DC Universe Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in the DC Universe. SOE hopes to make a different kind of MMORPG, with The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction being cited as one of the main inspirations for gameplay. SOE is working to make DC Universe Online more interactive than standard MMORPGs, while trying to keep their key elements, which include a leveling system, raid instances, endgame progression and inventories. The world is mainly shared, public space instead of heroes or villains owning territory. The public space features dynamically-generated content designed for both hero and villain player characters (uniquely created by the player, who cannot choose DCU stalwarts).
It is known that players will choose a city of origin for their character, the only known cities being Metropolis and Gotham City. Another location currently known to be in the game is Arkham Asylum, Gotham City's mental institution for criminals (including a number of Batman's more psychopathic enemies,such as (Joker, Poison Ivy, the Riddler, Scarecrow, and Two-Face), you can also go to Justice League of America Watchtower, hangout of the Justice League. The character is given either a Justice League or a Legion of Doom communicator - depending on their choice of playing as either a hero or a villain - and the character's allegiance will affect how the game is played; for example, a hero character may encounter a thug robbing an armored truck while a villain character will instead rob (or, depending on character level, assist with the robbing of) said armored truck. It is also known that player characters have threat ratings which will cause both heroes and villains alike to interact accordingly with the character.
IGN previewed a demo video, showing Brainiac infecting citizens of Metropolis with a nanovirus that causes them to riot in the streets. Lex Luthor decides to test out his battle armor and Bizarro comes to "help" Superman, who, along with Supergirl and Green Lantern, help the 'player character' defeat the infected citizens and remove the nanovirus. It's not yet known whether this mission will appear in the final game.
