MJ MMO: "No doubt" people will joke
"We'll just have to roll with that," says dev.
SEE Virtual Worlds, the developer of newly announced Michael Jackson MMO Planet Michael, is prepared for the onslaught of rotten tomatoes.
"There is no doubt we will be open to people joking about it and criticising it. We'll just have to roll with that as it comes, so to speak," SEE Virtual Worlds developer Josh Gordon told USA Today.
"[Michael Jackson's] such a big name and he's such a big legend that no matter what we do, we are going to get a lot of people who are excited, and we are going to get people who criticise us. And we have just taken that as the way it is going to be."
Planet Michael will be released late next year and allows fans of Jackson's music to adventure together and succeed "using song, dance and adventure as opposed to violence".
You'll be able to create avatars, pick from "dozens of occupations" and play on continents inspired by Michael Jackson's "music, his life and the global issues that concerned him".
The game will be free to play and monetised through micro-transactions, perhaps for clothing: famous items such as a red leather jacket, sparkly glove, some sequinned socks and maybe those gliding loafers.
Those purchases will "in certain instances" double as charitable donations.
SEE Virtual Words boss Martin Biallas expanded on the deal in a press release: "When we first approached the Estate and talked about creating Planet Michael, one of our primary goals was to build an interactive entertainment where fans from all over the world come together to affirm Michael's life-long dedication to fostering global friendships.
"In building a space worthy of those global connections, we envisaged a magical, enjoyable place that will capture the zest for fun and life that was at Michael's very core.
"Throughout his extensive career, the King of Pop was well known for his visionary contributions to music, dance, fashion, entertainment and philanthropy, and it was critical that we somehow incorporate all of those elements into the game."
Planet Michael will be the first themed planet published under the Entropia Universe umbrella.
