Comments on: Disney buys Club Penguin in $700 million deal — virtual worlds have arrived?

By: HANNAH

HANNAH — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:16:53 +0000

FUCK DISNEY BITCHES I HOE THEY DIE I WANT PENGUIN CHAT

By: Virtual Economy and Virtual Goods | Startup Addict Musings

Virtual Economy and Virtual Goods | Startup Addict Musings — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:28:41 +0000

[...] when Disney plunked down $700M for Club Penguin in 2007. At the Habbo numbers that would be 10x earnings. Not a bad investment in a high growth sector [...]

By: Q&A with Graham Hopper, head of Disney’s game division, on going hardcore - Start-Up News | Internet Startups

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:14:46 +0000

[...] Club Penguin’s big purchase price of $700 million has inspired a big copycat market. Disney paid $700 million for it and a lot of other startups are [...]

By: Q&A with Graham Hopper, head of Disney’s game division, on going hardcore » VentureBeat

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:12:40 +0000

[...] Club Penguin’s big purchase price of $700 million has inspired a big copycat market. Disney paid $700 million for it and a lot of other startups are [...]

By: kat k9 1

kat k9 1 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:38:48 +0000

dit you know Luke H is the best worker in cp? cool hu

By: IAC to launch ‘ZwinkyCuties’, a virtual place for kids | Startup Meme

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:06:48 +0000

[...] Club Penguin was acquired by Disney last year. According to Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, it is one of the Disney’s more successful digital [...]

By: Limeboy

Limeboy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:11:14 +0000

i play this game…….. its alright……….. but what isnt alright is 750 mill for a lousy computer game with some 40 year old petafiles playing it for all we nkow there could be criminals playing these games…………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..!

By: ghgdfgsdgdsfg

ghgdfgsdgdsfg — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:35:17 +0000

FUCK DISNEY!

By: Smoodoos, hyperactive German social network aimed at kids, raises cash » VentureBeat

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:45:27 +0000

[...] That does not mean, however, that the undisclosed sum that Earlybird recently invested in its parent company, Just Us & Friends GmbH is crazy as well. First, I suspect that today’s children, jacked into the internet shortly after they can walk, find manic forms of madness immensely entertaining. Second, quite like the similarly U.S.-based Webkinz (which Silicon Alley Insider estimates to make $750 million in annual revenue), Smoodoos ties together the virtual and real worlds with plush toys available at retail stores. (These plush toys somehow grant access to premium features in the Smoodoos’ virtual setting, but the company could not be reached for comment and, again, I cannot read a word of German, so I have no idea how.) Finally, the kid-friendly virtual world Club Penguin sold to Disney for $700 million. [...]

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:58:32 +0000

I can’t keep my 6 year old off Club Penguin he is addicted. I never realized Disney paid this much money for the game. Does anyone know the performance targets that are part of this deal?

By: Jegrezo

Jegrezo — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:25:20 +0000

While it may be true that “This purchase is another step towards digitizing Disney’s family-focused entertainment empire,” as the above article states, one must question Disney’s recent decision to close their extremely popular kid-safe on-line world, Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK), in which friendships and fun have flourished every single day at http://www.vmk.com for the past 3 years.

While Disney has brilliantly set up Club Penguin in a manner that allows users to select from subscription plans ranging from $5.95 per month and $57.95 (according to the above information), they completely neglected to ever offer a subscription opportunity to their already loyal VMK players, many of whom have posted on VMK-related message boards that they would happily pay a nominal monthly fee to keep their already popular virtual community (with real life people enamored with it) from its sudden proposed closure. This obvious omission has left avid-VMK players asking, “Why?!?”
Why not offer a pay-to-play option? Why not keep their virtual-funville? Why close such a wonderful on-line community?

Regarding the last question, Disney has only offered the seemingly-shallow explanation to its loyal VMK’ers that the game was only meant to be part of Disneyland’s 50th Celebration which commenced in 2005 and therefore, has run it’s course.

Two problems with this arguement:
1 – If this is truly the reason for VMK’s looming doom, why did the entertainment giant wait a year and a half after the 50th celebrations ended to deliver the ax?

2 – Both Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams and Dream Come True Fireworks show were created to celebrate Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary. However, they both continue to be part of Disneyland’s Year of a Million Dreams promotion which currently runs at the Happiest Place on Earth. And yet VMK is on its way to its death bed because it was only meant to be part of the very same celebration?

One would think Disney could have thought of adding a simple tag line to their amazing virtual community to justify its continued existence if this were the real reason. Maybe… Disney’s Virtual Magic Kindom – Where Real Dreams Come True Daily.

Sadly, unless Disney’s decision-makers choose to recognize the amazing interest that their on-line world’s extremely loyal participants have in keeping their Kingdom alive (as evident from the nearly 7,000 signatures at an on-line petition at http://www.savevmktoday.com) these daily dreams with end on May 21, 2008, the date Disney announced rather abruptly as VMK’s closure.

Of course, then VMK’ers could always turn to penguins … until Disney decides to put Club Penguin on ice and give it the same fate VMK is currently facing.

By: Billybob

Billybob — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:49:51 +0000

Hi Im Billybob and i own Club Penguin! and i hope you like how it trand out! Thanks! Billybob !

By: First Post « think tank web 2.0

First Post « think tank web 2.0 — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:02:02 +0000

[...] ClubPenguin is a social network/virtual world surrounding a penguins theme. Press Release | TechCrunch | GigaOm| Mashable | VentureBeat [...]

By: Nehal

Nehal — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:36:29 +0000

http://www.yahoo.com

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:06:34 +0000

A new gaming site for kids that is chasing the $700 million is http://www.Clubtuki.com and my kids love it. Kids play educational games and earn money then can win real stuff in their auction.

Site is owned by Children’s Educational Network