Cryptic Studios' subscription-based PC and Xbox 360 MMO Champions Online has been delayed, according to an official statement from the company.

"We wanted our fans to hear this from us first," says a message on the game's official site. "We’re changing our Champions Online launch date from July 14th to September 1st of this year."

The game simply needs more beta time and more polish, according to the statement; "It is critically important for an MMO to be as good as it possibly can be at launch," says design director and executive producer Bill Roper in a statement on the site.

"Through our constant dialogue with our vocal and supportive community of beta testers, we quickly realized that in order to implement certain features that we all considered important the development of Champions Online would require more time. So that's what we're going to give it."

Champions Online publisher Atari owns Cryptic Studios after acquiring it in late 2008. It bought the City of Heroes/Villains creator for $28 million, and up to $48 million in sales-related incentives.