Funcom, 505 Reveal Fashion World Live Social Game

Age of Conan developer Funcom and publisher 505 Games have announced a partnership to create and release Fashion World Live, a new social game targeting fashion lovers, on Facebook. Slated to launch in September 2011, Fashion World Live will enable players to experience various segments of the fashion industry, including styling, modeling, makeup artistry, photography, and more. They will be able to collaborate and network with other players, and "rise to fame with each challenge and success." The two video game companies are working with fashion, entertainment, and media company IMG on the project. Noted make-up artist and P&G global creative director Pat McGrath is also involved with the game's development, as is fashion expert Noel Gordon (The Trusted Beauty Guide, The Trusted Fitness Guide). 505 Games previously announced a similar product with IMG, McGrath, and Gordon in 2009 called Fashion Week Live. That game focused on fashion week event and was meant to release on multiple platforms (all current generation home consoles, handhelds, PC, online, and mobile) some time in 2010. Fashion World Live is a dramatically different kind of game compared to Funcom's recent slate -- the Oslo-based developer and publisher is best known for releasing "core" MMOs like Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Anarchy Online, and the upcoming The Secret World. "We are very excited to be working with industry leaders such as IMG, 505 Games and Pat McGrath," says Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas. "Funcom is bringing our experience, our creative talent and our technological expertise as a world-leading developer of online games to the project." He continues, "Fashion World Live is an important next step for us as we continue to expand our focus into social gaming. ... Fashion World Live is visually and functionally engaging and creates a unique online space for innovation."