HeroSmash was a Flash MMORPG developed by Artix Entertainment, using a modified version of the AdventureQuest Worlds engine. HeroSmash had a distinct art style and world setting based on superheroes and supervillains, rather than Artix Entertainment's traditional fantasy settings. Instead of using classes with unique abilities, players could equip any combination of abilities to suit their play style. HeroSmash's public Alpha testing began in December 2010 followed by a public beta launch in April 2011. The game failed to gain traction outside of the company's core fans; paid subscriptions were removed in 2014, updates were discontinued in 2015, and the game never left its beta phase. HeroSmash was officially shut down in 2020 when browser support for Flash Player ended; players were able to access the game through alternate means for a time until the servers were completely removed.