Virtual Music Festival
Overview
Sunset Town Virtual Music Festival returns in April 2025 with its second edition, Burnout Festival. Co-created and produced by music label Sunset Music and immersive experience studio NAXS STUDIO, the festival unfolds as a real-time 3D multiplayer online world that merges music, gaming, and narrative storytelling.
Centered on high-speed racing and a three-family rivalry, the experience features 3D virtual performances, social interaction, game-based challenges, and virtual commerce—transforming the music festival into a shared digital universe and redefining how music can be experienced and performed across global audiences.
Category
Virtual Music Festival
Online Experience
Year
2025
A New Chapter: Burnout Festival 2025
Sunset Town Virtual Music Festival returns in April 2025 for its second edition, following a successful debut in 2023 as Taiwan’s first international virtual music festival IP co-created by Sunset Music and NAXS STUDIO. Building on the momentum of its inaugural year, the festival continues to explore the convergence of music, gaming, and immersive digital storytelling.
A World of Speed & Music
The 2025 edition, titled Burnout Festival, introduces a brand-new theme centered on high-speed racing and the rivalry of three distinct families. Designed around the intensity and spectacle of racing competition, this year’s experience transforms the virtual music festival into a dynamic world of speed, sound, and narrative. Through an evolving storyline and competitive atmosphere, audiences are invited into a richly immersive environment where music becomes part of a larger interactive universe.
A Real-Time 3D Multiplayer Music Universe
Presented as a real-time 3D multiplayer online virtual experience, Sunset Town reimagines the music festival as a shared digital world where participants enter simultaneously, explore environments together, and take part in unfolding events. The festival integrates 3D virtual animated performances, social interaction spaces, game-based challenges, mission-driven quests, and virtual merchandise experiences, merging music, social engagement, gaming, technology, and narrative IP into a cohesive virtual ecosystem.
By blending spectacle with interactivity, Sunset Town creates moments of wonder and connection that leave lasting memories for its participants while opening new possibilities for how music can be experienced, distributed, and performed. As a hybrid of concert, game world, and social platform, the festival proposes an expanded future for the music industry—one where immersive digital spaces become a new stage for artistic expression and global audience connection.
Four-Day Festival & Audience Reach
The second edition of the Sunset Town Virtual Music Festival, Burnout Festival, spanned four days and featured 29 music acts. Operating through online ticketing combined with downloadable game access, the event attracted over 3,000 participants and generated more than 4 million social media impressions.
Hybrid Opening: Online Meets Offline
Beyond the fully virtual experience, the first day included a physical opening event where artists and fans gathered in person. The program featured a food market, live music performances, and an esports competition, creating a hybrid celebration that bridged digital and physical spaces.
The “Acting Mayor” Curatorial Mechanism
Each edition introduces a prominent artist as the “Acting Mayor,” who co-curates the musical and creative direction of the festival. This system encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration and ensures a distinct artistic identity for every edition.
Narrative Universe & The Three Rival Families
Sunset Town is built upon a rich narrative universe featuring core characters — Sunny, Bunny, Duke, Granny, and Crabby — all selectable and controllable by participants.
At the heart of the storyline lies a power struggle between three factions:
The old-money A-class Family
The historic and mysterious Long-gong Clan
The local gang Stir-Fried 89
Participants pledge allegiance to one family and compete to earn points through multiplayer racing events. Each family also hosts its own themed stage located within its territory.
Multiplayer Online Racing System
A central interactive feature is the real-time multiplayer racing competition:
Vehicles unlocked through mission completion
Automated matchmaking pairing 8 players per race
Competitions set within the virtual environment of Sunset Town
Players accumulate individual ranking points while contributing to their family’s total score. Daily champions, runners-up, and third-place winners were awarded physical medals, extending virtual achievements into tangible recognition.
Virtual Commerce & Merchandise
Participants could visit in-game virtual stores to browse and purchase official merchandise, integrating digital commerce into the immersive festival ecosystem.
Recognition & Awards
The second edition received strong acclaim for its innovative fusion of music and gameplay. The project drew significant industry attention and earned two awards, establishing Sunset Town as a pioneering model of cross-disciplinary virtual entertainment.
Credits
