Released last September, the Shadowlands expansion pack represented a significant landmark for Anarchy Online. Although developer and publisher Funcom could easily have taken the straightforward approach by adding more locations, creatures, quests, items et al to the planet Rubi-Ka, the team decided upon a more imaginative and riskier direction. The persistent state project implemented a new and entirely different environment, in effect an entire second world made up of seven diverse regions to explore. The progression through them comprised a communal grand quest to unearth the lost secrets of a newly discovered ancient civilization. The ultimate result was most definitely a success. In our 2003 RPG Vault Awards, we named it our Online World Expansion Pack of the Year, one of many honors and accolades it received. We also wondered what would be next, and didn't have long to wait.