NCsoft opens Paragon Studios

MMO publisher and developer NCsoft has rebranded the City of Heroes team, which now operates under the name Paragon Studios.

Formerly NCsoft NorCal, Paragon promises to maintain its commitment to the City of Heroes franchise while beginning work on other MMO projects.

“The renaming of our studio to Paragon Studios represents our devotion to the present and future of the City of Heroes series,” said Brian Clayton, general manager of Paragon Studios and executive producer for the City of Heroes franchise.

“As pioneers in the comic book-inspired MMO genre, together with our esteemed veteran development team, it is our mission to continually strive for innovation, solidify the strength of our brand, and continue providing high quality experiences for City of Heroes and any future projects that come from Paragon Studios.”

Formed by the City of Heroes team and NCsoft in 2007 to further the popular comic book MMO franchise, the NorCal development house quickly expanded its head-count from 20 to over 50.

“Investments in building upon truly unique experiences are critical for the ever-expanding MMO audience,” explained Matt Miller, lead designer of Paragon Studios. “Since the City of Heroes development team joined NCsoft in 2007, we have been able to unleash new concepts and push the boundaries for our users. Our development model strives to consistently challenge our development teams in new ways of thinking, and has already proven successful, most notably featured in the Mission Architect system in Issue 14: Architect.”