Majestic Invades Your World

UFO chasers and grassy-knoll types alike will swoon for Majestic, a "persistent world" game due out next month. Wired News got an early look at Majestic during a private media briefing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles last week. You don't play Majestic, as the folks at EA.com are fond of saying, it plays you. The game is an online-only affair, distributed via download from EA.com. Much like a television show, Majestic is planned in "seasons." The first season contains nine monthly episodes. As with most addictive experiences, the first episode is free. Thereafter, subscribers will pay $9.99 per month to support their Majestic habit. The game begins with some very strange goings-on at a high-tech firm. In what is possibly the most innovative story-telling concept to date, the game unfolds little-by-little. The player receives fragmentary information via phone, fax, instant message, e-mail, Web page, PDA, and cell phone. Viewing realistic newscasts and eavesdropping on webcam conversations are also part of the Majestic experience. As the lead character embroiled in a deepening mystery, you'll need to uncover clues, solve puzzles, and search for answers.