The ever-eccentric Richard Garriott is up to his old tricks, this time promising Tabula Rosa players the chance to virtually join him (via DNA code and virtual avatar) on his trip to the International Space Station later this fall.
From the press release:
Could you be the savior of humankind? NCsoft, the world's leading publisher and developer of online computer games, has announced it will launch the “Immortality Drive" a time capsule with the digitized DNA of select video game players and space aficionados – into orbit when famed game designer Richard Garriott travels to the International Space Station in October 2008.
Starting today and lasting through August 31, 2008, anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can go to https://www.operationimmortality.com/ and participate in weekly polls on humanity’s greatest achievements which will be included on the Immortality Drive, such as “What is the greatest song of all time?” and “What is the greatest technological breakthrough of all time?” Current Tabula Rasa players, or those who download and play the free trial, will also be able to enter a personal message for inclusion on the Drive.
“This is your chance to leave your mark,” says Garriott. “While everyone can participate in the polls at OperationImmortality.com, Tabula Rasa players will be the only gamers in the universe who can say that a piece of them is in space, since we’re sending their in-game alter-egos, and for some, their DNA, to space with me."
Wow, that Richard Garriot sounds an awful lot like an overworked PR executive. Still though, as viral marketing goes, this is a pretty neat idea. If the earth does a-splode, do we really want "Tifa Theme" or "White and Nerdy" to go down as the greatest song of all time? Even more, do we want our DNA-derived test-tube progeny to be composed of Tabula Rasa players?
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