City of Heroes: Freedom will use "staged download" system

City of Heroes Thumbnail

City of Heroes is going free to play later this year. As well as the massive update that's due to hit, Paragon are releasing some new technology which will download updates as you play. "We sort of have a staged downloading system now," said producer Brian Clayton.

"So you'll jump into the character creator first and as you're going through and setting up your character the entry level zones will then download in the background. Once those download in the background it downloads the rest of the game."

The new system will launch alongside City of Heroes: Freedom later this year, with the aim of making it more accessible for new player: "Our hope is that a new player for the very first time that wants to try out City of Heroes is in the game within five minutes." Clayton said.

Latest in MMO
EVE Frontier promo image - Omo
EVE Online studio CCP Games hires former Iceland Central Bank economist for its crypto game, because nothing says 'fun' like 'removing currency controls and fostering emergent value systems'
An alien waters some cacti in Stars Reach, a new MMO that recently funded its Kickstarter.
Former Ultima Online lead says MMOs have 'been in a rut for a long time', and that cozy games like Animal Crossing have been filling a non-theme park hole
Runescape Return to the Desert Pharaoh's Folly Key art.
Runescape is finally wrapping up one of its earliest storylines, 24 years after the first quest debuted
Three goblins from the goblin cartels smile confidently in WoW: The War Within's Undermine(d) patch.
WoW's new Undermine(d) patch had a live jazz ensemble recording its big-band bangers, and they got to improvise: 'Usually those were the takes that ended up in the final version'
Two goblins go for a joyride via the D.R.I.V.E system in World of Warcraft: The War Within.
WoW's new DRIVE system probably won't be used outside of its GTA-style goblin zone, but devs are 'going to think about' recycling its parts elsewhere
World of Warcraft The War Within screenshots
Delves have given WoW's devs the confidence to put mandatory grinds firmly in the rear-view, says game director Ion Hazzikostas
Latest in News
Pedro Pascal as Joel in a coat in winter looking unhappy
'Don't you know what he did?': The truth comes out in The Last of Us Season 2 trailer
Aloy
'Creepy,' 'ghastly,' 'rancid': Viewers react to leaked video of Sony's AI-powered Aloy
Split Fiction trailer still - Zoe and Mio standing side by side, wearing glowing neon sci-fi jammies
Split Fiction sells 1 million copies over 2 days
A soldier looks out over the Verdansk map, as a single tear rolls down his cheek.
The original Verdansk map is returning to Call of Duty: Warzone, to celebrate which we get a soldier crying to Nat King Cole
More than 5 years after launch, Control gets a surprise patch that lets everyone play the Hideo Kojima mission
Swen Vincke
Swen Vincke stamps seal of approval on Stardew Valley mod that yoinks the Baldur's Gate 3 cast out of D&D and into a cosy pastoral life