Elton John has created his own Roblox land, which will be the location of a special virtual performance later this month.
The metaverse experience ‘Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ went live today (November 3), and it includes interactive challenges set to John’s greatest hit songs, daily scavenger hunts, and trivia quizzes.
There’s also a digital fashion collection based on John’s most famous looks. “Fans can try on complete outfits or mix-and-match individual items to recreate Elton’s look on their avatar,” according to a press release.
“I’m overjoyed to be releasing ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ on Roblox.” “I’ve seen the joy that Roblox has brought to my boys,” John said before discussing the “possibilities it creates by allowing fans to interact in such an exciting and forward-thinking way.” I’ve always been myself, expressing myself through my appearance, eyewear, and music, and Roblox encourages that. “My fans can now do the same, which is really exciting,” he added.
‘Beyond The Yellow Brick Road’ will also feature a special virtual performance by Elton John. The ten-minute performance will premiere on November 17 and will be repeated every hour until November 20.
“I’ve always wanted to push forward and look to the future at every stage of my career, and ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ is the next step on that journey as I prepare to retire from live touring after 50 years on the road.” “It’s genuinely exciting, and I can’t wait to see how my fans and the Roblox community react,” Elton John said.
The experience comes as Elton John prepares to wrap up the US leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour on November 17 at Dodger Stadium. He’ll then continue the tour in the United Kingdom and Europe in March.
“Elton is a visionary creative with a life full of major music and fashion moments significant to the culture of then and now,” said David Furnish, CEO of Rocket Entertainment. ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ is a fantastic collection of some of these moments, which we had a lot of fun recreating with the Roblox community. As Elton bids farewell to touring at Dodger Stadium, we’re excited about the opportunities that platforms like Roblox provide to ensure that Elton’s music and legacy continue to bring joy to the world.”
According to Roblox, ‘Elton John: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road’ will live on after the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ concerts as “an immersive timeless capsule of his craft in the metaverse,” with new experiences, music, and fashion added.
Pinkpantheress, David Guetta, Lizzo, Stray Kids, Charli XCX, George Ezra, and Yungblud have all performed in-game on Roblox so far this year.
According to Jon Vlassopulos, Roblox’s former vice president and head of music, these virtual performances “open up the excitement of hanging out with your friends at a live music performance to hundreds of millions of people who would never have the opportunity to go to a real world event.”
In a recent San Francisco lawsuit, however, Roblox was accused of enabling the sexual and financial exploitation of an underage girl.
Roblox has previously been accused of failing to protect its young user base. People Make Games investigated the risks to young people on the platform last year, as well as how Roblox’s business model capitalizes on the enthusiasm of young and aspiring developers.
In other news, EA has confirmed that it will still release one major title this fiscal year, with the secret project being part of a “major IP.”