Atari and Cryptic Studios announce Champions Online is gold, and the superhero MMORPG will go live in September, presumably still September 1, with early access scheduled of the end of this month. The announcement includes details on beta testing and early access:

New York, NY (August 14, 2009) – Atari and Cryptic Studios are proud to give superhero fans the game they've been craving as Champions Online™ for PC has gone gold. Based on the award-winning Champions pen-and-paper role-playing games and powered by the groundbreaking Cryptic Engine, Champions Online taps into a rich universe of heroes and villains with unparalleled intrigue and adventure.

Cryptic Studios – creators of the award-winning City of Heroes and City of Villains MMOs – has taken the massively multiplayer role-playing game genre to new heights with Champions Online. The experience begins with Champions' immensely powerful character creation and customization tool, which enables players to fashion truly unique superheroes by choosing from thousands of costume pieces, body types, powers, and character appearances. Players can then modify their choices with an array of configurable sliders and color options, resulting in a completely individualized hero.

No superhero, however unique, can be complete without a super villainous Nemesis or two. With Champions Online's powerful customization tools, players can also design the perfect Nemesis to oppose their superheroes. These ultimate adversaries appear throughout a hero's career, sometimes issuing challenges, other times ambushing their heroic foe. Champions Online brings epic superheroism to the MMORPG genre with depth that challenges the most experienced online gamers, while its fast-paced action promises to engage new entrants to the online superhero universe.

Be among the first to experience this one-of-a-kind online superhero gaming universe by taking part in the open beta, exclusively run by IGN's Fileplanet. Players can access open beta by registering at Fileplanet. Additionally, this thrilling title is available for pre-order at Wal-Mart, GameStop, Best Buy, Direct2Drive, and Amazon. Gamestop and Best Buy preorders even have the opportunity to join in a special Early Start Program.

Champions Online promises to redefine online gaming with the power comic book fans have been craving. The only question is... What hero will you be?

Champions Online releases on Windows PC this September.

For additional information, please visit: www.champions-online.com