[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]
Today we start with an overview of Club Penguin, the kid-friendly sensation from New Horizon Interactive.
Name: Club Penguin
Company: New Horizon Interactive, an entertainment software company based in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Established: October 2005
Overview: Designed for kids ages 8-14 but open to kids of all ages, Club Penguin lets users interact in a frosty playground using colorful cartoon penguins as avatars. Penguins can socialize, play minigames, furnish and decorate their igloos, explore different snowy areas, and accessorize.
How it Works: Club Penguin runs on Adobe Flash; there's no download. Users navigate interconnected map screens with a point-and-click interface; using a toolbar at the bottom of the screen, they can type messages or select emoticons (both appear in a speech bubble over the penguin's head) and perform various animations.
Payment Model: Club Penguin can be played for free, but paying members have access to a much wider range of features and exclusive content. For example, free-play users may only own two Puffles-- the fuzzy little pets of the Club Penguin world-- and may only choose red or blue. Membership is USD 5.95 per month, 29.95 for six months, or 57.95 per year. Coins, the in-world currency, are earned through minigames, and can be used to buy furniture and accessories. Those buying privileges, however, are available only to paying members-- although free members may use the coins to buy general customizables, like penguin colors. Club Penguin's revenue comes solely through membership sales, and the sale of merchandise like apparel and Puffle keychains through an online shop.
Key Features:
-Two chat modes: "Ultimate Safe" limits communication between users to pre-defined messages and responses, while "Standard Safe," allows users to type their own communication (subject to word filtering and censorship).
-Scored the Kids' Privacy Seal of Approval from the Better Business Bureau's BBB OnLine program in April 2006
-4 million active users as of June 2007 (via GigaOM)
-Rumor has it Sony's interested in acquiring it for $500 million (via TechCrunch)
More Useful Links :
Club Penguin Q & A
Club Penguin Developer Blog
CNN Money: Time to play, money to spend
Comments (3)
Hi im chris20ce20 in club penguin im here to say its great. There are partys, fashon trends,games,jobs,chats,igloo decorations , etc
for games theres
bean counters,jetsking,pizza makeing,puffle round up ( puffles are the fuzzy pets you get )fishing reading mancala connect four etc
there are pins which are little singns that go on your avatar card and backrounds for your avatar card the fashon trends change evry 2 weeks or so
you have a buddly list and ignorew list its very safe for bad words exp if you curse t=you will be banned from the game every 2 weeks there are partys and free items for non memberes . try to find my penguin remeber hes chris20ce20 if you see me ill add you to my buddy list
keep on waddling
Posted by chris | October 18, 2007 10:27 AM
Posted on October 18, 2007 10:27
Im Tsumori on Club Penguin and I have to tell you Chris is right. Not only is it a game you can chat with those around you. It's awesome!!
Posted by Catherine | October 24, 2007 2:54 PM
Posted on October 24, 2007 14:54
I love to play on club penguin.SO I decided to play right now,we can explore the little world,and pick the color of the penguin and it's name that's what I like about the game.
Posted by araceli martinez | November 18, 2007 2:52 PM
Posted on November 18, 2007 14:52