We’ve been speaking with NCsoft West off the record this week, agitating for publicly printable answers on the Master X Master decision to implement City of Heroes characters (to the loud outrage of disgruntled City of Heroes players). But apparently we won’t have to, as some of the answers have been published today.
Lorehound quotes NCsoft MXM Brand Manager Sean Orlikowski as saying that adding Statesman to the MOBA was his personal “passion project for the last two years.”
Orlikowski says he understands why players are pissed off but hopes people understand Statesman wasn’t added out of “malice” and that he has worked hard to ensure the character was done properly and with respect — as a “tribute.”
“People didn’t love City of Heroes because of the Statesman,” he acknowledges. “They loved it because of their own characters, their own stories, the amazing roleplay community, and the friendships that many of us still hold today. I can’t personally give any of that back to you, but I can pay homage to a character who acts in some ways as a symbol for those things.”
And yes, eXteel mechs, Auto Assault cars, and Tabula Rasa characters could indeed someday wind up in the game.
