Demigod (video game)

Demigod is a multiplayer online battle arena game for Windows, created by Gas Powered Games and launched on April 14, 2009. The name refers to the formidable player characters who compete to control different zones. While primarily a competitive multiplayer experience, it includes a single-player mode where players face computer-controlled opponents. A free demo, unlocking all gameplay modes, was released on July 30, 2009.

The game features two types of Demigods: Assassins, who use combat skills to directly eliminate other Demigods, and Generals, who summon and support minions and allies. At launch, eight Demigods were available—four of each type—with two more added after release.

During development, Atari Europe secured rights to co-publish and distribute the retail version in Europe and Asia on December 3, 2008. On April 9, 2009, GameStop sold the game before its official release date, but the servers weren't live, preventing preorder customers from playing online as intended. This issue was worsened by a cracked version appearing on torrent sites. Stardock responded by activating all preorders a day early, on Monday, April 13, 2009. The game also suffered from online connectivity problems, which were addressed with a patch in June.

Reviews were generally favorable according to Metacritic. 1UP.com captured much of the negative feedback, noting that the game felt like a paid beta and advising others to wait. GameSpot rated it 6.5/10, citing major online issues and the lack of a tutorial or story campaign. IGN's Jason Ocampo gave it a 7.5/10, criticizing the poor multiplayer netcode and recommending players wait for fixes before jumping in.