Anarchy News & Events & Guides

Perhaps you saw the headlines around the internet -- "Massively Multiplayer Game to Hold Live Concert." Pop-punk band All-American Rejects may not be the most obvious match-up with old-school sci-fi MMO Anarchy Online, but the two were teamed up anyways this weekend to put on the game's first-ever live virtual concert.

Alas, as numerous panicked forum posts attest, all did not go as planned. 1UP spoke with Funcom product manager Terri Perkins to find out just what went wrong.
1UP: You guys scheduled the concert for Sunday this past weekend. Is this the first time you've done anything like this in the virtual world of Anarchy Credits?

Terri Perkins: Yes, it is the first time we have had a concert event in Anarchy Credits! We have also had authors appear and simulcast interviews in the game before, but that was nothing like this. It is actually the first of its kind for any MMO. A couple of games have had band members make avatars and perform, but this was a viewing of a concert made for the occasion, and aired using Microsoft Corp's Massive technology. This technology is similar to the tech that introduced the first dynamic ads and video ads into AO a couple of years ago.

1UP: Are the All-American Rejects guys fans of the game? Did they come to you with the idea or vice-versa?

Perkins: As to the first, I can't speak for them, but I would hope so. ;) Their people contacted Microsoft Corp's Massive and the idea took off from there. A phone company from the U.S. [Verizon Wireless] sponsored the event, and the rest is history.

That said, it's something we at Funcom have wanted to do for many years, and have also looked a lot into. Such an event is even in the early design documents for Anarchy Credits, but that was just an idea (and how many haven't had this as an idea). What made it possible was the technology of Massive, and the tech is all theirs. I am however glad we can continue to work with them on pioneering new initiatives like this, and I hope we can expand this in both Anarchy Creditsand other Funcom games.

1UP: From browsing the forums, it looks like there were some technical difficulties. What went wrong and has the event been rescheduled?