If you have a young niece or daughter, you’ve almost certainly seen her puttering with Zwinky, the pop-eyed cartoon avatar-based social network– sort of a cutesy MySpace for kids, run from a browser toolbar interface. Techcrunch just reported that InteractiveCorp, the company behind Zwinky, will launch a virtual world tie-in. Transitioning from toolbar to interactive world is an obvious technology leap; it’s also a savvy and unsurprising business move. Considering the impressive growth rate of Gaia Online, Club Penguin, Webkinz, and many others, virtual worlds for kids are exploding. The real surprise is how long it’s taken the tech and game industry to recognize how big this space has grown. (In March, Zwinky had 4.7 million unique visitors; Gaia Online, 2 million.)
At present, they’re actually the only reliably expanding niche in online worlds. After all, World of Warcraft remains the uncontested traditional fantasy MMORPG, dominating all its competitors (except in Asia), while Second Life remains unchallenged in the user-created 3D world sub-genre (though a number of rivals are coming soon.)
How did they become so popular?
Short answer: By being fast, cheap, and totally in control. Almost invariably, online worlds for kids are web-based Java apps, and don’t require a large client download (like Second Life and There), and are free, eschewing monthly subscriber fees (as with Warcraft) preferring advertising, virtual item purchases, and other alternate revenue models. More crucial to parents (as today’s WSJ reports), they’re tightly regulated safe zones for kids. (In Club Penguin, the Journal notes, “Penguins… [have] two chat modes: ultimate safe chat, which is limited to a predefined menu of greetings, and standard safe chat, in which all messages are subject to filters that screen for inappropriate language and personal information like phone numbers.”) Nothing worse than a foul-mouthed penguin.
Image courtesy Zwinky.com.
There are already successful browser based games worlds for post-teens (e.g. Runescape) and over the next year you’ll see several more.
In addition, there are a few companies working on platforms for web hosted spaces so we’ll see a lot of projects working up the stack on non-game applications like shared workspaces and media sharing. There’s my company, Transmutable, and Media Machines and Pelican Crossing are also coming along.
hey wats up me and my friend want 2 no how u do this its confusstion please reply!
Congratulations to all of these companies. I don’t get the attraction but obviously the traffic data tells the story.
Quick, minor, correction — you say that almost “invariably, online worlds for kids are web-based Java apps”
With very few exceptions (Runescape) these worlds are actually either Flash (Club Penguin) or Shockwave (Habbo-how could you leave out Habbo? :)
I obviously agree with the point you are making, that these worlds run in-browser and do not require the downloads of SL or WoW.
Could catch, I should have just said “web-based apps”.
I posted on this topic last week based on Comscore data – there are a couple of additional sites worth noting not mentioned above, notable postopia and millsville, owned by Post Cereals and General Mills respectively. Postopia is more of a casual gaming site with over 2m UU/mth but Millsville is a full casual immersive world and have over 4m UU/mth. Click on my name in this comment to read the full post
I agree why you think she is so popular.
I love zwinky it is a really fun game.
is the Zwinky site safe to use?
if ya wanna have a blown up computer yeah stupid head
Can I play on zwinky.
Yes you just need to register
only if 13 and up or id recomend zwinky cuties
Ican’t get in zwinky games
It’s pretty amazing how many people hang out on there. When I first got on it had me hooked for about 4 hours straight.
hey i wanna know how to got a room on zwinky & i wanna know more chat like zwinky SOS
i want play my games on zwinky but it dont play plz help me
Why cant I join Zwiky?
can i play zwinky. can i editmy profile
i don’t now how to actually play it only comes up how to become a member
can you help me
yes i can help you.
help me i don’t now how to get into zwinky world can you tell me
Zwinky sounds like twinky(lol)
its not fair little kids cant play
there is another website called zwinky cuties that is for little kids who can’t play on zwinky it is pratically the same thing as zwinky
it is nice game i have ever played
how can my zwinky work?
how can i chat with friends?
Zwinky world is so cool, it is even better than avatar cause u can move places and avatar can’t.
i really love zwinkys but i have a problem installing and registering helllllllllp!!!
people zwinky is the best!!
this is so asome to be toking to peopl a round the welb one time i ment a poreo from aisa.
people!!! i luv zwinky its so kewl except the people are trying to steal my acc!!!
hey zwinky e-mail me some time i like your games they r awsome.
put some more new games……..????????????????????????????? lol
hey zwinky u r the best gilr in me??????????????????
how can i chat wiht friends and u ????????????????????????????????
i was wondering if i could play because i ami only–?
un till how many years can I star playing??????????
un till 12???????????????????????????????????????????jajajajaja
please tak back? lol
and some times i put zwinky games.com hheellppppppppppppp?????????????????//
and is your site safa to use???????????
heyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
help me i cant get to play ur games any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!lol
jajajajajajajajajaja
lolololololololololo
i beg uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu please
why did uuuuu put thoose dolls on my page!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1lollo
sssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee yyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa jajajajajajajajja
sorry for e-mailing u everybody doesn’t e-mial u anymore is it cause of meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!lol
i am not e-mailing u for along time. lol :)
bye
you are really pretty very pretty ok so wen sombody tell you are ugly dont wory abot them ok girl.
i will kill a gurl for lil wayne try me up this 2008 not 2007 so try me up i will pop u off but zwinky is oKAY
when i go to download Zwinky there is no yellow bar, what do i do?!!!
heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy it funny everyb0dy i love so soulja bpy sweetheart
i love zwinky!!!!!!!!!!!!!except i need to learn how tob a animal.email it to me plz!!!!
heya suppa heya bitch fucking with zwinky i had
whyyy does becca like zwinky?!!!!
imean icand walk around just like millsberry
so stop meswsin with the damn thing
no efenz becca=]]
i noa its hard
gut like myspace
so somewon riyt bak
does it cost mula?(money)
I would love it if u could let smaller kids on it. i’m 9 going on 10 may 18th but i want to get on zwinky it’s on every website and i’d like to do it a lot. but i’m not aloud to install anything on my computer could u help me with that I WANT TO GET IN please
yes medelyn is right do we have to wait until 18 so we can have the fun some of us will lie if you do not let smaller kids to have the fun because most of the things are done by 18 year olds but they don’t even have the time to sit and access on your website but we kids do okayy.we want to have fun.
to bad the yellow bar want show up on mi computer but i guess its from all the downloaded things on mi computer because i have a webkinz and a club penguin lucky me mi mom gotr me a new computer what have the yellow bar to download zwinky and now i got a zwinky a webkinz and a club penguin if want to see my webkinz username is poodles314 mi zwinky user name jasminefinley and clubpenguin mi user name is orangebanana but, i think if some computers dont have the yellow bar to download zwinky they should have another web site to download zwinky and you dont have to use the yellow bar… well…………. thatz mi idea but some of you guys idea r good to but this is a better choice to go with mi idea and just have another web site when you dont have to use the yellow bar ok …………………………and if you agree to mi idea i will like to know your name and you can email me saying why you think im rite if need email it is jazzyfyre@yahoo.com please and thanxx have a a great and blessing day>!:)ba bye also can reach me at zwink and send me a znote saying why u think im rite if need zwinky user it is jasminefinley bye to all the people whos have a wonderful and blessing day bye
:)
well its a download get something else thats like zwinky
wen the yellOw bar cOmes up and yOuu have tO install active X cOntrOl. dOes active X cOntrOl lOike give viruses or anythin????cuzz i wanna play but i dont want a virus
pleaseee help meeee!!!
please please please
PLEASEEEE
Thank you for the great article. The zwinky population is on the rise and this article will help :)
Good read. Zwinky rocks. I’d recommend everyone to try out Zwinky!
i love is it the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
zwinky is the best…..i am from croatia….all my friends in the class have zwinky all like him…..i dont know what to say….hi fromm zagreb
i always play your games because it is so fabulas and i can’t wait to play it again
why do we have to download zwinky its a drag some ppl have parent block
i am very very sad zwinky is blocked in my area so did any body no any cool game like zwinky coz i wanna have fun like i used 2 when i play zwinky plz help me plz any game like zwinky any game
oh Help me pleasc how i download the gam zwinky !! help !!
Cool i’m looking forward to this!
Cool i’m looking forward to this!
Virtual worlds for kids are great especially the ones that can educate them or widen their knowledge in some ways. Parents should let their children explore such games as it can teach them things like social skills which are harder for parents to teach them.
However don’t let your kids get addicted or they’ll turn out to be computer addicts, u know like some who play WOW they dont have a life outside of it. And they become too fantasy-minded that they start hating the real world and not wanting to live in reality things like that when they realise the world is not as easy or ideal as the virtual worlds.
Its inevitable though since the virtual worlds are getting more interactable and more fun and creative and with technology increasing, a social circle through the internet seems to becoming more common and essential.
Bottomline – to make the best out of it. Find some game that can really benefit you and your child and not just some online interaction because when u’re speaking of interaction nothing beats real life experiences.
i love it
I WANT TO GO ON ZWINKY!!!!!!!! BUT I CANT DOWNLOAD IT!!!!!!!! IT ISNT COMPATIBLE WITH MAC!!!!!!! I JUST GOT THIS YESTERDAY!!!!!!!! THEY NEED TO MAKE ZWINKY COMPATIBLE WITH MAC!!!!