Last week, it was revealed that NCsoft, the publisher of City of Heroes, was shutting down Paragon Studios and, in an effort to realign NCsoft's focus, ending all development of the free-to-play superhero MMORPG. With operation of City of Heroes set to end on November 30, fans are once again fighting to save Paragon City.
“We’ve been saving Paragon City for eight and a half years. It’s time to do it one more time,” said Tony Vasquez administrator of the Titan Network, an alliance of City of Heroes fan sites, and one of the organizers of the "Save Paragon City!" campaign.
In an effort to convince NCsoft to allow the game to continue, players have been organizing projects and events through social media outlets, fan web sites, and the City of Heroes official game forums. The "Keep NCsoft from shutting down City of Heroes!" petition has already gathered over 13,600 signatures and continues to grow. In addition, players have begun writing letters to NCsoft in an effort to show the company the effect City of Heroes has had on their lives.
The idea of a crowd funding drive is being tossed around to financially assist acquiring the game from NCsoft.
If you're a City of Heroes player, and would like to show your support, the campaign has organized an in-game "Unity Rally" and Paragon Appreciation costume contest set for Saturday, September 8th.