Going Back to the Future!

In a first for the Western marketplace, Funcom has introduced a new
business model to the six-year old sci-fi MMOG, Anarchy Online. Virtual items will now
be available for players to purchase, which takes the game full circle
from the previous pay-to-play system it was once held to. It will be
interesting to see if Anarchy Online will generate any revenue from
virtual items, and if they do whether older pay-to-play MMOGs take up
the same sort of system to enhance the cash-flow of their games. As
always, Ten Ton Hammer has hosted the official press release for you to
view, along with a large selection of images!



Funcom introduces virtual
item sales in Anarchy
Online

Additional business model
introduced as the world's first sci-fi MMO
celebrates six years

Durham, USA – June 27, 2007
Funcom is proud to announce the
introduction of a additional business model for Anarchy Online, exactly
six years after the launch of the world's first sci-fi MMO. Set to
launch this summer, Funcom now introduces a point-based system where
players can purchase selected virtual items, as well as new content and
services. The new approach comes as an addition to Anarchy Online's
existing business models, and it is a current Funcom focus to only
introduce items which do not affect gameplay balance.

The first virtual items to kick off the program will be the
introduction of jetbikes and hover boards, giving players the chance to
cruise around Rubi-Ka in an all new fashion. In addition Funcom will
offer previously released scout-mechs, luxury apartments, Leet pets and
various sets of social clothing. By using points the players can also
get access to previous and upcoming expansion and booster packs, as
well as new services like changing in-game names or moving to another
server.

“Funcom has long been a pioneer on new MMO business models,
and with
the introduction of virtual item sales we are once again moving our
game in an exciting new direction,“ said Trond Arne Aas, CEO
of Funcom.
“Selling virtual items and smaller content upgrades is now a
prevalent
MMO business model in Asia. This has yet to be fully explored in the
west, but we believe that the time is now right to test a limited
version of such a model. At the same time we remain committed to the
overall evolution of the game, making sure that Anarchy Online will be
a success for many years to come.”

“Celebrating six years is a fantastic milestone for Anarchy
Online, and
we are genuinely honored to still entertain so many people,”
said Craig
Morrison, Producer and Director on Anarchy Online. “As we now
introduce
a new addition to Anarchy Online we have ensured that our paying
customers get certain privileges. At the same time we also want to show
our commitment to taking the overall gameplay experience forward. I am
therefore glad to announce that we are developing a new graphics engine
for the game, replacing our entire server farm, as well as developing
exciting booster packs which include new playfields and more.”

The Funcom points can at first be purchased in 10 and 20 USD / EUR
packages. As an example of the price a new jetbike starts as low as 3
dollars, while a complete set of bikes can be bought for about 10
dollars. Players who are paying subscribers of Anarchy Online will get
a set of monthly points included in the subscription price, and longer
pricing plans like 6 and 12 months gives extra points. As an added
incentive Funcom will send points to the player account upon receipt of
subscription dues.

For more information about the game please visit href="http://www.anarchy-online.com/">http://www.anarchy-online.com.


New Anarchy Online
Screenshots:

style="width: 22px; height: 19px; text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
class="vatable" border="0" cellpadding="0"
cellspacing="5">
href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=jetbike_concept_3&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/jetbike_concept_3.thumb.jpg"
alt="jetbike concept 3" title="jetbike concept 3"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="98" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; height: 131px;"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=jetbike_concept_2&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/jetbike_concept_2.thumb.jpg"
alt="jetbike concept 2" title="jetbike concept 2"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="101" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; height: 131px;"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=jetbike_concept_1&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/jetbike_concept_1.thumb.jpg"
alt="jetbike concept 1" title="jetbike concept 1"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="106" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; height: 131px;"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_6&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_6.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 6" title="hoverboard screenshot 6"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="120" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_5&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_5.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 5" title="hoverboard screenshot 5"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="120" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_4&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_4.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 4" title="hoverboard screenshot 4"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="113" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_3&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_3.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 3" title="hoverboard screenshot 3"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="120" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_2&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_2.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 2" title="hoverboard screenshot 2"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="120" width="150">  src="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules/gallery/images/pixel_trans.gif"
alt="" height="1" width="1"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_screenshot_1&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_screenshot_1.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard screenshot 1" title="hoverboard screenshot 1"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="120" width="150"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_render_3&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_render_3.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard render 3" title="hoverboard render 3"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="113" width="150"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_render_2&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_render_2.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard render 2" title="hoverboard render 2"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="113" width="150"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_render_1&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_render_1.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard render 1" title="hoverboard render 1"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="113" width="150"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_concept_2&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_concept_2.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard concept 2" title="hoverboard concept 2"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="107" width="150"> href="http://tth.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album329&id=hoverboard_concept_1&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/tth/gallery/albums/album329/hoverboard_concept_1.thumb.jpg"
alt="hoverboard concept 1" title="hoverboard concept 1"
name="photo_j" border="0" height="106" width="150">

Ten Ton Hammer is your
unofficial source for Anarchy Online href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/40/all">news
and features!


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Anarchy Online Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

Comments