Popex
Encyclopedia
Popex was a free Internet
-based game in which players, using virtual money
, bought "shares" of musician
s and bands, similar to a stock market
. Upon signing up players were given 5,000 popex pounds to start trading
on the stock market. As demand for bands rose and fell, based on their popularity and chart performance, so did their price
. The real-time price fluctuations of the artists were shown in the 'control panel' and also by numerous charts on the individual artists' pages. 24hr summaries of the biggest risers and fallers were shown on the (largely redundant but highly popular) shakers and movers (S&M) chart. Each week "dividends" were paid out based on real world performance of those musicians and bands. Once a punter had earned 1 million popex pounds, their disposable wealth was reduced to 10,000 pounds and rewarded with a shiny silver gong to represent a million in the bank. This was accompanied by a congratulatory message from the site's creator for completing a lap in the grand prix
of pop. The best 40 players were recorded in the 'rich-list' on the comprehensive stats pages. Occasionally prizes like compact disc
s and shirt
s were given out to those who performed best. As of June, 2005, over 150,000 people belonged to the site, which was based in London
, United Kingdom
.
It was built by Paul Clarke as a hobby website, was acquired by FortuneCity
in October 1999 and then Channelfly in February 2001, taking its creator with it each time. The BBC
licensed the code for the game to make their own version known as Celebdaq
, for which Clarke and the BBC won a BAFTA
award. For most of its life, the website was run on a server affectionately known as "The Beast" for its lack of any sort of processing power and propensity to stop working the second anyone left the room. A holiday for Clarke often meant a break from the game for users of the site too.
At midnight on Monday August 7 2006, Popex ceased trading.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-based game in which players, using virtual money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
, bought "shares" of musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and bands, similar to a stock market
Stock market
A stock market or equity market is a public entity for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately.The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion...
. Upon signing up players were given 5,000 popex pounds to start trading
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
on the stock market. As demand for bands rose and fell, based on their popularity and chart performance, so did their price
Price
-Definition:In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services.In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency...
. The real-time price fluctuations of the artists were shown in the 'control panel' and also by numerous charts on the individual artists' pages. 24hr summaries of the biggest risers and fallers were shown on the (largely redundant but highly popular) shakers and movers (S&M) chart. Each week "dividends" were paid out based on real world performance of those musicians and bands. Once a punter had earned 1 million popex pounds, their disposable wealth was reduced to 10,000 pounds and rewarded with a shiny silver gong to represent a million in the bank. This was accompanied by a congratulatory message from the site's creator for completing a lap in the grand prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
of pop. The best 40 players were recorded in the 'rich-list' on the comprehensive stats pages. Occasionally prizes like compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s and shirt
Shirt
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
s were given out to those who performed best. As of June, 2005, over 150,000 people belonged to the site, which was based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
It was built by Paul Clarke as a hobby website, was acquired by FortuneCity
FortuneCity
FortuneCity is a free webhosting service based in New York City. The service was founded in 1997 by Richard Jones and Dan Metcalfe, two British entrepreneurs. It has one million users....
in October 1999 and then Channelfly in February 2001, taking its creator with it each time. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
licensed the code for the game to make their own version known as Celebdaq
Celebdaq
Celebdaq was an online "celebrity stock exchange" game on the BBC's website. In the past the game had its own television show on BBC Three. The television show was presented by Paddy O'Connell & Libby Potter. Later, the comedian Jenny Eclair was the presenter....
, for which Clarke and the BBC won a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
award. For most of its life, the website was run on a server affectionately known as "The Beast" for its lack of any sort of processing power and propensity to stop working the second anyone left the room. A holiday for Clarke often meant a break from the game for users of the site too.
At midnight on Monday August 7 2006, Popex ceased trading.