On August 18, 2025, Heroic Games Corporation will take players to a vast space metropolis set in the 25th century. The setting intentionally echoes City of Heroes, the beloved superhero MMO from 2004 that shut down in 2012 but has been legally playable again on private servers since 2024. Ship of Heroes presents itself as a spiritual successor, combining that classic superhero charm with a touch of Star Trek flair and modern quality-of-life features.

Players can choose from five archetypes, mix and match over 250 powers, and customize their heroes from head to toe – including creating a personal backstory. The main goal is exactly what you’d expect from a superhero game: saving the world. Threats range from interdimensional titans to alien invasions and magical dangers. Amid all the high-octane heroics, there’s also space for housing, crafting and socializing. Starting at level one, each player receives their own apartment, featuring freely placeable furniture, adjustable lighting and fully customizable rooms.

Focus on team play

Ship of Heroes puts a strong emphasis on cooperative play, designed with plenty of flexibility. Up to ten players can team up, with enemy difficulty and loot automatically scaling to match the group. Team leaders can customize missions for everyone, teleport members and even claim bonus rewards. Handy quality-of-life features like the “Regroup” teleport and sidekicking – which adjusts friends’ levels to match the leader – enhance the experience. However, there’s no automatic matchmaking; groups are formed through direct communication, staying true to classic MMO community traditions.

Those who prefer to play solo don’t need to feel excluded – almost all content can be tackled alone. Only two large raids require a group, and their rewards can also be earned through other means.

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Subscription model without microtransactions

Ship of Heroes plans to use a classic payment model: a one-time purchase plus a monthly subscription fee. Exact pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, but the developers have confirmed there will be no real-money purchases for premium skins or loot boxes.

Release on August 18 – community remains skeptical

On Reddit, reactions to Ship of Heroes lean toward skepticism. Some players welcome the new team features, seeing them as a natural evolution of City of Heroes, while others make unfavorable comparisons to the original or criticize the graphics. Everyone will be able to judge for themselves starting August 18, when the game officially launches on Steam. Steam Deck (available on Amazon for $470) compatibility has yet to be confirmed.

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As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart – in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I’m not sitting at my computer, I’m probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life – namely sitting for long periods – at the local swimming pool.