Retroactive Continuity
Overview
Retroactive Continuity, commonly referred to as a 'retcon', is the act of altering established cannon of a fictional work. These changes are usually done in order to deal with continuity errors, or to work new material into an established fiction that it might not properly mesh with.
The 'City of' Franchise has seen numerous small alterations of this nature, and several large ones, during its years. In most cases, these changes are to the rank of an NPC (such as Frostfire, who used to be just a boss, and now is an Elite Boss), where something is located (new zones have a habit of springing up with entrances that suddenly have always been there), and even an occasional correction to an NPCs gender or genetic origin.
Known Retcons
Improved Monstrosities
Originally, there was only one class of monster and it filled the threat level area now occupied by Elite Bosses. At some time in 2005 in the wake of the Winter Lord power leveling, the Giant Monster class was created and had most of the Monsters moved into it. Of these, originally only the Devouring Earth monsters retained their original classification.
- Add part in about always purple code being added and Monsters (happened before the split) being moved out of the normal con system to something above AV.
5th Council
With issue 3, one of the most popular factions of the game was replaced with a new, more modern, enemy group. In this replacement all previous stories, arcs, even badges and any references to them in-game where removed and retconned to read about the new group. Reasons for this change are still unknown and widely debated (See 5th Column Controversy), but one way or the other, this was the single largest rewrite of the games history so far performed.
Spider's Arachnos
Originally, when Striga was added to City of Heroes in issue 3, their where many references to a splinter faction of the council called "Spider" that The Center detested. Later on at some point during the creation of City of Villains the faction was changed to Arachnos.