Well, it has begun - and I find it telling that one of the earliest posts on the fledgling forums is “What would it take to get you to come over to this game from CoX?”

I think that’s the wrong question. The right question is, “What would it take to get you to subscribe to this game IN ADDITION TO CoX?” By definition Jack already has established that the retention rate of City of Heroes/Villains is one of the highest in the industry. If he think I will walk away from five years of game to play his new property, well…. that’s a pretty tall order. I’d be more likely to run them both for a while (if Champions Online even ran on my computer) than to abandon Silent Tsunami and the rest.

I’d say it’s arguable that the post-Emmert era at City of Heroes has exceeded my expectations. But it’s darned informative to read his perspective on his time working on the game now that he has some perspective. Whether you agreed with his vision or disagreed with it, this interview is worth a read! A sample…

In 2005, City of Heroes saw its European launch, soon followed by City of Villains. But, Emmert said, “What I really delivered was a City of Heroes experience with a slightly evil twist.” He neglected to connect to what players might want from being a villain. “If they didn’t like City of Heroes, there was nothing here for them… I can’t even tell you the disappointment I have. It hurts.”

Well, looks like NCSoft is going to have to take their lumps. Tabula Rasa, after costing over 100 Million to build has raked in a measly 5 million bucks, and staffing is about to be cut according to this article.

NCSoft to downsize Austin studio

Can’t say I’m surprised. Now maybe NCSoft will focus on the jewels in their crown - they have several great MMOs including City of Heroes, with a lot of potential.