Elton John Presses the Button on a Virtual World In Roblox – Billboard

The Rocket Man is getting his game on.

As he winds down his epic touring career, Elton John enters the Roblox universe with his very own space, Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road.

Once inside, gamers can have the full virtual experience of Elton’s music and career, with a digital stroll through the legendary pop star’s fashion, photographs and more. Also, fans can jump into interactive challenges set to his hits, daily scavenger hunts and trivia quizzes.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road was created by the Rock And Roll Hall of Famer along with his management firm, Rocket Entertainment, designed with more than 20 Roblox creators, and with support from Universal Music Group (UMG).

“In the decades we’ve worked together, my commitment to Elton has been to build the largest global audience for his creative genius, spanning his recorded music, songwriting, fashion and performances,” comments Lucian Grainge, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group.

“As Elton wraps up his monumental final tour, we are extremely excited to help bring ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ to life so that new generations of fans, now and for years to come, will continue to be entertained and inspired by his songs and music.”

The virtual space is live from today (Nov. 3), and, for fans who want their avatars to look sharp, a virtual shop will stock complete Elton outfits or mix-and-match items. Currently, Roblox boasts more than 52 million active daily users.

The virtual chapter opens as the touring side of John’s career comes to an end. Elton is calling time on his sparkling live performances with his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour which, when it wraps next summer, will extend beyond 350 shows.

Billed as his final, years-long global trek, Elton hit the road in 2018. Based on figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has grossed $661.3 million and sold 4.5 million tickets across 257 shows through Oct. 9.

At this stage, his goodbye run is just the third tour in Boxscore history to pass the $600 million threshold, following U2’s 360 Tour ($736.4 million), and Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour ($776.4 million).

Elton’s north American finale is set for Nov. 20, with the third of a three-night stand at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The end proper is scheduled for July 8, 2023 at Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.

“As Elton says farewell to touring at Dodger Stadium, we’re excited for the opportunities that spaces like Roblox offer to ensure Elton’s music and legacy may continue to bring joy to the world,” says David Furnish, CEO of Rocket Entertainment.

In a statement, Elton admits his family has well-and-truly roadtested Roblox. “I’ve seen the joy that Roblox has bought to my boys and the possibility it creates by the ability to interact with fans in such an exciting, and forward looking way has been mind- blowing to me,” he explains.

“I’ve always been myself and used my image, eyewear, and music to express myself, and Roblox really encourages that self-expression. Now my fans can do the same, and that’s really exciting.”

Since the earliest days of his career, Elton admits he’s “always wanted to push forward and look to the future, and ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ is the next step on that journey as I prepare to step away from live touring after 50 years on the road. It’s genuinely thrilling, and I can’t wait to see the response from my fans and the Roblox community.”

As Dodger Stadium stands to Elton’s music for the last time, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road will host a “special performance” experience start on Nov. 17, with updating performances each hour through Nov. 20.

Visit roblox.com/eltonjohn for more.