In a press release just issued we have today announced a partnership with game advertising provider Double Fusion to implement optional in-game advertising to City of Heroes. Click through for the full press release…

Today our friends at Boomtown published the latest “Ask-a-Dev” instalment with Melissa “War Witch” Bianco’s answers to player’s questions about how the world of City of Heroes / CIty of Villains was designed.

Also have a look at Vince D’Amelio’s introduction. Vince is the Senior programmer for City of Heroes / Villains and responsible for such great inventions as the Rikti Invasion.

Issue #10 has arrived, and with have come the Rikti. While attacks continue across the world, the most vicious and desperate battles are being fought at the site of the Rikti mothership brought down in the first Rikti War - and Gamespot have an exclusive video tour of the new Rikti War Zone that’s one of the major features of the latest free content update for City of Heroes and Villains.

Click here to see the video, narrated by none other than City of Heroes and Villains Lead Designer Matt ‘Positron’ Miller.

Update: The video can now be found on our site as well - Head over to the Media / Movies-page.

To celebrate the continued success of its Heroes/Who Wants to be a Superhero double-bill (every Monday from 10pm), the SCI FI Channel has teamed up with NCsoft Europe to offer a 14-day free trial of City of Heroes and Villains to 5,000 people via the SCI FI Channel website.

To create your own heroes and villains and save - or threaten - the world of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles for 14 days, absolutely free, just head over to the special City of Heroes page on the SCI FI site and click the buttons to download the game client and a free trial code. Remember, there are only 5,000 codes on offer, so be quick!

Oh, and if you haven’t been watching Heroes, you’ve been missing out. Best. Show. Ever.

If you’ve enjoyed the recent spate of super-hero movies, now’s your perfect opportunity to create some dastardly villains of your own with the July 2007 issue of DVD Monthly (#92).

As well as all the latest news, previews and reviews of the best in home movie entertainment, you can treat yourself to 14 days of perpetrating evil schemes on the Rogue Isles, courtesy of the free trial version of City of Heroes and Villains included on the cover DVD.

Once the trial finishes, you can carry on playing with the same characters simply by picking up a copy of the full game to upgrade your trial to a full version.

The July issue of DVD Monthly is available now from good newsagents across the UK.

The main feature of Issue #9: Breakthrough, the new Inventions system adds a whole new range of customisation options for heroes and villains alike. Now, over at MMORPG.com, you can view an exclusive video introducing this flexible new addition to City of Heroes and Villains. Just the thing if you’re interested in Inventions but aren’t sure how to get started - and even more experienced players can pick up a tip or two…

UPDATE: Versions of the Inventions Tutorial movie are now also available over at Eurogamer and, for our Swedish-speaking players, at FZ.se - enjoy!

Since the release of Issue #9: Breakthrough, the chaps at Boomtown have been inventing up a storm, and the result is the first review of the new free update:

The developers at Cryptic have created a brilliant system that fits on top of the existing game. You don’t need ever to bother with inventions if you don’t want to – you’ll still be just as cool as you used to be, the real difference won’t be felt till later the higher levels anyway. But if you do dig into the system, you’ll get a new flood of options that will make any hero/villain player happy.

You can read the full review over at Boomtown.

The Warcry Network has just revealed the results of its Editor’s Choice Awards for 2006, and we’re pleased to announce the Cryptic Studios, the developer of City of Heroes and City of Villains has been selected as their ‘Studio of the Year’:

In 2006, Cryptic released two new “Issues” for City of Heroes/Villains. These expansions are free to the players and both added a lot of new content to the two games in one.

You can read the full article and see the winners of the other awards over at Warcry now.

With 2006 well and truly over, MMOSite is launching its first annual Reader’s Choice Awards, where MMO players can vote for the favourite games of the last year in eight categories including Favourite Game, Best Graphics, Best PvP, Best Gameplay, Best Storyline, Best Expansion, Most Anticipated and Favourite Company.

The good news is that between them, City of Heroes, City of Villains and Cryptic Studios have been nominated for all but the Most Anticipated award. Voting is open now, so head on over to the MMOSite Reader’s Choice Awards page and pick your favourite games. We know you’ll make the right decision…

Fancy seeing if the life of a hero or villain is for you? Well head over to Boomtown, where no less than 2000 free trial codes for City of Heroes and Villains are up for grabs right now.

These exclusive trial keys will allow you full access to City of Heroes and City of Villains for 14 days, completely free of charge. Get one now - they won’t last long!

ITV Meridian, our local ITV channel here in not-so-sunny-just-at-the-moment Brighton and all along the south coast, is celebrating the recent release of the Good vs. Evil Combined Edition of City of Heroes and City of Villains with a competition that asks its viewers to choose the super power they most desire - and why they want it.

The competition - which offers £500 plus a copy of the Good vs. Evil Edition to the winner as well as several other prizes for second place and runners-up - will be featured on the Meridian Tonight news at 6pm, but you can beat the rush and ensure you stand a chance of winning a prize by heading over to the ITV Meridian website and clicking on the link to the competition in the top-right - just look for the puny face of the accursed Statesman.

Both Edge Online and Computer and Videogames are celebrating the recent release of the Good vs. Evil Edition of City of Heroes and City of Villains with competitions that give you the chance to experience life as a hero and a villain for free!

Edge Online has 10 ‘goodie bags’ containing a shiny copy of the Good vs. Evil Edition box, a T-shirt and a limited edition statuette of either Lord Recluse or Statesman! Click here for full details on how to enter.

CVG has 10 equally shiny copies of the Good vs. Evil Edition box up for grabs. You can get the full details by clicking here.

Good luck!

Rejoice brothers and sisters, City of Villains has once again been recognised for its irrefutable influence in the world of gaming. The World of Roleplayers Radio station recently held their first annual Wing awards, allowing the hapless public to vote for their favourite MMO games across several fiendish categories.

Rumours of these glorious awards were spread from tongue to tongue, whispering their way into the ever listening ears of the mighty Lord Recluse. A plot to steal the awards was born at once, and the minions of Arachnos slunk into the shadows, poised, waiting to strike. As night fell, the orders were given and Arachnos moved out. Those responsible for the chaos that ensued will be caught, mark my words…

Both Eurogamer and Boomtown are offering the chance to win limited edition statues of Lord Recluse, but time is short!

The chaps at Eurogamer have no less than five statues to give away, along with copies of City of Heroes and City of Villains. You can enter their competition here.

Boomtown, on the other hand, has three of these hand-painted works of art on offer. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the questions that can be found here.

Good luck!

Inspired by their success with the competition at The Sun Online, the Arachnos Propaganda Department is pleased to announce that several more prominent websites have been ‘persuaded’ to assist in Lord Recluse’s latest recruitment drive.

The result is even more chances for you to win shiny new copies of City of Heroes and City of Villains, along with limited edition hand-painted Lord Recluse statues! Carefully crafted and accurate in every detail, only a few hundred of these statues of our mighty leader have been made, so make sure you grab the chance to win one.

Read on for details of the five latest competitions…