Cryptic has announced that Champions Online has gone gold, paving the way for the game's Sept. 1 launch date. The open beta is scheduled to start on Monday, Aug. 17, and you can participate by heading over to FilePlanet or pre-ordering Champions Online from a number of retailers or Direct2Drive.

As the launch date draws near, Cryptic has also cleared up some confusion regarding payment options for the game. "We currently accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express worldwide as payment methods. In addition to these, Discover Card in the United States and Carte Bleue for Europe are also accepted." Game cards will also be available in stores that will add game time to your account if you don't have access to a credit card.