Communicating shuffled media content

A server system for communicating a playback order for a plurality of media content items to a user device, the server system comprising a processing device, a computer-readable storage device, and a communication device, the computer-readable storage device storing data instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to:

• receive, at the server system, an indication that the user device will enter an offline mode;
• generate, at the server system, a playback order for the plurality of media content items upon receiving the indication that the user device will enter the offline mode;
• and
• transmit the generated playback order to the user device before the user device enters the offline mode.

A method of playing a plurality of media content items on a user device, the method comprising:

• operating in an online mode, and while operating in the online mode:
• sending an offlining indication to a server system using the communication device, the offlining indication containing data indicative that the user device will enter an offline mode;
• and
• receiving from the server system a playback order for a plurality of media content items, the playback order being generated at the server system;
• and
• entering the offline mode after receiving the playback order, and while operating in the offline mode:
• initiating playback of the plurality of media content items based on the playback order.