Kyuuen

If NC's reaction is to silence the boards before addressing certain concerns, that would be terrible.

Good for them, at least one American developer may survive within NC (not counting Wildstar until the game is produced, makes sales, and sustains itself).

If they have any interest in long term survival, however - they need to find a way to get out of NCSoft before bigger and better games inevitably surpass it, and drive down their numbers to the point where the brass stop smiling.

Or they can join every other American developer with a game under NCSoft, and Lineage II may possibly outlast them.

I might try the game myself, but I'm waiting for a NC followup and possible reparation to former COH customers who have paid into Freedom and long term subscriptions.

Great job, everyone.

A follow up response to their current (non)handling of the closure of this game would be nice, and would really smooth over the hard feelings to win back a few customers.

Their current statement doesn't do it for me.

I don't anticipate it happening, though, and the truth will have to be dragged out to be seen. I'm hoping that one of the displeased is a really good investigative reporter who can speak Korean, or someone who goes to the same conventions NC does.

I'll be surprised -

- if I hear NC respond to an 18,000 strong petition with anything except silence.

- if any incentives are given out to former COH players, especially people who paid large amounts of money into the Paragon Market for the 14 months it was open.

- if they speak truthfully about EXACTLY why they closed the game, past their "no longer fits into our long term plans", or "realignment of company focus" - something not coated in corporate PR phrases, and more comprehensive than a four-sentence Dear John letter.

..but if they do any/all of these things, eventually, it will restore faith in them, even if COH dies.

The bare minimum for them is addressing what they are going to do with people with long term subscriptions hanging, and large point balances that are now worthless - and I hope it gets addressed, soon.

May I suggest backloggery.com?

This might be a great fallback, spend some time with those neglected games, and keep track of them, too!

Still holding off on spending money with any further NCSoft titles until they give a better explanation than "no longer fits within our long term goals for the company".

It's going to make zero difference, but I am currently displeased with them, and I'm not going to contradict myself by turning around and opening my wallet.

NC needs to do something other than pull the plug on a declining, but still-profitable studio, hand out a few statements to a couple of gaming websites (also not bothering to post anything on it on their own website, while the Issue 24 banner is STILL up), and stepping back into the shadows.

Still waiting for their followup statement..

.. a more detailed explanation not cut down into the usual corporate phrases.

.. their response to a 17,000 strong petition against what they did.

.. any news on refunds to paying customers, esp. those who resubbed shortly before the announcement, and people who still have months of credit that is currently hanging in limbo.

.. anything on not burying the property completely, or their explanation of why they want to keep the game dead, if they choose to hold onto it.

.. possible incentives for former COH players towards another game, esp. those who poured money into Paragon Points for the 14 months that Freedom was active. Free copies of GW2? Balances towards their pay shop?


Of course, I anticipate most of this to be totally ignored, leaving people to speculate and rumor.

Fearless honesty on NCSoft's part, even if the game remains dead, will go a long way to convince me to spend money with them again in good conscience.

Failing that.. I've got my backloggery. Might not be a bad time to finish off those old games.

As much as it rends me to say this, getting the IP away from an eternal mothballing, AND getting any of the core team back would be like asking for a double miracle.

I admit to not so much 'holding on' to this rumor, as to not ruling it out until now.

The more truth comes out, the more that it helps amend things toward this, and I'm greatly appreciative of BaBs, and the STO Community Manager for speaking out. Jumping on with one of their games just rose very far up the list with me.

Now all that's left is for someone on NCSoft's side (paging Mr. Lincoln Davis, hello?) to explain exactly why COH fell out of favor with their business plan, it's undoubtedly something we wont like to hear, but it's better than 'realignment of company focus'.

Otherwise, the rumors will just spread - because, rightfully, some of us want straight answers, and without those answers, only speculation can be produced.

This is an important thread, and I deeply thank Tic for coming back to share his view.

You are a true success story, WW.

Thanks for everything that you've done.

Wishing you luck on your future endangered species consumption related endeavors.

Thanks for helping the ride along, BP.

It still leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that Paragon Studios was likely punished for the failings of other properties. As long as it was still turning a small profit on it's own, it was a rotten decision to close it.

City of Heroes might have been declining slowly, but since NCSoft did a horrible job explaining -exactly- why this game and community is going to be destroyed, I have to give PS the benefit of the doubt. They've been working too hard, and the community is loyal.

I've changed my mind about boycotting NCSoft, but it would take hell of a lot for me to do more than being a F2P player or trial runner with any of their future products.

First, they'll have to prove that they won't leave an innovative product, or an American developer in the gutter to die. I wish Guild Wars 2 luck, but I think at one point down the line, it will be walking on glass, and Lineage 1 ends up remaining online after it closes.

"You're worthless!", said the attractive woman while she was pushing away a drab looking, trenchcoat clad young man with greased black hair hanging over half of his face. She immediately walked over to a group of similarly tall, attractive females of varying types and who were potentially superpowered.

The young man sighed and sat dejectedly on the park bench, unknowing and unaware of the sound of an oncoming object flying towards him at high speed.

CRASH. The Paragon Protector landed with such force to buckle the pavement in front of the depressed young man, and she was a sight to behold, dark blue and bright yellow uniform clinging tightly everywhere except her face, which was mostly undefined aside from a slightly upturned nose and the valleys over her eyes.

"S-Serenity Three One?"

Serenity stood silently, as she held a shining metal briefcase that was not shown before.

Then a second figure calmly floated to the ground, a handsome, blond man with a neatly kept goatee. The mix of cool blue markings on his sleek costume, and white boots would identify him as none other than...

"Ultra Zero?", the generally downcast individual said while brushing oily black hair away from his eyes long enough to look at the two powerful heroes.

"Nobody likes a sad sack. You need Crey Comeback!"

Ultra Zero took the case from Serenity, in a shot emphasizing the protector's well shaped torso. With the suitcase firmly in his hands, he extended it towards the young man, and opened it. A glowing light immediately washed over the soon to be recipient of the precious Crey Comeback energy drink.

A gratuitous view of the product lasted for a few long seconds as Ultra Zero and Serenity Three One looked on. The dark blue and yellow can was positively glowing for a few minutes until it was grasped, and opened. As soon as the sky blue liquid was being consumed, muscles started to bulge and grow on the rejected man.

"With Crey Comeback's proprietary mix of B-Vitamins, and powerful nutrients trusted by Paragon Protectors like Serenity, you can take it all on."

In another instant, black dyed hair, recolored, and rearranged into a more aggressive formation. Dark cargo pants morphed into faded jeans, and pale skin darkened into a sungrazed tone. Finally, the trenchoat was shed to reveal a form fitting tanktop shirt.

The newly remolded energy drink consumer started to approach the group of attractive women, who all seemed very receptive.

The commercial cut to a closeup of Serenity Three One's face, which was still positively unidentifiable aside from a slightly better definition of the lips.

She finally spoke. "Don't wait."

- - -

"What the crap?"

Allison's parents were both at work again, so the living room was all to herself, and even though they lived in the middle of Galaxy City, the TV felt like the only sound for miles.

Allison looked at the can of "Lemon Crey'd" she just bought five minutes ago on the way home, and slowly turning the can, she saw a familiar logo.

Also try CREY COMEBACK!

"It was just a hacker prank, Allison. They'll have the signboard fixed in no-time. So who cares if it happened with everyone watching? If that's the worst thing that happens to you today, consider yourself blessed."

The counselor had lain back, and propped his sneakers on the desk, behind him was a giant tank where several large goldfish swam slowly. He looked almost like a an old mad scientist, except this one cut his hair into a tight bowl cup. His feet were almost pushing over weighted placard on his desk, which would have placed it on Allison's lap.

This room was well decorated, but tiny, tucked away in a far hall deep inside the school grounds. It was almost like they wanted this place out of sight, and out of mind.

Still, the single visitor inside did little but wring her hands on the edge of her skirt, trying to figure out what to say, what might convince the counselor to give up some kind of advice that would just make all of her nightmares go away.

It didn't take much silence to force the counselor to continue with his closing lines.

"We've gone over that you might have stuff going on at home, with dating, worried about your future and . . ", he hesitated just minutely, just enough to get his feet off the desk. ". . you lost someone close to you on Day Zero. This is going to sound cold, but I'm going to tell you the single, most absolute truth in this."

"Bad things happen, and the secret lies in how you react to all of the misery being spread around. Nobody wants to broadcast it, but we're still at war. You need to get focused.", he was already opening his drawer and getting out a pen and paper.

"Okay. This will take care of the Creylex refill."

Allison was handed a prescription note, and looked up blankly at the counselor.

After she walked out the door, the counselor looked at his watch, and tried to figure out how to get everyone done before lunch, and at the same time fill his quota of Creylex antidepressant prescriptions given. A five figure bonus was at stake here!

He sighed and put his feet back up on the desk.

Allison looked to the seats lining the hall, there were only a handful of chairs, but they were all filled with despondent looking students. She threw the prescription slip into a trash can and walked away.