Soon, the forces of good and evil will collide in a recursive future as they battle over Recluse’s Victory. Each victory or defeat will bring the reality of this alternate Atlas Park one step closer to “true time”. It will be up to the heroes of Paragon City to defeat Lord Recluse time and again, making a future free of Arachnos ever more real until it finally takes hold and denies all other conclusions. Meanwhile, the villains will strive to litter Atlas Park with the broken bodies of their hated foes and secure tomorrow for themselves.

Now, Statesman calls on all heroes of Paragon City to take part in this epic battle that will determine the very fate of the future. Read the transcript of Statesman’s radio address below…

As City of Heroes celebrates it second anniversary since the original US launch, Cryptic Studios’ Creative Director Jack ‘Statesman’ Emmert and Lead Designer Matt ‘Positron’ Miller consider what lies ahead for the dedicated heroes and scheming villains of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles…

Today, City of Heroes celebrates the second anniversary of its original launch in the US. For two years now, the brave heroes of Paragon have faced down every threat to their fine city, risking their lives in the battle against the evil.

To mark this occassion, we’ll be awarding a unique 2nd Anniversary badge to all characters who login to the game between now and the end of June, 2006. What’s more, if you also have last year’s 1st Anniversary badge, the combination of both will unlock a special treat…

The City of Heroes and Villains roadshow is returning to the the Bristol Comics Expo for Year Two, with the chance to meet the City of Heroes community crew and get your CoH/CoV characters drawn by top professional artists - while donating to charity! What more could you want from a weekend?

Our community team, including Bridger, Amboss and Midoh, will be on hand to hand to talk to players, hand out prizes and generally hang out - as well as play a few games of the City of Heroes trading card game. If you’ve got a question about CoH/CoV or just want to meet fellow players, this is the place to be.

When: Saturday 13 May – Sunday 14 May
Where: British Empire Hall & Commonwealth Exhibition Hall – Bristol (map)
How Much: Adults: £6 for day tickets, £12 for the weekend. Children 11-16: £1 per day. Children 10 and under: Free, if accompanied by an adult.

Read on for full details…

The latest strip at Ctrl+Alt+Del sees the satirical eye of creator Tim Buckley returning to City of Heroes and Villains (both of which have featured in several strips in the past). Check it out by clicking here.

MMORPG.com has published the first of a five-part interview with the Lead Designer of City of Heroes and Villains, focussing on the upcoming Patron system for villains. Head over to the City of Villains site for more details…

The first RPS Open tournaments were held on Union and Defiant last week, and the events were a big success, thanks to a healthy turn-out and some excellent play from all concerned.

Heroes and Villains faced off under the watchful eyes of DJ Zero to compete for a chance to pit their skills against RPS Grandmasters Rockjaw and Bridger in a knock-out tournament that tested their tactics, skill, nerve and luck.

Read on for full details…

Statesman himself has asked all heroes of Paragon City to be on the alert, following intelligence reports that indicate Lord Recluse is preparing to increase the pressure on our city’s protectors by sending his so-called ‘Destined Ones’ on rampages of theft and destruction. Learn more in the latest Issue #7 Feature Update on the City of Villains site.

Longbow agents have reported that the Rogue Isles are alive with rumours of Arachnos recruits exhibiting new and deadly abilities. Learn more in the latest Feature Update on the City of Villains site.

If you’ve been trying to install the City of Villains client from the cover-mounted DVD on the current issue of PC Gamer (which comes with a 14-day free trial), please see this article on the City of Villains site for instructions on how to get it to work.

Freedom Corps has issued an advisory to all heroes, warning of increased Arachnos recruitment efforts. Through a cunning series of ‘free trials’, Arachnos is targetting potential ‘Destined Ones’ from across Europe.

The current drive is focussing on attracting new villains from Sweden, Norway and the UK. Ms. Liberty has expressed her concern over the security implications for Paragon City and Longbow operations in the Rogue Isles, and urged all heroes to check out the details of these new free trials at the City of Villains site.

You have honed your powers. You have defeated countless foes. You have dedicated your very life to the protection of Paragon City, and become a master of your own fate.

But you ain’t seen nothing yet.

An ancient tournament with simple yet strict rules awaits. Friends, foes, mighty warriors and inexperienced newcomers – many will enter, but only one will emerge victorious and earn the right to face a Grand Master in a final showdown.

DJ Zero invites you to Pocket D to fight in the tournament of your life.

Read on for more details…

Learn about some of the improvements to the user interface and get a glimpse of the updated textures and effects coming with Issue #7 in our latest Feature Update.

We’re pleased to announce that, after much deliberation and discussion, we’ve selected the winners of our ’Celebrate a Year of Heroism‘ competition, commemorating the first anniversary of the European launch of City of Heroes back in February.

So, who impressed us the most? Read on to find out…