City of Heroes 2004

About

City of Heroes was a superhero based MMORPG that ran from April 2004 to November 2012. In April 2019, source code capable of running a City of Heroes server was distributed widely. This made it possible to create City of Heroes servers outside the direct purview of NCSoft and revived interest in the game, which by then had been out of development for more than six years. As of January 2024, NCSoft has not moved to have servers based on this source code shut down. On January 4, 2024, NCSoft officially granted Homecoming Servers LLC who operated the rogue server Homecoming: City of Heroes an official license to host the game.

What is happening now

City of Heroes is a superhero-themed RPG that has been running since 2004, allowing players to create and customize comic-book-style characters and take on missions across its persistent world. The game operates through Homecoming, a community-driven continuation following the original game's sunset. Recent discussion has centered on enemy AI behavior, particularly the tendency for enemy mobs to flee during combat. While fleeing enemies can add some tactical unpredictability to encounters, the community has expressed frustration with the mechanic, viewing it as more annoying than immersive in a game built around fantastical superhero fantasy. Homecoming has been examining the issue and working toward adjustments that would better balance realism against gameplay enjoyment.