NCsoft Launches City of Heroes Commercial Service; Comic Book-Based Online Game Trailblazes New Territory

Business Wire, April 28, 2004

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 2004

NCsoft(R) Corporation (KSE:036570.KS), the world's leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announces the launch of North American commercial service for Cryptic Studios' City of Heroes(TM), a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players don costumes to become super-powered heroes, and fight against evil to save the world.

City of Heroes is a true departure from the MMORPG market, which is primarily filled with medieval fantasy-based titles. The game enables players to realize their comic book dreams. Heroes protect the fine citizens of Paragon City in a colorful 3-D world where the victims of crimes not only thank players for their help, but they even compliment players on their costumes!

The innovative character creation system in City of Heroes ensures that everyone can be the hero they've always dreamed of. Since the game provides literally billions of costume and power combinations, it is almost impossible to create a hero that isn't unique. The system is simple for users, but provides many layers of customization. First, players choose from a set of five Origins: Mutant, Science, Technology, Natural, and Magic. Once players know how their super-powered hero got his or her powers, they decide upon an Archetype: Blaster, Controller, Defender, Tanker, and Scrapper. This determines the type of powers the players can select. Then players design their heroes' looks by choosing from body sizes and styles, skin color and hair, upper and lower body appearance, icons, masks, hats and headdresses...even tails and antennae!

Players then take their truly original hero out into the streets of Paragon City. Heroes start their careers by foiling petty crimes like purse snatching, but as heroes gain more experience, they learn new powers to battle evil. The heroes meet the city's personages who help the hero to stop evil plots by one of the villain groups in the game. Each epic adventure reveals the background of Paragon City and uncovers the mysteries of its villains.

"City of Heroes is a ground-breaking title," says Cryptic Studios CEO Michael Lewis. "Not only does it give the MMORPG community an exciting and fun alternative to sword and sorcery games, it has mass appeal because virtually everyone at one point or another has wanted to be a super-powered hero."

The game is easy to learn and sports state of the art 3-D graphics. Depending upon the hero's powers, a player may soar through the city's skyline, leap tall buildings, or run at super-speed. If a player has seen it in the pages of a comic book, he'll be able to live it out in City of Heroes.

City of Heroes also links with a monthly comic book, which is sent to North American subscribers as part of their monthly service, and which will be available for newsstand purchase wherever comic books are sold. Rick Dakan and Blue King Studios publish the comic book of the same name. Rick Dakan is one of the original visionaries behind City of Heroes and wrote much of the game's fictional backstory. The comic also includes fan fiction, fan art, interviews with the developers and tips on playing City of Heroes.

City of Heroes is now available at most major North American computer game retail outlets at a suggested retail price of US$49.99, which includes the first month of online game play. After the first month, players will be charged a monthly subscription fee of US$14.95. Sixty-day game time cards will also be available at many North American retailers for a suggested retail price of US$29.99. The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

Also available for purchase is Prima Games' Official Strategy Guide for City of Heroes. The guide book provides hundreds of tips, strategies, maps and stats for players. It is available at most North American computer game retail outlets at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

For more information about City of Heroes, visit http://www.cityofheroes.com.

About NCsoft Corporation

Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, NCsoft Corp. is the world's leading developer and publisher of online games. Founded in 1997, NCsoft is home to Lineage(R), the world's most successful online role playing game. NCsoft has joint venture offices located in Japan, Taiwan, and China. In fiscal year 2003, NCsoft posted revenues of KRW (Korean Won) 166.5 billion or approximately US$143 million. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.ncsoft.net.

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, just launched two ground-breaking titles in the first half of 2004, Lineage II and City of Heroes(TM). The company also works with NCsoft subsidiary ArenaNet(TM) (located in Seattle, WA) 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.