Educational Games Research

Webkinz & Club Penguin: Evil? Or Good Financial Teachers?

Recently the debate over the benefit or detriment of MMOGs aimed specifically at children has heated up again. Specifically, these debates center around Club Penguin and Webkinz. The current debate was kickstarted in a New York Times article last week entitled, “Pay Up, Kid, or Your Igloo Melts,” by Mireya Navarro.

Navarro notes that several opportunities in the games require additional purchases, much to many parents’ chagrin. One thing that has alarmists concerned is the fantastic growth the two largest sites, CP and Webkinz, have seen recently. CP has almost 5 million unique monthly visitors, while Webkinz has around 6 million.

While there is some free content, attractive add-ons require additional payments. Anyone can register in CP for free, but to keep virtual items in the game, a monthly pay account is needed. People purchasing plush toy Webkinz in the real world get free access to the virtual Webkinz world for a year. Buying more plush toys leads to more benefits online.

Navarro notes that the idea of selling to tots in the digital realm is raising concerns:

Consumer Reports WebWatch started a study this summer to evaluate the commercial content of online games for 3- to 7-year-olds.

“Every interface is becoming an opportunity to sell children something, either brand awareness or real things,” said Liz Perle, the editor in chief of Common Sense Media. “That’s the end game.”

Other profit concerns exist, Navarro says, including the fact Disney bought out CP for $350 million, with an option to double that amount if growth targets are met. We’re used to hearing folks fuss about profits generated by “Big Oil” and “Big Pharma.” Now, perhaps we’ll hear talk about “Big Gaming.”

On the other end of the spectrum, some parents actually like these virtual worlds for tweens and kiddos. Brian B., a fellow technology director from Texas, and blogger, notes that his daughters have been captivated by Webkinz. After some scaffolding, his 4 year old twins took to the game like the proverbial duck to water:

At first, they were satisfied with watching mommy and daddy play the games, buy things, and arrange furniture, etc., but eventually they wanted to take control of their own private virtual living space themselves. My wife came up with the idea of putting a heart sticker on the left button of a little USB travel mouse I carry in my bag so they could remember which button to push (laptop tracks pads are difficult for 4-year-old fingers apparently), then a little instruction on drag-and-drop and they were off. They only thing that my wife or I do now is to log them in (while they can type their own names, the extra long/unique user names for the site give them a little trouble).

Brian is a little worried about the financial aspect, namely that it may use up a lot of his money like so many other things for your children have a tendency to do. But, he also likes what he sees in Webkinz:

Many of the games are educational – one of my personal favorites is one where you take random letters and try to put them together to spell words. Depending on how you put them together you get more points – don’t get enough points and you don’t advance another level. Another game teaches spatial placement by setting up pathways to get the “pets” on one side of the screen to their “homes” on the other. You have to click on each piece of the pathway to make them flip until the pathway is complete – and the possibilities are endless (no two game boards are the same) … BTW – My wife and I find several of the games as good methods of winding down at the end of the day…now who’s WebKinz are they again?

So, the jury is out as to whether these for-profit virtual worlds aimed at kids are evil capitalist “first hits” to the addictive world of Internet playgrounds … or fun sites where kids can learn a thing or two about money management and home décor. It will be interesting to see what Consumer Reports’ WebWatch report says, and hopefully we’ll see some academic research as well.

References:
Navarro, M. (2007, October 28). Pay up, kid, or your igloo melts. Newyorktimes.com. [Online]. Available: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/fashion/28virtual.html

Tags: Common Sense Media, Consumer Reports, consumerism, WebWatch

Business Lit, Club Penguin, Gambling, Game Discussion, Game Studies, Game Writing, Gaming Blogs, MMORPGs, New York Times, Video Game Addiction, Video Game Research, Virtual Worlds, Webkinz | John Rice | November 4, 2007 9:04 am

29 Comments

By Brian B., November 7, 2007 @ 8:23 pm

I have posted another post about WebKinz….and advertising.

http://www.aswiftlytiltingplanet.com/2007/11/buzzed-by-ganz.html
By tnttoday, November 27, 2007 @ 6:45 am

Where’s the part about the good financial teachers?
By John Rice, November 27, 2007 @ 7:17 am

@tnt:
“… or fun sites where kids can learn a thing or two about money management and home décor.”

Most of the money mgmt discussion is in the NYT article I referenced.

Here’s a quote:
“Watching the action from a sofa, his father, Gregory Pennett, 53, a consultant to country clubs, said he appreciated how Club Penguin made Trevor earn his imaginary coins by working — for instance, virtually unloading bean bags from a truck.”

Here’s another from Karen Mason, spokesperson for CP:
““What we’re doing is teaching children to make smart choices they are going to need to make in the real world,” she said. She added that the site is free of advertising.”

Another, dealing with positive aspects of CP:
“Parents are of two minds when it comes to the new online playground. Many said they liked the aspects of the sites that require children to read, to learn strategy and to make decisions.”

And finally, on home decor:
““I don’t think it’s all bad,” she said. “I guess he’s getting great decorating skills.””

JR
By johnblogger, December 6, 2007 @ 5:52 am

All very comercial.
By Eronne Ward, February 16, 2008 @ 7:12 pm

Building a safe non-commercial advertising free site for children has been the most wonderful project of my life. Unfortunately my unshakable belief that parents will buy a monthly membership for $5 to protect their kids from inappropriate marketing and content hasn’t proven out yet…but it will.

The most upsetting realization during this process is how difficult it is to prove to the media giants and investors that this model will work. It is not necessary, although too easy for most to ignore, to exploit little kids.

As a mom, I decided what my young children watched, read or wore. I resented marketing that tried to convince them my choices were wrong….I still do.

Parents need to take back the control but they need product they can purchase for their children. Cackleberries is the first of its kind – a children’s entertainment property being sold only to adults.
By raven, March 19, 2008 @ 6:24 pm

i cant see the whole screen on webkinz
By New Webkinz Fan, August 8, 2008 @ 11:31 pm

Where do you guys Buy Webkinz from, I have gotten mine from cards n gifts or online at the webkinz shop buy-webkinz.net I am trying to find who has the cheapest webkinz around.. Anyone have any good experiences online?
By tsisul, November 18, 2008 @ 3:59 pm

I think whether it is right or wrong for major corporations to turn a profit with add-ons and monthly subscription purchases with child games/toys is rather irrelevant. It is a parent’s responsibility to monitor their child’s activities (and those brought forth from their friends), particularly when they are at a young age. If a parent then decides that Webkinz meets their personal criteria, then they must also be responsibility to tell their children when and what will be purchased. Although difficult certainly, a parent has to hold their ground and make sure a child knows enough is enough sometimes.
By waddils10, December 25, 2008 @ 12:14 am

HAY i love club penguin i go on every day its fun im onley 10 and my user name is (edited) and cp is NOT evil it teches me stuff and its a grate way to make friends!!! the toys r alot of fun too im think im getting cp toys for cristmas. i think there is nothing rong with club penguin!!!
By AAP2Qt, July 6, 2009 @ 6:11 pm

i am totally in love with webkinz! its kind of become my addiction… i go on it everyday! but it does cause my parents some money to go and buy me all my webkinz. i’m a proud owner of 17 webkinz, & i’m not done collecting just quite yet! lol!(: