The new King of the Hill PvP mode is now live in Champions Online. As you may expect from the title, two teams face each other on the Vibora Bay's cemetery map to battle for control of the mausoleum fountain in the center. The mode introduces a new game mechanic, which Content Designer James Laird outlines in a new video:

"To keep the fight moving we've added a new mechanic: Determination. Determination is a global buff that makes the assaulting team gradually grow stronger. This gives the battle an ebb and a flow. One team can't just dig in on the hill and hold it forever. Instead your team needs to hold the hill as long as they can and then retake it as quickly as possible."

Watch the video below to see the new King of the Hill PvP in action.

Champions Online is celebrating its second anniversary with an in-game event that kicked off today and runs through August 5 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Renaissance Center in Millennium City is party central; Sapphire takes the stage every hour and DJ Madbot keeps things movin' all day and night!

Defeat bosses in all major zones for a chance to receive Anniversary Presents and look for Anniversary Party Hosts around Ren Center to get some swanky Party Favors, Unlocks, Missions and more. Here's what you can get this year:

Anniversary Celebration Party Favors:

• Gift Boxes, Party Bombs, Boosters, and more!
• New to Year 2: Noise Visualizer Device! Was that a "Bam" or more like a "Pow?"

Anniversary Costume Unlocks:

• DJ Madbot accessories - siren and headphones!
• All that glitters... more sparkly shiny things for you! New Glitter Heroic Wear costume pieces.

New 2-Year Anniversary Perks and more!

If you've been wanting to pick up some items in Champions Online or Star Trek Online, now's the week to do it! Cryptic is hosting an Endless Summer Sale in the C-Store of both games until August 29 at 10 a.m. PDT that slashes the price of all purchases by 20%. Some items are excluded from the sale, so be sure to read the fine print before checking out.

Head over to the Champions Online C-Store and the Star Trek Online C-Store to take advantage of the sale!

Perfect World Entertainment's acquisition of Cryptic Studios is complete, so Cryptic has answered some frequently asked questions to let players know what the deal means for them. Most of the more immediate changes players will see are cosmetic or are back-end modifications, including swapping out logos, revising the Privacy Policy and changing Atari Tokens to Cryptic Points.

To make a long story short, the acquisition shouldn't affect your gameplay experience, at least for now. Cryptic Studios will continue to operate Champions Online and Star Trek Online, and development will continue as planned for Neverwinter and other unannounced titles. Your account will remain a Cryptic account for the time being and the C-Store will continue to operate as normal. Cryptic Points may eventually be converted into another virtual currency, but it's just being considered at this point.

And since we're sure most of you are curious, the FAQ don't address whether Star Trek Online will be going free-to-play. You can read the full FAQ after the jump.

Cryptic Studios posted a handful of announcements on the Champions Online site today. Here's the list:

• Total Aftershock, the complete Comic Series, is now live. Check out the seamless gameplay, comic panels and new rewards and unlocks.
• The Retro Sci-Fi Costume Set (seen above) is now available for purchase in the Cryptic Store for 380 Atari Tokens.
• Change your hero's Archetype or convert your Gold character's Archetype to Free Form (and vice versa) with the new Retrain Token. It costs 1,120 Atari Tokens in the Cryptic Store.

Two noteworthy items have been added to Champion Online's C-Store today: The Disciple archetype and the Magic Carpet Flight travel power upgrade. Here's what you can do with The Disciple:

"The Disciple has many powerful melee attacks, as well as close range group attacks. You will have the ability to dish out tons of damage immediately around you, and can use your mental prowess to gain energy while defeating foes in combat."

The Disciple costs 920 Atarki Tokens, while the Magic Carpet Flight travel power costs 420 Atari Tokens.

Today's a big day for the Champions Online C-Store. Here's a list of all the new items that are now available for purchase:

• The Tornado Flight Travel Power upgrade - 420 Atari Tokens
• 3 Become Djinn Transformation Devices - Classic, Crimson and Diabolic - 920 Atari Tokens each
• 2 new Hideouts - Hi-Tech Cave and Druidic Sanctum - 500 Atari Tokens each

Cryptic has announced that Champions Online's Phase One Hideouts are now available! Hideouts are themed environments that allow you to choose and customize your own bit of Champions Online real estate. Players can choose from four Hideout catagories and themes:

• BASEMENT: Mom's, Hi-Tech and Vigilante
• CAVE: Industrial, Hi-Tech and Primal
• MOON: Sci-Fi, 60's Retro and Space Agency
• SANCTUM: Mystic, Druidic and Alchemist

Check out the Hideouts Trailer over on the Champions Online official site and read up on all the details for the Phase One Hideouts!

Cryptic Studios has released the newest Champions Online Archetype: The Impulse! It's currently available for free for Gold Members, while Silver players can purchase it for 920 Atari Tokens in the C-Store. Here's the description:

"Many of your powers allow you to knock foes back, keeping them away from you and preventing them from attacking while they fly through the air. You will gain the ability to shield yourself and allies, while also being able to dish out serious damage."

The Impulse is the seventh Archetype to be added to the C-Store. If you're a free player, which ones do you own?

Earlier this month, Cryptic Studios gave players a sneak peek at the Retro Moon Base, one of the Hideouts that is coming to Champions Online in the near future. This time around they're showing off two more Hideouts: Mom's Basement (seen above) and the Vigilante's Safe-House (seen after the jump).

Hideouts will act as a customizable, personal space for your characters when they're not out saving the world. Mom's Basement is probably the most light-hearted Hideout in the works, while the Vigilante Safe-House is perfect for the anti-hero who likes to make villains pay for their crimes.