Cryptic Studios has been acquired by the Chinese MMO maker Perfect World, reports Gamasutra. According to the report, the company paid approximately $50.3 million for the studio, and acquired a 100% equity interest in Cryptic. Atari had been looking to sell Cryptic recently, having only acquired it in 2008.

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Atari is divesting its interest in Cryptic Studios, developer of Champions Online and Star Trek Online, looking to sell it, Gamasutra reports. The publisher only acquired Cryptic in December 2008.

"In line with the previously stated strategy of fewer but more profitable releases and further expansion into casual online and mobile games, the Company has determined that external development creates more flexibility in the changing marketplace," Atari explained in an earnings report. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features Bulletstorm, Captain America: Super Soldier, Major League Baseball 2K11, Fight Night Champion, Total War: Shogun 2, Operation Flashpoint: Red River, Champions Online, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime, Mortal Kombat, Valet Parking 1989, Shift 2 Unleashed, MotorStorm Apocalypse, Radiant Historia, SEGA Genesis Classic Collection Gold Edition, Natural Selection 2, Love & Order, Vindictus, Top Shot Arcade, and Virtua Tennis 4. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious, Bulletstorm, Lord of Arcana, Rift, EVE Online, TERA, Test Drive Unlimited 2, Killzone 3, Magicka, and Champions Online. Read more »

Ostensibly to celebrate the launch of Champions Online's free-to-play option next week, developer Cryptic Studios has announced it will be offering a 20% discount on lifetime subscriptions for the superhero MMO as well as for Star Trek Online.

Discounted, the lifetime subscriptions will each cost $239.99. The sale will start on January 25 at 6am Pacific then run until 10am on February 4. Read more »

Shacknews receives a slew of new screenshots and trailers for upcoming games everyday. The most anticipated titles receive their own post, because we know you're eager to see that content. For the rest, we have the Daily Filter, a place to feature all of the media we add to our enormous database on a daily basis.

Today's Filter features Tomb Raider, MaXplosion, Dragon Age 2, Bulletstorm, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Zeit2, LEGO Universe, Adam's Venture 2: Solomon's Secret, Champions Online, Fight Night Champion, Supremacy MMA, Dino Strike, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, and Mass Effect 2. Read more »

The promised free-to-play option for Cryptic's superhero MMORPG Champions Online will launch on January 25, it was revealed today.

Free-to-play users will be able to play for as long as they please without buying the game or subscribing. However, they'll face numerous restrictions and will have to pay if they want to experience certain content. Those who choose to pay the $14.99 monthly 'Gold' subscription fee won't face these limitations. Both groups of players can buy assorted microtransaction goodies, including more bits for character customisations. Read more »

Before the launch of Star Trek Online, Cryptic unveiled a lifetime subscription to its other MMORPG, Champions Online, for a cool $200. Included with the purchase was closed beta access to the Starfleet-endorsed online title, which--presumably--helped entice people to make the jump. Later, the lifetime subscription option disappeared. Read more »

Cryptic's superhero MMORPG Champions Online is to launch a feature-limited free-to-play option, executive producer Shannon Posniewski has revealed in the latest 'State of the Game' update, though subscriptions will continue to be offered.

Non-subscribing "Silver Players" won't be able to fully customise their heroes with super-powers of their choosing, instead being granted a pre-defined powerset from a chosen "archetype." They'll also have restrictions on inventory, bank and marketplace space as well as in-game messaging. Read more »

To celebrate the first anniversary of Cryptic Studios' superhero MMORPG Champions Online, a free trial week begins today for costume aficionados and the fly-curious. It'll kick off at 10am Pacific today then run until 10am Pacific on September 7.

Other festivities include a 20% discount on "nearly everything" in the micro-transaction C-Store and an in-game event promising "special prizes and unique encounters." Read more »

The Game Developers Conference Austin show is now Game Developers Conference Online and as such, awards will be handed out, "honoring the accomplishments of the creators and operators of online games." As such, nominations have been announced in 8 categories.

Riot Games' League of Legends is leading with four nominations, followed by "We Rule (ngmoco), Champions Online (Cryptic), Dungeon Fighter Online (Nexon) and Nightclub City (Booyah) with three award nominations apiece." The winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on October 7 at GDC Online in Austin, TX. Read more »

Former Flagship CEO and Blizzard Executive Bill Roper has left Cryptic Studios, where he served as design director and executive producer on Champions Online before accepting the position of chief creative officer back in March.

While Roper has not announced specific plans for the future, he did write that "over the past few months my entrepreneurial spirit has become restless, and I've made the difficult decision to move on and look for new opportunities." Read more »

The oft-promised console edition of Champions Online is no more, as developer Cryptic Studios has revealed that "there are no current plans for a console version."

The super-powered MMO, released on PC in September 2009, was once slated to hit both PC and Xbox 360 simultaneously. Cryptic later changed its tune, saying the console version would arrive later, with owner Atari hoping it would still hit within 2009. Read more »

Cryptic's superhero MMORPG Champions Online will be getting another free weekend beginning this Friday, March 26th at 10AM PST until Monday, March 29th at 10AM PST. The free weekend will celebrate the free Revelation expansion.

The game client required to play can be downloaded here, which also serves as a limited demo to the game. During the free weekend, players will be able to play all the game they can handle in the time provided.

Cryptic Studios has launched the free level-limited demo for its superhero MMORPG Champions Online, available for download now through Steam.

While there is no time limit, demo players have a level cap of fifteen and are restricted to the 'Millennium City crisis' missions. You can play with the character creator forever--surely one of the most exciting parts of any MMO--but are limited to two slots. Read more »