Marvel MMO Renamed to Heroes, Has Bigger Role for Well Known Characters

Video game developer Gazillion has announced that its upcoming Marvel based superhero MMO has been renamed to Marvel Heroes, with the game creators saying that the change is set to show the central part that the comic book characters will play in the experience.

Gazillion has not yet revealed too many details about Marvel Heroes but the company has hinted that it will use a unique mechanic in order to allow gamers to play as some of their favorite heroes, including the X-Men, Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain America, without restricting their power.

Some have suggested that the MMO will be heavily instanced by Gazillion and that players will need to group with other heroes in order to tackle most of the game content, with different versions of the same hero only meeting in hub areas.

The comic book world has long sustained more than one version of prominent heroes via the alternate worlds concept.

Gazillion plans to deliver a game that will attract a wide array of players, which might mean that the game will be free-to-play since launch, with some extra content or powers offered to those who are willing to pay a monthly subscription.

Initially the Cryptic developed Champions Online was set to use superheroes from the Marvel pantheon but the two companies have parted ways after the game went through the initial prototyping process.

Gazillion has already worked on one comic book powered MMO, Marvel Super Heroes Online, which can be played in a browser and is also free-to-play, has attracted more than 1 million registered players since launch.

DC Universe Online, the MMO linked to the other big comic book universe, created by Sony Online Entertainment, is now available both on the PC and the PlayStation 3 and has seen a huge increase in revenue and player numbers since it went free-to-play.

Marvel Heroes does not have a launch date or confirmed platform.