Atari reveals subscription pricing plans for Champions Online

Atari and Cryptic Studios have revealed details regarding Champions Online’s subscription programs, incentives, and final retail pricing. The super hero themed Champions Online, which is based on the Champion pen and paper role-playing game will be released in Sept. for PC and will carry an$49.99 USD, $54.99 CAN, €49.99 EUR, and £29.99 GBP.

Cryptic Studios and Atari will offer multiple subscription options for fans in monthly blocks, six month blocks and - for a limited time - lifetime game memberships.

The recurring monthly subscription will be offered for $14.99 USD, $16.49 CAN, €12.99 EUR, and £8.99 GBP. For a limited time Cryptic Studios is offering six-month and lifetime subscriptions at discounted rates. These deals come with many exclusives and incentives. The six-month subscription plan will be offered for $59.99 USD, $65.99 CAN, €44.99 EUR, and £35.99 GBP. Six-month subscribers will recieve guaranteed access to the Star Trek Online closed beta test and a Champions Online Retro-Future costume set.

The lifetime subscription plan will be offered for $199.99 USD, $219.99 CAN, €147.99 EUR, and £119.99 GBP. Lifetime subscribers will also receive guaranteed access to the Star Trek Online closed beta test, an exclusive Star Trek Online Mirror Universe costume set, eight additional Champions Online character slots, a Foxbat vanity pet, a Retro-Future costume set, and an Art Deco costume set.

Look for Champions Online this September. For additional pre-order and retail information, visit www.Champions-Online.com.

Popular Mechanics Reviews iRacing

If you’re looking for a thorough, expert review of iRacing, than you probably won’t do better than within the virtual pages of Popular Mechanics.

For example, instead of using a standard home computer to test this online subscription based simulation racing game game, Popular Mechanics used a PC-connected custom-built chair rig with a huge monitor and an off-the-shelf Logitech racing wheel. After an initial test drive, Popular Mechanics then called in its senior auto editor Mike Allen to put the game through the paces. Mike is described as a “seasoned race-car driver with a notorious distaste for the fakery present in most racing games” so as you can imagine, the test was vigorous and real-world standards were applied.

But don’t take my word for it - you can check out the Popular Mechanics review of iRacing.com right here.

Gametap Freebies Going Bye-Bye

Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free right? That is what many free subscribers were thinking when they signed up Turner Broadcasting’s Gametap. But now that the site is under new management, the rules - and the free games - are about to change. Gametap announced this morning that it will be taking a ton of games out of the free games rotation and locking them away for paying gold member subscribers.

Starting next week a large chunk of the full free game offerings will require a gold membership, leaving free players with only a handful of titles to play. Here is the official word from the Gametap blog:

“You’ve got until Thursday, January 22 to either finish up what you’re playing or, if you’re smart, sign up for GameTap Gold. Your saved games will be waiting for you! Even with the economy as tough as it is right now, $59.95 for unlimited access to over 1,000 games is an absolute steal - that’s less than 17 cents a day, or less than 6 cents a game.”

It sounds like a fund drive for public television.

For those that really can not afford to buy a membership, Gametap promises to continue offering free previews of full games, though their rotation period will no doubt be a lot shorter. These games include Sid Meier’s Pirates!, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, X-Com: UFO Defense, among many others to be announced.

The full list of games you will not be able to play without a gold membership (that you can currently play for free) is coming up right after the break.

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Gamecock, GameTap Sign Deal

Gamecock Media Group has signed a new partnership with GameTap, giving the game portal rights to the publisher’s titles for digital download in GameTap’s online store, as well as for subscription and ad-supported play. As part of the new agreement, future titles, such as Legendary and Velvet Assassin will also be available on GameTap. All games will be added GameTap’s online digital retail storefront at launch and later added to the subscription service and ad-supported website. Current titles like Stronghold Crusader Extreme and Insecticide will be available almost immediatly.