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Trion attempting virtual marriage world record in RIFT

by Jef Reahard on Jan 25th 2012 9:30AM

Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, RIFT

Want to help Trion set a Guinness world record? You'll need a copy of RIFT and a significant other, as the firm is aiming to make video game history by setting the record for most virtual marriages in a 24-hour period.

The event will take place on February 14th at noon eastern, and there are no restrictions with regard to character race, class, or sex (opposing faction nuptials are a no-no, however). Trion is also offering up an exclusive Valentine's Day character title (Tier of Knots) to each wedded character.

RIFT's marriage mechanics will go live in the 1.7 update in early February, and they include rings, a wedding planner book, and wedding instances that support up to 200 friends. More info is available on the RIFT forums.

[Source: Trion press release]

More coverage: RIFT wedding info, Official site

Tags: events, fantasy, guinness, guinness-book-of-world-records, in-game-events, in-game-marriage, marriage, rift, trion, trion-worlds, virtual-marriage, world-record-attempt

Reader Comments (40)

I can see it now in the chat channels...

"LF Wife/Husband, PST"

xD

@Sorithal Sadly, you know that is how it is going to turn out. There needs to be incentives to stay married.

@Lockisezmode
Nah, I get the feeling they already know that's how it's going to go. The event is just for fun, there's no reason to really care whether or not people stay "married" in a game, and it's good if those who just do it for the record get "divorced" soon afterward.

Seriously?...

"[...]nd there are no restrictions with regard to character race, class, or sex"

Yes. Thank you, Trion.

@Irem This. Thank you Trion. What's the R.A. Salvatore quote? If you want your players to care about saving the world, then give them a world worth saving.

@Irem Friggin' awesome. Here's hoping IRL one day follows suit for all nations. /raises glass

Cool. I was just recently reminscing about how I miss the dynamic world of the invasion now in SWTOR.

Still not sure how I feel about in-game marriages. I know I shouldn't, but there's this part of me that wants to scream "NEEERRRDS!" I know, I know. It's hypocritical, but it bubbles under the surface.

I guess it's cool that they're attempting a world record; I hope they get it.

@hereafter
Eh, so we're nerds. ;) It's not my thing, personally, but I think including it is one of those things that establishes an MMO as being far more than just a dragon-slaying simulator. Like housing, it's one of those things that gets dismissed as "unnecessary" a lot just because wow, that's a lot of work to put into something that's just for...fun...?

I personally think it's a lot sillier to express contact embarrassment over RP/flavor features when a large part of MMO fandom is defined by our investment in a virtual world. Stuff like this just gets less of a pass because at least the average gamer can justify being invested in numbers and killing things.

@hereafter It probably means you've got some unresolved feelings about the matter you're not willing to think about? Or are you being unnecessarily limited in your concept of what an online marriage is? I know half a dozen RL married couples just off the top of my head that game together and would like to be able to get married in a game, on at least some of their toons. There's the roleplaying aspect of it, sure, but it's also just a fun way of expressing very real feelings to very real people.

@mattaui

I get why some people would like it, but the idea of standing around in a game wearing virtual tuxedos while you watch some awkward ceremony unfold just feels lame to me. A couple being able to share some made-up last name would be cool, but dressing it up with the trappings of a traditional modern wedding feels contrived.

Even in the world of Rift, bridesmaids' dresses are still hideous.

@Leandra

It's kind of funny. The have marriages in Rift but no housing for any of the married people to actually live in.

Priorities...

I actively look for games that don't ahve this feature for my kids.. I prefer not to have a game world confuse them more than they already are by the peanut gallery out there.

This F2P yet?

@uberman3000
Nope. Should it be?

@uberman3000 not yet, check back in 6-12 months.

@uberman3000 : nope, check back when they're not making $100 million a year selling a subscription game.

@(Unverified) : Suuuure they are.

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Trion attempting virtual marriage world record in RIFT

Reader Comments (40)

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 9:50AM Sorithal said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 9:58AM Lockisezmode said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 11:22AM Irem said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 9:51AM Grumms said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 9:52AM Irem said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 2:09PM Silverangel said

Posted: Jan 27th 2012 5:08AM Cyroselle said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 10:05AM Elikal said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 10:53AM hereafter said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 11:19AM Irem said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 11:43AM mattaui said

Posted: Jan 26th 2012 4:31PM hereafter said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 12:32PM Leandra said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 8:34PM real65rcncom said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 1:36PM Doran7 said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 1:36PM uberman3000 said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 1:51PM avaloner said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 1:53PM Lockisezmode said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 3:57PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jan 25th 2012 10:45PM psycros said

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