Editor’s note, 07/11/07: Just heard from Disney regarding a misunderstanding about their plans for Toontown. It actually will be the same hybrid free/premium model planned for the Pirates MMOG and described below. The subscription game will continue; the ad-supported edition will have limited functions with a goal of enticing at least some of those users into the full premium edition.
Original: As competition among virtual worlds aimed at kids heats up, Disney plans to shift its online multiplayer video game Toontown from a subscription-based format to an ad-supported one by this fall, according to Mediaweek. Disney has charged $9.95 a month for Toontown subscriptions since it launched four years ago; in May, it began beta testing a free version. The company is currently negotiating with advertisers.
Paul Yanover, EVP and managing director for Disney Online, said that the change is driven by a desire to increase the amount of users. But the timing also comes as Nickelodeon
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