Seattle, WA - November 30, 2011 - NCsoft®, the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, today celebrates the launch of Lineage II Goddess of Destruction; a complete overhaul of the franchise featuring the largest content patch to-date for free. Along with the launch of the Truly Free business model, NCsoft will open a new Lineage II server named after the Goddess of Destruction herself - Shilen - on November 30.

For those looking to revisit the game they started on or to jump into it for the first time, players can benefit from The Path to Awakening™, a new interactive web guide with in-game advice and level-specific rewards to help players immerse themselves in the game. For ardent players looking to accelerate their experience even further, the new Lineage II Exploration Packs, starting at $5 (available in the new L2 Galleria™ and the in-game L2 Store™), offer a convenient way to enjoy the game on their own terms.

The combination of a phenomenal content update, a new server and the new Truly Free model, which offers unhindered access and no account restrictions, Lineage II Goddess of Destruction is poised to over-deliver in every category.

The game and the new server will be available for players later today after its scheduled maintenance and service update are complete. More information on the Lineage II Truly Free business model and the Goddess of Destruction update can be found on the redesigned official game site: http://truly-free.lineage2.com/.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars®, and City of Heroes® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com.

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Seattle, WA - November 14, 2011 - NCsoft®, the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today revealed additional information on the accelerated player leveling offerings coming within LineageII's Goddess of Destruction, the largest update to the game in its history launching on November 30. Along with Lineage II's Truly Free business model offers, complete with no account restrictions - no zone, level (1-99) or player interaction restrictions, players will experience new website features including an innovative web-based leveling guide and item shop, enhancing all that Lineage II has to offer.

Lineage II player progression will now be heavily rewarded through levels 1-76 as part of Path to Awakening™, an exclusive leveling guide designed specifically for Lineage II. Along with bonus support items like buffs and time limited gear enabling accelerated progression through the game, Path to Awakening will provide players with interactive maps detailing recommended leveling areas as well. Players looking to speed their leveling experience can enter the newly christened item shop, the L2 Galleria, and purchase three levels of Exploration Packs.

New to Lineage II, Exploration Packs offer additional ways to accelerate game experience, each featuring support items like Luxury Cocktails, Super Minion Coupons, Blessed Spiritshots and more, each catering to specific play styles.

• The Discovery Pack - For the casual player who plays for short periods to discover Lineage II. This pack includes a sizable number of support items plus special bonuses including an R-grade Weapon Seal Scroll and an R-grade Top-Grade Life Stone designed to bring players more fun in short bursts of time.
• The Adventure Pack - For the determined player who likes challenges. This pack includes the bonus items from the Discovery Pack, an R-grade Weapon Enchant Scroll as well as other support items, designed to speed players ahead of most others on the way to Awakening.
• The Destiny Pack - For the Lineage II grandmaster intent on transcending the rest. Along with the bonus items from the Adventure and Destiny Packs, a huge number of support items and a special item that differs every month, players will receive a R-grade Unbind Scroll until the end of December.

Players will be able to prepurchase the Exploration Packs on November 23 in the L2 Galleria. As a seasonal promotion, players will receive valuable bonuses through December.

More information on the Lineage II Truly Free business model and the Goddess of Destruction update can be found here http://truly-free.lineage2.com/.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars®, and City of Heroes® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com.

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Seattle, WA - November 1, 2011 - NCsoft®, the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), today reveals the details behind Lineage® II's new business model which enables anyone to play the game truly free later this year. Coupled with Goddess of Destruction, the largest update to the game in its history - more than 400 hours of new content - Lineage II will offer players an unprecedented value unmatched in the entertainment industry.

Unique among MMO offerings in the west, Lineage II will be available to players completely free - there will be no restricted zones, no limited class selection and no gear stuck behind a pay wall. Players will enjoy a superior Lineage II gaming experience that features a new shared starting area along with new and redesigned zones. New game guides are available at key milestones of a character's career to provide advice along with free booster packs to enable rapid progression.

As players make their journey from level 1-99, they will have the opportunity to buy supplemental in-game items and premium item packs from the L2 Store™ that provide significant bonuses and improvements to accelerate their character's progression. Upon reaching level 85, players will experience the game's all new classes, skills, bosses and zones that amplify epic castle sieges, arena-style battles and more, all for free.

"Launching Lineage II as a Truly Free player experience is a reflection of our vision to provide players with the most accessible business model for each of our titles," said Matt Turetzky, Executive Vice President, NCsoft West. "You've seen with the recent release of City of Heroes Freedom and through our successful portfolio of games that we are capable of supporting multiple business models. Not only does the Lineage II Truly Free concept introduce yet another unique business model to the industry, but it provides players with a very enticing entry point to experience the exciting new content coming with the Goddess of Destruction update."

The new Lineage II business model and Goddess of Destruction will launch together later this year. More information can be found here www.lineage2.com/truly-free.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars®, and City of Heroes® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com.

SEATTLE, WA - September 27, 2011 - NCsoft^® and Paragon Studios^® are excited to announce the launch of City of Heroes Freedom^TM, the new gameplay model that offers existing and new players unparalleled access to acclaimed content found within the world's most popular super heroic MMO.

Starting today, the Freedom model allows all players to reach level 50 at no cost, while providing players with the option to purchase new content a la carte to build a one of a kind gaming experience. Kicking off this era of choice, reward and content is Issue 21: Convergence, ready for players as soon as they log in. Issue 21: Convergence and City of Heroes Freedom come packed with a whole new zone, Incarnate Trial, powers, costumes and more, including the new monthly Signature Story Arcs and the Paragon Rewards Program. "Our fans have come to expect great content and with City of Heroes Freedom we've clearly raised the bar by delivering the best game play we've ever developed, and giving players the choice to truly customize their gaming experience" said Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at Paragon Studios. "We aren't just flipping a switch and going 'Free-to-Play.' We're embarking on the biggest content and feature update to City of Heroes in its seven-year history." The launch of Issue 21: Convergence leads the charge of City of Heroes Freedom with a plethora of new content for eager participants. Below is what players will experience with City of Heroes Freedom today:

• New Zone: First Ward, the training and testing grounds for some of Praetoria's most elite forces and sinister weapons, is where players will encounter all new threats, including the massive zone-wide event, the Seed of Hamidon.
• New Epic Challenges: The Underground Incarnate Trial takes place deep below the streets of Praetoria, in the secret lair of the Devouring Earth. Those strong enough to break through their stronghold may reach the devastating Avatar of Hamidon for a final showdown of epic proportions. Up to 28 players can team up to fight new menaces and unlock great rewards.
• New Power Sets and Costumes: Time Manipulation (free for VIP Players), Beam Rifle, and Street Justice represent just the beginning of new powers coming to players with City of Heroes Freedom, while the Barbarian and the Circle of Thorns Costume Sets, as well as the IDF and Defense Costume Sets(free for VIP Players) add even more options to the millions of customization options at a players' fingertips.
• New Starting Experience: Puts new players right in the middle of the action, giving them access to all archetypes with no alignment restriction. During the new starting experience, players will have the opportunity determine whether they ally with the forces of good, or harness the powers of evil.
• New Missions: The debut of monthly Signature Story Arcs (free for VIP Players), enables players to play a key role in the main storyline as they fight alongside iconic heroes and villains and discover which of Paragon City's premier heroes will die!
• New Rewards: The Paragon Rewards program is our way to thank players for investing City of Heroes and provides new and unique in-game rewards designed around each player's unique tastes and play style.

For more information on today's announcement, Issue 21 content and Freedom, please visit www.cityofheroes.com/freedom.

About Paragon

Paragon Studios is a wholly owned development studio of NCsoft West and is dedicated to the growth of the City of Heroes franchise. Located in Mountain View, California, the team at Paragon Studios brings the world of comic books alive in a massively multiplayer 3D online universe. For more about Paragon Studios, visit http://www.paragonstudios.com. For more information about City of Heroes, go to http://www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion^® Lineage^®, Guild Wars^®, and City of Heroes^® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar^™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com.

Dès aujourd'hui, Freedom permet à tous les joueurs d'atteindre le niveau 50 gratuitement, tout en leur donnant la possibilité d'acheter du nouveau contenu, à la carte, afin de se créer une expérience véritablement unique. Et pour commencer en fanfare cette nouvelle ère du choix, des récompenses et du contenu, l' Épisode 21 : Convergence attend les joueurs dès leur prochaine connexion. L' Épisode 21 : Convergence et City of Heroes Freedom proposent une toute nouvelle zone, une Épreuve d'Incarné inédite, de nouveaux pouvoirs et costumes, de nouvelles Aventures emblématiques mensuelles, le programme de Récompenses Paragon et bien plus encore !

"Nos fans s'attendent à recevoir un contenu de qualité et, avec City of Heroes Freedom, nous nous sommes vraiment dépassés en développant nos meilleurs mécanismes de jeu en date et en donnant aux joueurs la possibilité de véritablement personnaliser leur expérience de jeu," déclare Brian Clayton, producteur exécutif à Paragon Studios. "Nous ne nous contentons pas d'appuyer sur un interrupteur et de passer en mode 'gratuit' ! Nous nous lançons dans la plus importante mise à jour de contenu et de fonctionnalités de City of Heroes en sept années d'existence !"

Le lancement de l'Épisode 21 : Convergence mène la charge de l'offensive City of Heroes Freedom avec une pléthore de nouveau contenu pour tous. Voici ce que les joueurs peuvent s'attendre à trouver dans City of Heroes Freedom dès aujourd'hui:

• Une nouvelle zone: L'Unité 1, le terrain d'entraînement et de mise à l'épreuve des troupes d'élite de Prétoria et de leurs armes dévastatrices, propose aux joueurs de découvrir de nouvelles menaces, dont un gigantesque événement de zone, la Graine d'Hamidon.
• De nouveaux défis épiques: L'Épreuve d'Incarnés des Bas-fonds se déroule sous les rues de Prétoria, dans l'antre secret de la Terre nourricière. Ceux qui parviendront à pénétrer les défenses de ce bastion atteindront l'énorme Avatar d'Hamidon et devront l'affronter au cours d'un combat titanesque. Jusqu'à 28 joueurs peuvent ainsi s'allier pour vaincre ces nouvelles menaces et débloquer d'incroyables récompenses.
• De nouveaux pouvoirs et costumes: La Manipulation du temps (gratuite pour les joueurs VIP), le Fusil à impulsions et la Justice urbaine ne sont que les premières nouvelles spécialisations à faire leur apparition dans City of Heroes Freedom. Par ailleurs, les ensembles de costumes Barbare et Cercle des Épines, ainsi que les ensembles FDI et Défense (gratuits pour les joueurs VIP), ajoutent encore plus d'options aux millions de possibilités de personnalisation existantes.
• Une nouvelle initiation: Les nouveaux joueurs plongeront immédiatement au cœur de l'action et pourront accéder à tous les archétypes, sans restriction de Disposition. La nouvelle expérience de départ leur permettra de choisir s'ils souhaitent rejoindre les forces du bien ou s'allier à celles du mal.
• De nouvelles missions: La première Aventure emblématique mensuelle (gratuite pour les joueurs VIP) permet aux joueurs de jouer un rôle crucial dans l'histoire principale en leur proposant de se battre aux côtés de super-héros et super-vilains emblématiques et de découvrir lequel des principaux super-héros de Paragon va mourir!
• De nouvelles récompenses: Le programme de Récompenses Paragon est notre façon de remercier les joueurs qui se sont investis dans City of Heroes et de leur offrir de nouvelles récompenses en jeu aussi uniques qu'adaptées à leurs goûts et à leur style de jeu.

Pour plus d'informations sur l'annonce d'aujourd'hui, le contenu de l'Episode 21 et Freedom, consultez le site http://eu.cityofheroes.com/fr.

À propos de Paragon

Paragon Studios est un studio de développement appartenant à NCsoft West, consacré au développement de la franchise City of Heroes. Située à Mountain View, en Californie, l'équipe de Paragon Studios donne vie à l'univers des comic-books dans un monde persistant en 3D massivement multijoueur. Pour plus d'informations sur Paragon Studios, consultez le site Internet www.paragonstudios.com. Pour plus d'informations sur City of Heroes, rendez-vous sur www.cityofheroes.com.

À propos de NCsoft

NCsoft, société sise à Séoul, en Corée du Sud, est le leader mondial du développement et de l'édition de jeux en ligne massivement multijoueurs (MMO), dont les célèbres franchises Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® et City of Heroes®. Annoncé en août 2011, WildStar™ est le tout dernier MMO développé par l'équipe interne des Studios Carbine. NCsoft West est une division de NCsoft qui opère en Europe, en Amérique du Nord et du Sud, ainsi qu'en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande. Pour plus d'informations, consultez le site www.ncsoft.com.

A partir de hoy, el modelo Freedom permitirá a los jugadores alcanzar el nivel 50 sin coste alguno, a la vez que tendrán la opción de comprar nuevo contenido personalizado y así disfrutar de una experiencia de juego única. Esta nueva era de elecciones, recompensas y contenidos la estrena el Número 21: Convergence, del que pueden disfrutar ya los jugadores en cuanto se conecten. El Número 21: Convergence y City of Heroes Freedom vienen repletos de una nueva zona, una prueba para Incarnates, poderes, trajes y mucho más, como las nuevas historias mensuales especiales y el programa de recompensas de Paragon.

“Nuestros jugadores esperan de nosotros unos contenidos espectaculares y con City of Freedom hemos subido sin duda el listón, ofreciéndoles la mejor dinámica de juego que hemos creado jamás y dándoles la opción de personalizar realmente su experiencia”, afirmó Brian Clayton, productor ejecutivo de Paragon Studios. “No estamos simplemente cambiando nuestra política y convirtiéndonos en un juego ‘gratis’, sino que nos estamos embarcando en la mayor actualización de contenido y opciones de City of Heroes en sus siete años de historia”.

El lanzamiento del Número 21: Convergence supone la punta de lanza de City of Heroes Freedom e incluye un sinfín de contenido para los entusiastas del juego. A continuación presentamos las novedades que se podrán disfrutar a partir de hoy:

• Nueva zona: el First Ward, la zona de entrenamiento y pruebas de algunas de las fuerzas de élite y armas más siniestras de Praetoria, es el lugar donde los jugadores se enfrentarán a nuevos desafíos, entre ellos el combate zonal masivo Seed of Hamidon.
• Nuevos desafíos épicos: la prueba para Incarnates subterránea se desarrolla en las profundidades de las calles de Praetoria, en la guarida secreta de los Devouring Earth. Aquellos valientes que sean capaces de entrar en su fortaleza podrían verse las caras con el devastador Avatar de Hamidon en una batalla final de proporciones épicas. Hasta 28 jugadores pueden formar equipo para luchar contra las nuevas amenazas y desbloquear grandes recompensas.
• Nuevos conjuntos de poderes y trajes: los poderes Time Manipulation (manipulación del tiempo; gratis para jugadores VIP), Beam Rifle (rifle láser) y Street Justice (justicia callejera) representan una nueva era de poderes que se estrenan en City of Heroes Freedom, mientras que los conjuntos de poderes Barbarian (bárbaro) y Circle of Thorns (corona de espinas), así como los conjuntos de trajes IDF y defensivos (gratis para jugadores VIP), añaden incluso más opciones de personalización para los jugadores.
• Nueva dinámica de inicio: a partir de ahora, los jugadores entrarán de lleno en la acción y tendrán acceso a todos los arquetipos sin que haya restricción de alineación. En esta nueva dinámica de inicio, los jugadores tendrán la oportunidad de determinar si se unen a las fuerzas del bien o si se juntan con el lado oscuro del mal.
• Nuevas misiones: el estreno de las historias mensuales especiales (gratis para los jugadores VIP) permite a los jugadores desempeñar un papel crucial en la historia principal a medida que luchan junto con los grandes héroes y villanos del juego y descubren qué superhéroes de Paragon City morirán.
• Nuevas recompensas: el programa de recompensas de Paragon es nuestra forma de agradecer a los jugadores por invertir tanto en City of Heroes y les ofrece recompensas nuevas y únicas diseñadas para satisfacer los gustos personales de todo el mundo.

Más información sobre el anuncio de hoy, el contenido del Número 21 y Freedom en www.cityofheroes.com/freedom.

Acerca de Paragon

Paragon Studios es un estudio de desarrollo subsidiario de NCsoft West que se centra en el desarrollo y crecimiento de la franquicia City of Heroes. Con sede en Mountain View, California, el equipo de Paragon Studios otorga vida al mundo de los cómics en un universo multijugador online masivo en 3D. Para más información acerca de Paragon Studios, visita www.paragonstudios.com. Para más información acerca de City of Heroes acude a www.cityofheroes.com.

Sobre NCsoft

NCsoft, con sede en Seúl, Corea, es el desarrollador y editor líder en el mundo de juegos multijugador masivos (MMO) y sus franquicias incluyen las aclamadas sagas de Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® y City of Heroes®. WildStar™, anunciado en agosto de 2011, es el nuevo MMO que está siendo creado por el equipo interno de Carbine Studios. NCsoft West es una división de NCsoft responsable de las operaciones comerciales en Norteamérica, Europa, Sudamérica y Australia/Nueva Zelanda. Más información en www.ncsoft.com.

NCsoft® und Paragon Studios™ freuen sich, die Veröffentlichung von City of Heroes Freedom™ ankündigen zu dürfen, dem neuen Gameplay-Modell, das bestehenden und neuen Spielern beispiellosen Zugriff auf die gefeierten Inhalte des weltweit beliebtesten MMOs mit Superkräften gewährt.

Ab heute können Spieler mit dem Freedom-Modell kostenlos bis zu Stufe 50 gelangen, während ihnen gleichzeitig die Möglichkeit offensteht, neue Inhalte à la carte zu kaufen und so ihr eigenes maßgeschneidertes Spielerlebnis zusammenzustellen. Dieses Zeitalter der Auswahl, Belohnungen und Inhalte wird mit Ausgabe 21: Konvergenz eingeleitet, die direkt nach dem Einloggen ins Spiel bereitsteht. Ausgabe 21: Konvergenz und City of Heroes Freedom warten mit einer komplett neuen Zone, Prüfungen der Inkarnation, Kräften, Kostümen und vielem mehr auf, darunter den neuen monatlichen zentralen Handlungssträngen und dem Paragon-Belohnungsprogramm.

„Unsere Fans sind tolle Inhalte gewöhnt, doch mit City of Heroes Freedom haben wir die Messlatte deutlich höher angelegt und unser bisher bestes Gameplay geliefert. Wir geben Spielern damit die Wahl, ihre Spielerfahrung wirklich individuell zu gestalten", erklärt Brian Clayton, Executive Producer von Paragon Studios. „Wir schalten nicht einfach plötzlich auf 'Free-to-Play' um, vielmehr erhält City of Heroes das größte Inhalts- und Feature-Update in seiner siebenjährigen Geschichte."

Die Veröffentlichung von Ausgabe 21: Konvergenz beschert eine Fülle neuer Inhalte für die gespannten Spieler in City of Heroes Freedom. Es folgt eine Liste dessen, was Spieler in City of Heroes Freedom heute erwartet:

• Neue Zone: In der Ersten Station, Ausbildungsgelände für einige von Prätorias elitärsten Truppen und Testgelände für ihre unheilvollen Waffen, erwarten die Spieler ganz neue Bedrohungen, darunter das massive zonenweite Event Saat von Hamidon.
• Neue gewaltige Herausforderungen: Die Prüfung der Inkarnation im Untergrund spielt sich tief unter den Straßen von Prätoria im geheimen Unterschlupf der Verschlinger Gaias ab. Wem es gelingt, in ihre Hochburg vorzudringen, muss womöglich seine Kräfte mit dem verheerend gefährlichen Avatar von Hamidon messen. Bis zu 28 Spieler können sich zu einem Team zusammenschließen, um sich diesen neuen Bedrohungen gemeinsam zu stellen und fantastische Belohnungen freizuspielen.
• Neue Kräftesets und Kostüme: Zeitmanipulation (kostenlos für VIP-Spieler), Strahlengewehr und Justiz der Straße sind erst der Anfang bei den neuen Kräften, die sich Spielern mit City of Heroes Freedom eröffnen, während das Barbaren- und Dornenkreis-Kostümset und das IVA- und Verteidiger-Kostümset (kostenlos für VIP-Spieler) den unendlich vielen Gestaltungsoptionen, die den Spielern bereits zur Verfügung stehen, noch weitere hinzufügen.
• Neues Einstiegserlebnis: Lässt neue Spieler direkt in die Action einsteigen und gewährt ihnen unabhängig von ihrer Ausrichtung Zugriff auf alle Archetypen. Im Zuge des neuen Einstiegs haben Spieler Gelegenheit zu bestimmen, ob sie sich auf die Seite der Guten schlagen oder sich die Mächte des Bösen zunutze machen wollen.
• Neue Missionen: Das Debüt der monatlichen zentralen Handlungsstränge (kostenlos für VIP-Spieler) erlaubt es Spielern, eine zentrale Rolle in der Haupthandlung zu spielen und Seite an Seite mit berühmten Helden und Schurken zu kämpfen, um herauszufinden, welcher von Paragon Citys wichtigsten Helden sterben muss!
• Neue Belohnungen: Mit dem Paragon-Belohnungsprogramm möchten wir uns bei den Spielern dafür bedanken, dass sie in City of Heroes investieren. Es enthält neue und einzigartige Belohnungen im Spiel, die an den einzigartigen Geschmack und Spielstil des jeweiligen Spielers angepasst sind.

Weitere Informationen zur heutigen Ankündigung, zum Inhalt von Ausgabe 21 und zu Freedom finden Sie auf http://eu.cityofheroes.com/de.

Über Paragon Studios

Paragon Studios ist ein hauseigenes Entwicklerstudio von NCsoft West und widmet sich ausschließlich der City of Heroes-Franchise. Das Team von Paragon Studios bringt die Welt der Superhelden-Comics in einem Massively Multiplayer-3D-Universum zum Leben. Weitere Informationen über Paragon Studios gibt es auf http://paragonstudios.com. Weitere Informationen über City of Heroes gibt es unter www.cityofheroes.com.

Über NCsoft

NCsoft mit Hauptsitz in Seoul, Südkorea, ist der weltweit führende Publisher und Entwickler von Massively Multiplayer Online-Spielen (MMO), einschließlich der preisgekrönten Lizenzen Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® und City of Heroes®. Das im August 2011 angekündigte Spiel WildStar™ ist das neueste MMO, welches intern von Carbine Studios entwickelt wird. NCsoft West ist ein Tochterunternehmen von NCsoft und verantwortet den Betrieb in Nordamerika, Europa, Südamerika und Australien/Neuseeland. Weitere Informationen unter www.ncsoft.com.

SEATTLE, WA - September 27, 2011 - NCsoft^® and Paragon Studios^® are excited to announce the launch of City of Heroes Freedom^TM, the new gameplay model that offers existing and new players unparalleled access to acclaimed content found within the world's most popular super heroic MMO.

Starting today, the Freedom model allows all players to reach level 50 at no cost, while providing players with the option to purchase new content a la carte to build a one of a kind gaming experience. Kicking off this era of choice, reward and content is Issue 21: Convergence, ready for players as soon as they log in. Issue 21: Convergence and City of Heroes Freedom come packed with a whole new zone, Incarnate Trial, powers, costumes and more, including the new monthly Signature Story Arcs and the Paragon Rewards Program. "Our fans have come to expect great content and with City of Heroes Freedom we've clearly raised the bar by delivering the best game play we've ever developed, and giving players the choice to truly customize their gaming experience" said Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at Paragon Studios. "We aren't just flipping a switch and going 'Free-to-Play.' We're embarking on the biggest content and feature update to City of Heroes in its seven-year history." The launch of Issue 21: Convergence leads the charge of City of Heroes Freedom with a plethora of new content for eager participants. Below is what players will experience with City of Heroes Freedom today:

• New Zone: First Ward, the training and testing grounds for some of Praetoria's most elite forces and sinister weapons, is where players will encounter all new threats, including the massive zone-wide event, the Seed of Hamidon.
• New Epic Challenges: The Underground Incarnate Trial takes place deep below the streets of Praetoria, in the secret lair of the Devouring Earth. Those strong enough to break through their stronghold may reach the devastating Avatar of Hamidon for a final showdown of epic proportions. Up to 28 players can team up to fight new menaces and unlock great rewards.
• New Power Sets and Costumes: Time Manipulation (free for VIP Players), Beam Rifle, and Street Justice represent just the beginning of new powers coming to players with City of Heroes Freedom, while the Barbarian and the Circle of Thorns Costume Sets, as well as the IDF and Defense Costume Sets(free for VIP Players) add even more options to the millions of customization options at a players' fingertips.
• New Starting Experience: Puts new players right in the middle of the action, giving them access to all archetypes with no alignment restriction. During the new starting experience, players will have the opportunity determine whether they ally with the forces of good, or harness the powers of evil.
• New Missions: The debut of monthly Signature Story Arcs (free for VIP Players), enables players to play a key role in the main storyline as they fight alongside iconic heroes and villains and discover which of Paragon City's premier heroes will die!
• New Rewards: The Paragon Rewards program is our way to thank players for investing City of Heroes and provides new and unique in-game rewards designed around each player's unique tastes and play style.

For more information on today's announcement, Issue 21 content and Freedom, please visit www.cityofheroes.com/freedom.

About Paragon

Paragon Studios is a wholly owned development studio of NCsoft West and is dedicated to the growth of the City of Heroes franchise. Located in Mountain View, California, the team at Paragon Studios brings the world of comic books alive in a massively multiplayer 3D online universe. For more about Paragon Studios, visit http://www.paragonstudios.com. For more information about City of Heroes, go to http://www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion^®Lineage^®, Guild Wars^®, and City of Heroes^® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar^™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com.

Cologne, Germany - 17 August, 2011 - NCsoft®, the premier global leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, staked its claim to the future of online gaming with some of the most innovative entertainment properties at gamescom, the world's largest tradeshow for interactive games and entertainment. NCsoft revealed one of the best kept secrets for the show, WildStar™, its latest MMO, with a polished three-act playable build on the day of the announcement, unheard of in the video game industry.  The company also showcased a new playable build from the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2® featuring several new races, professions and Player vs. Player combat. Attendees at gamescom can experience the magic on the show floor in the NCsoft booth (A11/B10, Hall 9.1.)

"WildStar and Guild Wars 2 showcase the innovation coming from NCsoft's development studios, paving the way for the next generation of videogames and setting a high bar for the entertainment industry to follow," said Matt Turetzky, executive vice-president of publishing for NCsoft West. "We are focused on delighting players by delivering fun, immersive experiences that rival traditional forms of entertainment through personal expression, best-in-class gameplay mechanics, and social engagement."

Developed by NCsoft's Southern California-based Carbine Studios, WildStar offers epic high adventure, where players make their mark as Explorers, Soldiers, Scientists or Settlers and lay claim to a mysterious planet on the edge of known space. WildStar's iconic visual style and "Momentum Mechanics" immerse players in a deep world stacked with content, challenges and rewards that respond to the play style choices of individual players. Depending on a combination of faction, race, class, and path, WildStar will present gamers with unending surprises, mini-quests and challenges, ensuring that their experiences are fun and fresh.

Since winning Online Game of the Year at gamescom 2010, ArenaNet® revealed several new elements of the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2 including the Engineer profession, dungeons and underwater areas of the world. This year at gamescom 2011, NCsoft and ArenaNet give players the opportunity to get hands-on with several new and exciting aspects of the game including an encounter with an Undead Dragon boss, Player vs. Player combat, character appearance customization as well as a glimpse into the charr starting area and asura and sylvari mid-level content, which are all playable on the show floor.

For more information about NCsoft's presence at gamescom, please visit http://us.ncsoft.com/en/events/.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars®, and City of Heroes® franchises. Announced in August 2011, WildStar™ is the newest MMO being developed by internal team Carbine Studios. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://www.ncsoft.com

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BRIGHTON, UK - 21^st June, 2011 - NCsoft® and Paragon Studios ™ are excited to announce that the world's top comic book inspired Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is putting the power of choice into players' hands by making the City of Heroes® franchise available to everyone. Arriving later this year, City of Heroes Freedom™ is a compelling new way for Paragon Studios to deliver more content to more players than ever before.

"Freedom is about getting more content into the hands of our players, whether they are subscribing or playing for free", said Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at Paragon Studios. "To do this, we've looked at City of Heroes from the ground up and focused on three ways to enhance the experience by giving our players more choices, greater rewards and the best content we've ever produced. And for the first time ever, players can choose to enjoy more than seven years of content for free."

Choice
Freedom means that everyone can customise their experience - those who wish to play an unparalleled amount of content for free can do so, while those who wish to enjoy a premium experience can do so as well. Players who want to enjoy the unrivalled free experience will be able to fight and fly their way to level 50 with full access to Hero and Villain zones, choosing the specific pieces of content they want. Players that decide to subscribe will enjoy all current subscriber benefits as well as new VIP exclusive benefits, content and services.

Rewards
City of Heroes Freedom will reward its loyal players through a value-packed Paragon Rewards program that provides bonus content tailored to each player's preferences. Ranging from powers and costume sets, to unique visual effects and consumables, these all-new items are rewarded monthly and chosen by the player.

Additionally, starting July 1^st, current subscribers will begin accumulating 400 Paragon Points every month up until launch, giving loyal customers unprecedented rewards and options when City of Heroes Freedom arrives. These points can be used to purchase hundreds of costumes, items, services and consumables available via the in-game Paragon Market (co-developed by online transaction leaders, PlaySpan) and will be available to use on the first day of launch.

Content
The City of Heroes franchise is already packed with unequalled content and features, with 20 free expansions, more than 1,600 missions and 375,000 user-generated missions. Now with Freedom, Paragon is delivering more content, more often and spearheading this charge is Issue 21: Convergence. Issue 21, which launches alongside Freedom, is packed with some of the highest-quality content yet including First Ward - a dynamic new co-op zone that is gripped in conflict - as well as a new Power Set, the highly-anticipated Underground Incarnate Trial and two full costume sets. Along with a completely new starting experience and a greatly enhanced character creator, Issue 21 offers content for new, returning and veteran players.

In addition to more Issues delivered more frequently, players can look forward to unique content such as monthly Signature Story Arcs (free for VIP Players) that will empower players to make a difference in the City of Heroes universe by fighting alongside iconic heroes and villains as the story unfolds.

Freedom is the Future
"After an unforgettable seven years, the City of Heroes franchise remains the world's most popular super-powered MMO, and we're excited to continue that momentum with Freedom," said Clayton. "Through City of Heroes Freedom, we will be delivering more content to players than ever before, while continuing to expand the ever-evolving City of Heroes storyline and legacy."

City of Heroes Freedom and Issue 21: Convergence will be launching simultaneously later this year and players can get their first experience with the game at San Diego Comic Con. New and existing fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the City of Heroes website for more information about Paragon Rewards, Issue 21, and more.

For more information on today's announcement, an FAQ and a summary of benefits for VIP Members and Free Players, please visit www.coh.com/freedom.

About Paragon
Paragon Studios is a wholly owned development studio of NCsoft West and is dedicated to the growth of the City of Heroes franchise. Located in Mountain View, California, the team at Paragon Studios brings the world of comic books alive in a massively multiplayer 3D online universe. For more about Paragon Studios, visit www.paragonstudios.com. For more information about City of Heroes, go to www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars, and City of Heroes® franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at www.ncsoft.com

About PlaySpan Inc
PlaySpan provides a global payments solution through its UltimatePay product, which enables users to make safe, convenient and friendly in-app purchases using over 85 global payment methods in 180 countries. UltimatePay includes PlaySpan's Ultimate Game Card, the #1 selling multi-game pre-paid card, available in more than 50,000 retail locations across North America.

The company has won 12 awards during past three years and was honoured by 2010 OnMedia Top 100, and the AlwaysOn Global 250. Karl Mehta, won the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year Award for Northern California, and was named to Business Insider's Digital 100 for 2010.

BRIGHTON, Royaume-Uni, 21 juin 2011 : NCsoft ® et Paragon Studios™ sont ravis d'annoncer que le célèbre jeu en ligne massivement multijoueur (MMO) inspiré des comic-books remet le pouvoir de décision entre les mains des joueurs en rendant la franchise City of Heroes™ accessible à tous ! Grâce à City of Heroes Freedom™, Paragon Studios disposera, d'ici la fin de l'année, d'une plate-forme extraordinaire, lui permettant de proposer encore plus de contenu à un nombre de joueurs toujours plus élevé !

« Freedom nous permettra d'offrir encore plus de contenu à nos joueurs, qu'ils soient abonnés ou qu'ils jouent gratuitement », a déclaré Brian Clayton, producteur exécutif à Paragon Studios. « Pour y parvenir, nous avons passé en revue l'intégralité de City of Heroes et nous nous sommes concentrés sur trois axes principaux qui nous permettent d'améliorer l'expérience de jeu, en proposant à nos joueurs plus de choix, de meilleures récompenses et le meilleur contenu que nous ayons jamais créé. Et, pour la première fois, les joueurs vont pouvoir accéder gratuitement à plus de sept années de contenu. »

Choix
Dans Freedom, tout le monde est libre de personnaliser son expérience : que vous choisissiez de bénéficier gratuitement d'un contenu incroyable ou de profiter pleinement d'une expérience premium exclusive, tout est possible ! Les joueurs qui optent pour la version gratuite pourront se lancer dans des aventures passionnantes et faire progresser leurs personnages jusqu'au niveau 50 dans toutes les zones de super-héros et super-vilains, en choisissant précisément le contenu qu'ils souhaitent obtenir. Les joueurs qui choisissent de s'abonner bénéficieront non seulement de tous les avantages des abonnés actuels, mais aussi des nouveaux services et contenus VIP exclusifs.

Récompenses
City of Heroes Freedom récompensera ses joueurs les plus fidèles grâce au programme de Récompenses de Paragon en leur proposant des contenus bonus adaptés à leurs préférences individuelles. En effet, chaque mois, les joueurs bénéficiaires pourront faire leur choix parmi de nouveaux objets exceptionnels, dont des pouvoirs, des ensembles de costume, des effets visuels inédits et des objets uniques !

De plus, à compter du 1^er juillet prochain, les abonnés actuels commenceront à accumuler 400 Points Paragon par mois et ce, jusqu'au jour du lancement. Nos clients les plus fidèles pourront ainsi bénéficier de nombreuses options et récompenses inédites dès la sortie de City of Heroes Freedom. Ces points, utilisables dès le jour du lancement, leur permettront d'acheter des centaines de costumes, objets, services et objets consommables dans la boutique en jeu, le Marché Paragon (développé en collaboration avec PlaySpan, leader du marché des transactions en ligne).

Contenu
La franchise City of Heroes regorge déjà d'une quantité incroyable de contenu et de fonctionnalités, avec 20 extensions gratuites, plus de 1 600 missions et 375 000 missions créées par les utilisateurs. Grâce à Freedom, Paragon proposera encore plus de contenu, à intervalles plus réguliers, en commençant, dès le lancement, avec l'Episode 21 : Convergence. Les joueurs pourront y découvrir un contenu d'une qualité inégalée, dont l'Unité 1 (une nouvelle zone de coopération en proie à de terribles conflits), de nouvelles spécialisations, la très attendue Epreuve d'Incarné des Bas-fonds, une nouvelle spécialisation de pouvoirs et deux ensembles de costume. Cet épisode proposera par ailleurs une nouvelle expérience de départ, un système de création de personnage amélioré et des contenus adaptés aux nouveaux venus, aux anciens joueurs et aux vétérans.

Les joueurs peuvent s'attendre à découvrir des épisodes inédits plus fréquents, ainsi que des scénarios emblématiques mensuels (gratuits pour les VIP) qui leur permettront de se faire un nom dans l'univers de City of Heroes en se battant aux côtés de super-héros ou super-vilains mythiques.

Freedom, c'est le futur
« Au bout de sept années inoubliables, la franchise City of Heroes reste le MMO de super-héros le plus populaire au monde et nous sommes vraiment ravis de continuer dans cette voie avec Freedom, » a déclaré M. Clayton. « Avec City of Heroes Freedom, nous fournirons toujours plus de contenu à nos joueurs, tout en continuant à développer l'univers et l'histoire de City of Heroes. »

City of Heroes Freedom et l'Episode 21 : Convergence seront lancés simultanément avant la fin de l'année. Les joueurs pourront obtenir un aperçu du jeu lors de la Comic Con de San Diego. Nous encourageons tous nos fans, les joueurs de la première heure comme les nouveaux venus, à consulter régulièrement le site Internet de City of Heroes pour avoir de plus amples informations sur les Récompenses de Paragon, l'Episode 21 et bien plus encore !

Pour en apprendre davantage sur l'annonce d'aujourd'hui, lire la FAQ correspondante et découvrir les avantages des joueurs VIP et de la version gratuite, visitez le site www.coh.com/freedom.

À propos de Paragon
Paragon Studios est un studio de développement appartenant à NCsoft West, consacré au développement de la franchise City of Heroes. Située à Mountain View, en Californie, l'équipe de Paragon Studios donne vie à l'univers des comic-books dans un monde persistant en 3D massivement multijoueur. Pour plus d'informations sur Paragon Studios, visitez http://www.paragonstudios.com. Pour plus d'informations sur City of Heroes, consultez le site Internet http://eu.cityofheroes.com/fr/.

À propos de NCsoft
NCsoft, société sise à Séoul, en Corée, est le leader mondial du développement et de l'édition de jeux en ligne massivement multijoueurs, dont les célèbres franchises Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® et City of Heroes®. NCsoft West est une division de NCsoft qui opère en Europe, en Amérique du Nord et du Sud, ainsi qu'en Australie et en Nouvelle-Zélande. Pour plus d'informations, consultez le site http://eu.ncsoft.com/fr/.

À propos de PlaySpan Inc.
PlaySpan propose des solutions de paiement global grâce à son produit UltimatePay, qui permet aux utilisateurs d'effectuer des paiements sécurisés, faciles et pratiques au sein de différentes applications par le biais de 85 moyens de paiement dans 180 pays. UltimatePay inclut la Ultimate Game Card de PlaySpan, la carte prépayée multijeux la plus vendue, disponible auprès de plus de 50 000 revendeurs en Amérique du Nord.

La société a remporté 12 prix au cours des trois dernières années et a figuré dans les classements Top 100 2010 d'OnMedia et Global 250 d'AlwaysOn. Karl Mehta a reçu le trophée 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year Award pour la Californie du Nord et a été sélectionné pour figurer dans le classement Digital 100 de Business Insider en 2010.

BRIGHTON, REINO UNIDO - 21 de junio de 2011 - NCsoft ® y Paragon Studios™ se complacen en anunciar que los jugadores de City of Heroes™, el MMO inspirado en cómics de superhéroes más famoso, tendrán todo el poder del mundo dentro de poco con el estreno de la nueva expansión, llamada City of Heroes Freedom™. Este nuevo capítulo de la franquicia supone para Paragon Studios una nueva y apasionante forma de ofrecer muchos más contenidos a un número mucho mayor de jugadores.

"Lo que queremos con Freedom es ofrecer mucho más contenido a nuestros jugadores, ya sean suscriptores o jueguen de forma gratuita", dijo Brian Clayton, productor ejecutivo de Paragon Studios. "Para eso, hemos estudiado la base del juego y nos hemos centrado en tres formas de mejorar la experiencia de los jugadores proporcionándoles más elecciones, mayores recompensas y los mejores contenidos que jamás hemos producido. Y, por vez primera, los jugadores pueden disfrutar de más de siete años de contenido gratis".

Libertad de elección
Freedom significa libertad en inglés, y de eso se trata precisamente: de que todos los jugadores puedan personalizar la forma en que juegan. Aquellos que quieran jugar a una cantidad increíble de contenido gratuito podrán hacerlo, al igual que aquellos que deseen disfrutar de una experiencia "premium" o superior. Los jugadores que deseen disfrutar de una experiencia gratuita sin igual podrán avanzar hasta el nivel 50 y tener acceso completo a las zonas de héroes y villanos, eligiendo los contenidos específicos que deseen. Por su parte, los jugadores que decidan suscribirse disfrutarán de todos los beneficios actuales para suscriptores, además de nuevos extras, contenidos y servicios VIP.

Recompensas
City of Heroes Freedom recompensará a sus fieles jugadores mediante un programa de recompensas especial de Paragon que incluye paquetes de contenidos extra hechos a la medida para cada jugador. Desde poderes hasta trajes, pasando por efectos visuales únicos y objetos consumibles, los jugadores podrán elegir estas nuevas recompensas cada mes.

Además, a partir del 1 de julio, los suscriptores actuales empezarán a acumular 400 puntos de Paragon todos los meses hasta el lanzamiento de la expansión, con lo que nuestros clientes más fieles recibirán recompensas y opciones sin precedente cuando se estrene City of Heroes Freedom. Estos puntos servirán para comprar los cientos de trajes, objetos, servicios y consumibles que estarán disponibles en el Mercado de Paragon (creado conjuntamente con la empresa líder de transacciones online, PlaySpan) y al que se podrá acceder desde el primer día del lanzamiento.

Contenido
La franquicia de City of Heroes ya ofrece una cantidad de contenidos y opciones sin igual, con 20 expansiones gratuitas, más de 1600 misiones y 375.000 misiones generadas por el usuario. Con la llegada de Freedom, Paragon ofrecerá aún más contenido y de forma más frecuente, y la punta de lanza de estas apasionantes novedades es el número 21: Convergence. Este nuevo capítulo, que se lanzará de forma simultánea con Freedom, incluye alguno de los contenidos de mayor calidad jamás vistos en el juego, entre los que destacan el First Ward -una nueva zona cooperativa dinámica llena de conflictos- así como nuevos conjuntos de poderes, la tan esperada prueba para Incarnates en un mapa subterráneo y dos trajes completos. Aparte de estrenar una experiencia totalmente nueva y un creador de personajes muy mejorado, el número 21 ofrece contenidos para los jugadores nuevos, veteranos y que regresan a City of Heroes.

Además de poder disfrutar de más números del juego de forma más frecuente, los jugadores también se lo pasarán en grande con contenidos únicos como historias especiales (gratis para los suscriptores VIP) en las que podrán cambiar el rumbo del universo de City of Heroes mientras luchan codo con codo con héroes y villanos.

La libertad es el futuro
"Después de siete años inolvidables, City of Heroes sigue siendo el juego multijugador masivo de superhéroes más famoso del mundo y estamos deseando estrenar Freedom para mantener el listón así de alto", dijo Clayton. "Con esta nueva expansión, ofreceremos más contenido a muchos más jugadores que antes, y todo ello mientras aumentamos la historia y legado de City of Heroes".

City of Heroes Freedom
y el número 21: Convergence se estrenarán de forma simultánea dentro de unos meses y los jugadores podrán echar un vistazo en exclusiva a los nuevos contenidos en la feria San Diego Comic Con. Los fans del juego pueden estar al tanto de todas las novedades sobre las recompensas de Paragon, el número 21 y mucho más en la página de City of Heroes.

Más información sobre la nota de prensa de hoy, preguntas frecuentes y un resumen de los beneficios para miembros VIP y jugadores gratuitos en www.coh.com/freedom.

Acerca de Paragon
Paragon Studios es un estudio de desarrollo subsidiario de NCsoft West que se centra en el desarrollo y crecimiento de la franquicia City of Heroes. Con sede en Mountain View, California, el equipo de Paragon Studios otorga vida al mundo de los cómics en un universo multijugador online masivo en 3D. Para más información acerca de Paragon Studios, visita www.paragonstudios.com. Para más información acerca de City of Heroes acude a www.cityofheroes.com.

NCsoft
NCsoft, con sede en Seúl, Corea, es el desarrollador y editor líder en el mundo de juegos multijugador masivos, y sus franquicias incluyen las aclamadas sagas de Aion, Lineage®, Guild Wars, City of Heroes® y Exteel®. NCsoft West es una división de NCsoft responsable de las operaciones comerciales en Norteamérica, Europa, Sudamérica y Australia/Nueva Zelanda. Más información en http://www.ncsoft.com.

PlaySpan Inc
PlaySpan ofrece una solución global de pagos a través de su producto UltimatePay, que permite a los usuarios realizar compras mediante aplicación seguras, convenientes y fáciles usando más de 85 métodos de pago globales en 180 países. UltimatePay incluye la tarjeta "Ultimate Game Card" de PlaySpan, la tarjeta prepago n.º 1 en ventas que está disponible en más de 50.000 tiendas de Norteamérica.

La compañía ha obtenido 12 premios durante los últimos tres años y ha conseguido entrar en las prestigiosas listas OnMedia Top 100 de 2010 y AlwaysOn Global 250. Karl Mehta ganó el premio al "Empresario del año" de Ernst & Young de 2010 para California del Norte y fue nominado para los Digital 100 de Business Insider en 2010.

Brighton, England, 21. Juni 2011: NCsoft ® und Paragon Studios™ freuen sich ankündigen zu können, dass das weltweit beliebteste comic-inspirierte Massively Multiplayer-Onlinespiel (MMO) seinen Spielern bald mehr Wahlfreiheit gewähren wird, indem es die City of Heroes®-Reihe für alle Interessierten zugänglich macht. Mit City of Heroes Freedom™, welches später dieses Jahr veröffentlicht wird, schlägt Paragon Studios einen überzeugenden neuen Weg ein, dank dem noch mehr Spieler in den Genuss von noch mehr Inhalten als je zuvor kommen werden.

„In Freedom geht es darum, unseren Spielern mehr Inhalte zu geben, unabhängig davon, ob sie das Spiel abonnieren oder gratis spielen", äußert sich Brian Clayton, Executive Producer bei Paragon Studios. „Wir haben City of Heroes dafür genau unter die Lupe genommen und uns auf drei Parameter konzentriert, um die Erfahrung zu verbessern: mehr Auswahl, großartigere Belohnungen und die besten Inhalte, die wir jemals produziert haben. Und zum ersten Mal stehen unseren Spielern die Inhalte der letzten sieben Jahre gratis zur Verfügung."

Auswahl
Freedom bedeutet, dass alle Spieler ihre Erfahrung individuell gestalten können. Wer unübertroffene Mengen von Inhalten gebührenfrei spielen möchte, kann dies tun, während jene Spieler, die eine exklusivere Erfahrung wünschen, ebenfalls auf ihre Kosten kommen werden. Spieler, die von der gebührenfreien Erfahrung profitieren wollen, können im Kampf oder Flug alle Helden- und Schurkenzonen erkunden und bis Stufe 50 aufsteigen, indem sie die Inhalte ihrer Wahl spielen. Spieler, die ein Abonnement bevorzugen, genießen auch weiterhin sämtliche Vorzüge eines Abonnenten sowie die neuen exklusiven VIP-Leistungen, -Inhalte und -Services.

Belohnungen
City of Heroes Freedom wird seine treue Spielergemeinde dank des vorteilhaften Paragon-Belohnungsprogramms mit Bonusinhalten, die ganz auf die Vorlieben des individuellen Spielers zugeschnitten sind, belohnen. Von Kräften und Kostümsets bis zu einzigartigen visuellen Effekten und Verbrauchsgütern - Spieler können jeden Monat zwischen diesen brandneuen Gegenständen wählen.

Des Weiteren erhalten alle aktuellen Abonnenten ab dem 1. Juli 2011 jeden Monat bis zur Veröffentlichung 400 Paragon-Punkte, was ihnen beispiellose Belohnungen und Optionen für ihre Treue mit der Ankunft von City of Heroes Freedom bescheren wird. Mit diesen Punkten können sie im Spiel unmittelbar nach Veröffentlichung auf dem Markt von Paragon (der in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Online-Abwickler PlaySpan entwickelt wurde) Hunderte von Kostümteilen, Gegenständen, Services und Verbrauchsgütern kaufen.

Inhalt
Mit 20 kostenlosen Erweiterungen, mehr als 1.600 Missionen und 375.000 benutzergenerierten Missionen strotzt die City of Heroes-Reihe nur so vor einmaligen Inhalten und Features. Mit Freedom bringt Paragon seinen Spielern jedoch noch regelmäßiger noch mehr Inhalte. Den Anfang macht dabei Ausgabe 21: Konvergenz. Ausgabe 21, die gleichzeitig mit Freedom veröffentlicht wird, enthält einige der bisher qualitativ hochwertigsten Inhalte, darunter die Erste Station, eine dynamische neue kooperative Zone, die von Konflikten zerrüttet ist, sowie ein neues Kräfteset, die mit Spannung erwartete Prüfung der Inkarnation im Untergrund und zwei vollständige Kostümsets. Zusammen mit einem vollkommen neuen Einstiegserlebnis und der massiv überarbeiteten Charaktererstellung bietet Ausgabe 21 Inhalte für neue, wiederkehrende und erfahrene Spieler.

Zusätzlich zu einem Mehr an Ausgaben, die jetzt noch regelmäßiger erscheinen werden, dürfen sich Spieler auf einzigartige Inhalte wie etwa monatliche, für VIP-Spieler kostenlose, zentrale Handlungsstränge freuen, in denen sie an der Seite berühmter Helden und Schurken kämpfen und das Schicksal des Universums von City of Heroes mitbestimmen können.

Freedom ist die Zukunft
„Nach sieben unvergesslichen Jahren ist die City of Heroes-Reihe nach wie vor das weltweit beliebteste MMO mit Superkräften, und wir freuen uns schon darauf, dies mit Freedom fortsetzen zu dürfen", meint Clayton. „Mit City of Heroes Freedom werden wir Spielern mehr Inhalte als je zuvor bringen, während wir gleichzeitig die Geschichte und das Vermächtnis von City of Heroes weiter ausbauen."

City of Heroes Freedom und Ausgabe 21: Konvergenz werden später in diesem Jahr gleichzeitig veröffentlicht. Fans können einen ersten Blick auf das Spiel auf der Comic Con in San Diego erhaschen. Neue und alte Fans sind dazu angehalten, sich auf der City of Heroes-Webseite nach weiteren Details über Paragon-Belohnungen, Ausgabe 21 und vieles mehr zu informieren.

Weitere Informationen zur heutigen Ankündigung, häufig gestellte Fragen (FAQ) sowie eine Zusammenfassung der Vorzüge für VIP-Kunden und gebührenfreie Spieler finden Sie auf www.coh.com/freedom.

Paragon Studios
Paragon Studios ist ein hauseigenes Entwicklerstudio von NCsoft West und widmet sich ausschließlich der City of Heroes-Franchise. Das Team von Paragon Studios bringt die Welt der Superhelden-Comics in einem Massively Multiplayer-3D-Universum zum Leben. Weitere Informationen über Paragon Studios gibt es unter www.paragonstudios.com. Weitere Informationen über City of Heroes gibt es unter www.cityofheroes.com.

Über NCsoft

NCsoft mit Hauptsitz in Seoul, Südkorea, ist der weltweit führende Publisher und Entwickler von Massively Multiplayer Online-Spielen, einschließlich der preisgekrönten Lizenzen Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars® und City of Heroes ®. NCsoft West ist ein Tochterunternehmen von NCsoft und verantwortet den Betrieb in Nordamerika, Europa, Südamerika und Australien/Neuseeland. Weitere Informationen unter www.ncsoft.com.

Über PlaySpan, Inc.
PlaySpan bietet mit UltimatePay eine globale Methode zur Zahlungsabwicklung, über die Anwender sicher, komfortabel und benutzerfreundlich unter Verwendung von weltweit 85 Zahlungsmethoden in 180 Ländern in Anwendungen Käufe tätigen können. UltimatePay beinhaltet die Ultimate Game Card von PlaySpan, die beliebteste Prepaid-Karte für mehrere Spiele, die bei über 50.000 Händlern in ganz Nordamerika erhältlich ist.

In den letzten drei Jahren wurde das Unternehmen mit 12 Preisen ausgezeichnet und wurde 2010 in den Top 100 von OnMedia und in den global besten 250 von AlwaysOn aufgelistet. Karl Mehta trug 2010 den Preis "Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year Award for Northern California" davon und wurde ebenfalls 2010 in der Kategorie "Digital" in den Top 100 von Business Insider aufgeführt.

BRIGHTON, UK - 21^st June, 2011 - NCsoft® and Paragon Studios ™ are excited to announce that the world's top comic book inspired Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is putting the power of choice into players' hands by making the City of Heroes® franchise available to everyone. Arriving later this year, City of Heroes Freedom™ is a compelling new way for Paragon Studios to deliver more content to more players than ever before.

"Freedom is about getting more content into the hands of our players, whether they are subscribing or playing for free", said Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at Paragon Studios. "To do this, we've looked at City of Heroes from the ground up and focused on three ways to enhance the experience by giving our players more choices, greater rewards and the best content we've ever produced. And for the first time ever, players can choose to enjoy more than seven years of content for free."

Choice
Freedom means that everyone can customise their experience - those who wish to play an unparalleled amount of content for free can do so, while those who wish to enjoy a premium experience can do so as well. Players who want to enjoy the unrivalled free experience will be able to fight and fly their way to level 50 with full access to Hero and Villain zones, choosing the specific pieces of content they want. Players that decide to subscribe will enjoy all current subscriber benefits as well as new VIP exclusive benefits, content and services.

Rewards
City of Heroes Freedom will reward its loyal players through a value-packed Paragon Rewards program that provides bonus content tailored to each player's preferences. Ranging from powers and costume sets, to unique visual effects and consumables, these all-new items are rewarded monthly and chosen by the player.

Additionally, starting July 1^st, current subscribers will begin accumulating 400 Paragon Points every month up until launch, giving loyal customers unprecedented rewards and options when City of Heroes Freedom arrives. These points can be used to purchase hundreds of costumes, items, services and consumables available via the in-game Paragon Market (co-developed by online transaction leaders, PlaySpan) and will be available to use on the first day of launch.

Content
The City of Heroes franchise is already packed with unequalled content and features, with 20 free expansions, more than 1,600 missions and 375,000 user-generated missions. Now with Freedom, Paragon is delivering more content, more often and spearheading this charge is Issue 21: Convergence. Issue 21, which launches alongside Freedom, is packed with some of the highest-quality content yet including First Ward - a dynamic new co-op zone that is gripped in conflict - as well as a new Power Set, the highly-anticipated Underground Incarnate Trial and two full costume sets. Along with a completely new starting experience and a greatly enhanced character creator, Issue 21 offers content for new, returning and veteran players.

In addition to more Issues delivered more frequently, players can look forward to unique content such as monthly Signature Story Arcs (free for VIP Players) that will empower players to make a difference in the City of Heroes universe by fighting alongside iconic heroes and villains as the story unfolds.

Freedom is the Future
"After an unforgettable seven years, the City of Heroes franchise remains the world's most popular super-powered MMO, and we're excited to continue that momentum with Freedom," said Clayton. "Through City of Heroes Freedom, we will be delivering more content to players than ever before, while continuing to expand the ever-evolving City of Heroes storyline and legacy."

City of Heroes Freedom and Issue 21: Convergence will be launching simultaneously later this year and players can get their first experience with the game at San Diego Comic Con. New and existing fans are encouraged to stay tuned to the City of Heroes website for more information about Paragon Rewards, Issue 21, and more.

For more information on today's announcement, an FAQ and a summary of benefits for VIP Members and Free Players, please visit www.coh.com/freedom.

About Paragon
Paragon Studios is a wholly owned development studio of NCsoft West and is dedicated to the growth of the City of Heroes franchise. Located in Mountain View, California, the team at Paragon Studios brings the world of comic books alive in a massively multiplayer 3D online universe. For more about Paragon Studios, visit www.paragonstudios.com. For more information about City of Heroes, go to www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars, and City of Heroes® franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at www.ncsoft.com

About PlaySpan Inc
PlaySpan provides a global payments solution through its UltimatePay product, which enables users to make safe, convenient and friendly in-app purchases using over 85 global payment methods in 180 countries. UltimatePay includes PlaySpan's Ultimate Game Card, the #1 selling multi-game pre-paid card, available in more than 50,000 retail locations across North America.

The company has won 12 awards during past three years and was honoured by 2010 OnMedia Top 100, and the AlwaysOn Global 250. Karl Mehta, won the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year Award for Northern California, and was named to Business Insider's Digital 100 for 2010.

NCsoft®, the world's premier publisher and developer of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs), and Paragon Studios®, home of the world's most popular super-powered hero MMO, City of Heroes®, today announced that the City of Heroes Steampunk Pack will be available on June 1.

After having just celebrated its 7th anniversary, City of Heroes now offers characters the ability to travel the lands of Praetoria, Paragon City and the Rogue Isles with a fashionable Victorian touch. Whether strutting your stuff in new leather thigh high boots and a matching bustier or showcasing your finely waxed mustache before fighting your arch nemesis with your patented pistols, the newest City of Heroes accessory pack has everything you need to become a part of the Victoriana-noir style that is steampunk.

A complete list of features includes:

• Steampunk Pack Costume Parts: The Steampunk Pack unlocks more than 60 new costume parts for all characters including heads, hairstyles, chests, belts, legs, boots, weapons, wings and for the first time ever, backpacks.
• Steam Jump Travel Power: Harness the furious power and speed of steam to rocket through the air with the new Steam Jump travel power available at level 4.
• New Auras: The Steampunk Pack offers two new tintable auras, including the Victorian Décor and the Clunker Aura, the first-ever path aura that allows characters to leave a customized, visible trail of oil and gears wherever they walk.
• Emotes: Activate new character and Steampunk-themed costume change emotes including Inspiration, Train Whistle, Hot Temper, Oil Strike and Pressure Release.

The Steampunk Pack will be available June 1 for $9.99. For more information on City of Heroes and the Steampunk Pack, please visit the City of Heroes website at www.cityofheroes.com.

About Paragon
Paragon Studios is a wholly owned development studio of NCsoft West and is dedicated to the growth of the City of Heroes franchise. Located in Mountain View, California, the team at Paragon Studios brings the world of comic books alive in a massively multiplayer 3D online universe. For more about Paragon Studios, visit http://paragonstudios.com. For more information about City of Heroes, go to http://www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage®, Guild Wars, and City of Heroes® franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found at http://ncsoft.com.