS3, because although I love my 360, I don't love paying for live, as well as a subscription cost for the MMO), but maybe a better company can make one. Champions isn't that good (imo), and Star Trek Online isn't doing as great as you'd expect.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #4 2 years ago

    Part of the problem is that everything has to run through Live/PSN, including things like updates which have to pass through certification. This is simply unfesible for an MMO where developers need control over how updates are distributed, normally run a few shadow servers where updates are tested etc. MMOs are largely incompatible with the kind of closed network Microsoft and Sony envision.

    The reason FFXI was ported to the 360 was because Microsoft made the exception in order to get SquareEnix onboard - 360 players connect to the same servers as PC and PS2 players. The reason FFXIV isn't coming out on the 360 (for now) is because Microsoft aren't prepared to make the same exception again.

  • Eraysor #5 2 years ago

    @RodHull: The 360 does have FFXI, as others have mentioned.

    I personally think they should give up on Champions altogether, it's a mess.

  • login_name #6 2 years ago

    The PS3 has a number of MMOs in development, although how many of those see the light of day remains to be seen. I'd have expected to at least see Free Realms on there by now, even if just in "beta" form.

  • iamian #7 2 years ago

    @InternetRed
    Agreed. There have been a few MMOs planned for consoles now (Age of Conan, APB, Secret World, this, etc.) that all end up being PC only. You'd think that the developers must have spoken to Sony/MS before announcing they were bringing it to console so why would they then make it difficult?

  • Shikasama #8 2 years ago

    This has been obvious from day 1.

    On the bright side, it means the first MMORPG to come to the 360 might be one worth getting.

  • Murton #9 2 years ago

    Hmmm, "Sony don't understand MMOs" yet they're in the top 5 of MMO publishers.

    How about we tell it like it really is:

    360: MS will obviously want to use MMOs as a means to get more people on Gold Live subs, but publishers will fear that they can't gain significant subs themselves if everyone already has to pay for Live. The resulting argument prevents an agreement on how to put MMO's onto the 360 therefore there isn't any. (yet)

    PS3: Sony Online Entertainment are in the process of making a couple of MMOs for the PS3, looks like they bounced Cryptic so that they can get one of their own MMOs on the platform first before opening up to everyone else. Seems they understand MMOs perfectly to me.

    MMOs will come to the consoles eventually and I'm sure it will be worth the wait, but that time is a little way off yet.

  • actionfitz #10 2 years ago

    "Cryptic gives up on console Champions"...

    erm because it's shit?

  • actionfitz #11 2 years ago

    I can't see an decent console MMO ever happening until microsoft/sony/Nintendo unclench their buttocks as regard to subscriptions - Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo are all going to demand their cut, making it far less profitable for a developer.


  • Slipstream #12 2 years ago

    I forgot thi was supposed to happen, but after all this time I can't say I'm surprised.

  • Shikasama #13 2 years ago

    Also, a console MMO will need the greatest UI ever seen on a game to date and an even better input method. There just isn't enough buttons on a controller and without being able to mod your UI to your own tastes it will have to be something seriously special.

  • Murton #14 2 years ago

    @Shikasama

    And it can't have a regular game-like UI because? Nothing wrong with the UI in most console RPGs any of which would lend themselves perfectly to an MMO. It's because of these expectations on UI that just about every MMO of the last last seven years or so has used the same setup as Everquest and look pretty much the same as a result.

  • Connobi #15 2 years ago

    No big loss, Champions Online is a so-so game. Star trek online is just downright awful.

  • Kerome #16 2 years ago

    I'd like to see their list of business points, really. Patches, fine, expansions, fine, test servers, fine... All of those can be made to work, with a few minor tweaks to the os.

    Anyway, if some decent mmo's make it onto the ps3, that's enough for me to finally give in and get one.

  • Marshall2008 #17 2 years ago

    Did we really want some third rate mmo on the console anyway. Champions has been a clusterfuck since day one and deserves to be shitcanned.