Rumor: Cryptic using City of Heroes for Champions beta recruitment
by Kyle Horner 
Mar 18th 2009 at 10:00AM
Filed under: City of Heroes, New titles, News items, Rumors, Champions Online
Our initial reaction to this claim was to feel highly speculative, considering that phishing scams will try just about anything. However, a news post on the City of Heroes website recently stated, "Although we cannot stop someone from initially communicating with you - whether it be RMT (real money transaction) related, another game company trying to lure you to their competing product, or general spamming..." which gives rise to some concern.
If true, it's a highly unprofessional move compounded by the fact that much of the existing CoH development team are ex-Cryptic staffers. Still, we're going to have to file this one as a rumor. Cryptic has been asked for a comment on the matter. We'll keep this post updated with any new developments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Iokthemonkey said on 10:09AM 3-18-2009
From what I've seen, "Cryptic using City of Heroes for Champions beta" would be more accurate. I'm sure I spotted some CoH animations in the Champions video I watched the other day...
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MrGutts said on 10:19AM 3-18-2009
Agreed, I saw some tile sets for backgrounds and certain buildings that looked spot on CoH.
Punkrockdiva said on 10:37AM 3-18-2009
I really hope this is just a rumor for two reasons. 1. The obvious being that it's totally unprofessional and a scumbag move. 2. The second being that it would show Cryptic as growing desperate and possibly scared that their final stretch til launch isn't coming along as well as they were hoping.
I really hope this is a nasty rumor with no merit.
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Deryk said on 10:51AM 3-18-2009
I would think this to be some sort of scam by a third party trying to get people's account information. Or perhaps a "Cryptic's done me bad!" kind of thing from a former banned CoH/V player that's out for revenge or to drag Cryptic's good name through the mud. Perhaps it's NCSoft trying to do so...anything is possible!
Either way, it's still all pure speculation at this point. So even articles like this are pointless until the truth comes to light.
If it were true...shame on Cryptic. But I HIGHLY doubt it. No company would go that low as the negative PR against such a move would not be in their best interest.
Guess we'll just wait and see...
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CindyL said on 10:54AM 3-18-2009
This sounds kinda weird to me because Champions has garnered healthy interest from the community. So why would they need to do this? If it's true it's probably more of a revenge tactic then desperation.
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Holgar said on 11:16AM 3-18-2009
Whoa bad mojo much? I really really hope its NOT true, at this point Aventurine is setting the industry standerd for skrewing with your fanbase but this would make them look like amatures.......
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Evi said on 11:35AM 3-18-2009
I sure hope it's just a rumor. That's really unprofessional.
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JP said on 11:46AM 3-18-2009
I don’t know… I don’t think it is that unprofessional. Why wouldn’t you use a pool of people that you know are well versed in the product you’re getting ready to ship, especially if that pool of people is mostly open?
If people have their personal email address (or some kind email address) to be contacted outside of the official forums, and that info is gained through a trial account, or a purchased account, I’m kinda in the boat of it being ok.
They aren’t telling them to jump ship.
There’s no advertisement.
It’s just being used to OFFER people, in a pool that are familiar, an opportunity to help test and give feedback on a similar product.
If they were offering a “switch and get this!” type thing, I’d say it’s unethical. But while the new game may entice players away from CoH, they aren’t really forcing anyone to leave or play beta.
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Punkrockdiva said on 12:33PM 3-18-2009
I would disagree. If this was true (and I'm not saying it is, I actually think it's a 3rd party scam) then they are using a service provided by CoH (you have to be subscribed to CoH to login to the forums or get in game to get those in-game emails) to contact it's clients. Now if they went directly to a CoH Guild's personal website and asked for experienced players to help them test, that's completely fair game and a wise move used by companies in the past.
Not only is using CoH's Forums and in-game mail system unprofessional, it also goes against CoH's EULA. If the rumor was indeed true, then how is Cryptic going to ask future players to respect their own games EULA, when they won't respect another games?
JP said on 12:45PM 3-18-2009
Oh, if they're using the in-game or forum mail system, then yes, it's worng.
If they are obtaining the email addresses of players via the profile info provided on the boards, then no, I think there's a huge difference in the two tactics.
One, the player openly allows others to contact them outside the game through a publically given email address.
Two, there is zero money or rewards being solicited by Cryptic. Lots of gamers look at Beta as some elite group, but it's those that shape the game, and the most infuential people from CoH will be a huge advantage.
ML said on 11:53AM 3-18-2009
If this is for real... Just send me my beta key already! CoX global @UN1TRON =D
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Raz said on 12:03PM 3-18-2009
I'd just like to add that several people in my SG have recieved these "invites".
And while it isn't any sort of confirmation, the individuals in question are the exact people I would invite if I was in Cryptic's shoes. People who have both played CoH since its own beta as well as being highly influential in the game.
Hell, the second one was framed as interested in getting our SG leadership in its entirety into their beta.
Take that for what you will.
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Logrus said on 12:31PM 3-18-2009
I wonder if these people who had received invites had created accounts and actually applied for beta? Or were they just blindly contacted?
An interesting thing to note is that Cryptic recently provided a round of "buddy invites" to increase the number of active testers. I'd heard of some folks having trouble deciding or finding someone to give their buddy invite to.
It's pretty apparent from the interviews and gameplay footage officially released that the games are entirely different in style even if they bear resemblance to each other. CO seems to be more of an arcade-type game than CoH.
SolomonG said on 10:59AM 3-19-2009
the individuals in question are the exact people I would invite if I was in Cryptic's shoes. People who have both played CoH since its own beta as well as being highly influential in the game.-
Makes me think that after CoH was sold to NCSoft, Cryptic kept some um...information on the CoH player base. That seems pretty shady to me. what else do they have, a backup of my billing information from a year ago?
THAC0 said on 12:14PM 3-18-2009
If you think about it this would benefit CoX quite a bit. You might have people re-subscribe to CoX in hopes of getting a champions invite! Its perhaps unprofessional but then again business is business and its not illegal to sell your product to someone else customers that's what capitalism is all about!
I have played CoX in the past and thought it was OK (too repetitive) and am eagerly awaiting my chance to try Champions!
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Raz said on 12:24PM 3-18-2009
THACO, I don't know, it might be seen as some for of tampering if it could be proven.
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kdolo said on 12:39PM 3-18-2009
Actually, Thac0, it IS illegal to sell your wares to people through a competitor's MMO because you've opened an account and agreed to their EULA.
So, if this is true, then Cryptic would be in an actionable position if they were selling something. However, I don't think recruiting people for a competing beta counts as selling anything. You're not getting anything free in the exchange, and they're not implicitly soliciting anything. They're simply asking for your help with something.
Just because it isn't illegal doesn't mean it's not unethical. All of the legal maneuvering in the world won't hid the fact that, if this is true, Cryptic has not only used to date the lowest form of self-promotion, but has done so at the expense of all the people who have signed up for the beta but are not current subscribers to City of.
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Halldorr said on 12:56PM 3-18-2009
Wow, I sure hope if they are doing this they send out invites to others that have applied to beta and used to play CoH for years...
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PeterD said on 12:58PM 3-18-2009
It's probably coincedental. CoH players are very likely to have applied for the Champions beta, and so of course chances are high that some of them will be the first ones contacted about getting into beta. I don't think it's based on an prior connections, and this is just a rumor based on speculations of a causal relationship that doesn't exist.
If I'm wrong, where's my invite! I was in 2nd wave CoH beta, 1st wave CoV beta, and am currently subscribed! :p
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Jerakal said on 6:10PM 3-20-2009
I don't think that Cryptic really needs to 'steal' away anyone from CoX, more than likely, they already have the attention of said people, I find it hard to imagine that anyone who plays CoX isn't aware of CO.
So there is no question in my mind that this is just some sort of scam.
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