City of Heroes Collectible Card Game Announced

The full press release:

Alderac Entertainment Group Acquires the City of Heroes Collectible Card Game License

Hobby gaming giant teams up with NCsoft and Cryptic Studios to create the CCG for comic book insired online computer game

ONTARIO, Calif., March 16, 2005 Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. announced today the acquisition of the collectible card game (CCG) license for the highly successful City of Heroes®.online computer game (http://www.cityofheroes.com). City of Heroes is the creation of design house Crytpic Studios™ and publisher NCsoft® Corporation. Award-winning game designer, David Williams (Legend of the Five Rings, Doomtown, Warlord, Initial D, Spycraft, Football Champions) takes the lead role to develop a game that brings together hobby and computer gamers for a new gaming experience. Top Cow Productions (Witchblade, Tomb Raider, Hunter-Killer), which is also producing the City of Heroes comic book, will illustrate the artwork for this new game.

City of Heroes has received mass market and critical acclaim in the gaming industry since its launch in April of 2004. The game was awarded PC or Console Game of the Year and Multiplayer Game of the Year by Billboard Magazine. It also received MMORPG of the year honors from Spike TV and Computer Gaming World.

The new card game will release its first set, City of Heroes CCG: Arena, this November. (With such a popular license, I see this as an exciting opportunity to bridge the gap between card gamers, computer gamers, and comic book fans,) says City of Heroes CCG Brand Manager, Raymond Lau. (There’s no doubt that the joint efforts of high caliber companies like Cryptic Studios, Top Cow Productions, and Alderac Entertainment Group will result in a world class product.)

(We are thrilled to be working with Alderac Entertainment Group,) says City of Heroes Lead Designer Jack Emmert. (Alderac has a long history of producing quality products and providing the kind of complete support that we feel is core to the City of Heroes property.)

About Alderac Entertainment Group

Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc., is based in Ontario, California. Formed in 1993, Alderac’s first product was the hobby gaming magazine, Shadis. It jumped into the collectible card game business in August 1995 with the release of Legend of the Five Rings which remains one of the most popular CCG’s to date. Alderac continued on to produce other collectible card and role-playing games such as Warlord CCG, Spycraft, Doomtown, and 7th Sea, and now has become an industry leader in hobby gaming.

About Cryptic Studios

Cryptic Studios, Inc., located in Los Gatos, California, was established in July of 2000 and is an independent developer of massively multiplayer online games for the PC and next generation consoles. Its first game, City of Heroes, launched in April 2004. The game takes place in a virtual world where thousands of people play simultaneously, take on the role of super-powered heroes, fight villains and help create a dynamic story in a visually-stunning, 3-D graphical world.

About NCsoft North America

NCsoft – North America (NC-NA) is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is part of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NC-NA, with development and administrative offices in Texas and California, launched two ground-breaking titles in the first half of 2004, Lineage® II and City of Heroes. The company also works with NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. More information about NCsoft North America can be found at http://www.PlayNC.com.

About Top Cow

Top Cow was founded in December of 1992 and currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and 2 licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise Witchblade was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games and role playing games.