Cryptic Studios announce that they plan to launch a closed beta for Champions Online, the MMO featuring superheroes which the developer intends to release sometime in early 2009. The announced beta is PC only, although the game is also slated to be out for the Xbox 360, and all you have to do is visit the game site in order to enter the beta. Cryptic is not saying how many beta spots are open, but if you are interested, you should hurry.

Jack Emmert, chief creative officer for Cryptic Studios, said that “This closed beta is an exciting step in the evolution of Champions Online. All of us here in the Cryptic offices have been playing the game for a while now, and we’re excited to invite others in to have as much fun with Champions Online as we’ve been having internally”.

Champions Online is the continuation of what Cryptic has been doing with City of Heroes and with City of Villains. They took an old pen and paper role playing system which features superheroes and translated it into an online experience where the draw is not that you can fight alongside already known heroes but that you can create and customize your hero and your experience as you wish.

The MMO offers people a lot of customization options. You can create the backstory of your character, a costume, pick and choose powers and abilities in order to make sure you are competitive and you are the greatest hero in the game.

Cryptic is interested in making a MMO which is both accessible and complex. People can get into the game quickly and just adventure with their friends, but there's also an option to take control of all aspects of your gaming experience.

Champions Online will be published by 2K Games and, if the beta does not hit any major bug, it should be out next year.