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Webkinz

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File:Webkinz dolls.jpg
Various Webkinz animals

Webkinz are stuffed animals that were originally released by the Ganz company on April 28, 2005. The toys are similar to many other small plush toys, however they come with a special code on their labels that allows access to the "Webkinz World" which is a website to "adopt" a virtual version of the pet for virtual interaction. There are also smaller versions of the toys called "Lil' Kinz". [1]


Comparison

The toys have been compared to Beanie Babies with some being retired after some time, which encourages high secondary selling prices. Webkinz have also been compared to other virtual pet sites such as Shining Stars, Rescue Pets: My E Pets, and Kookeys. Webkinz have been extremely popular, with Ganz claiming more than 2 million units sold to retailers and 1 million registered users of the Webkinz website. At the height of the toys' popularity, shortages of supply at some stores have been reported. [2] [3] NPD Group reports that the product brought in more than $45 million (USD) in United States retail sales in 2006. [4].

Gameplay

After you first 'adopted' your pet, you start off with 2000 "kinzcash" that you could spend on food, decorations, etc. You also get three gifts and a special food that is made especially for your pet (example: the dalmation gets Firehouse Chili). There are hourly activities, including the Wheel of Wow, similar to Wheel of Fortune, Quizzy's Blast, Balloon Dartz, Dunk the Zingoz, and more, with the exception of the employment office, which is every 8 hours. Every day, there is a Game of the Day where you get a bonus of the Kinzcash. Every month, there is the "Pet of the Month" where anyone who adopted the pet of the month that month, can get items found no where else on Webkinz world. A person can decorate their room and purchase more rooms. There are themes for rooms, like the Atlantis theme, or the person can randomly decorate their room.

Occasionally there are recipes that are released to be found out by players. There is a TV Show in Webkinz called "The Secret Chef" which shows how to make some recipes and there are cookbooks which can be found in the W Shop.

Parental concerns

Concerns have been raised about children's use and overuse of the toys. Some worry that children will become addicted to the game. Other parents say that it will only help the kids learn. [5] Some parents have voiced concerns about the website's online chat system. The chat system has various safety precautions, with restrictions on who can send messages and what message can be sent, and to be able to chat with friends you must be in the same color zone as them. Additionally, in the "Kinzchat" chat room, users cannot type, but can choose phrases to say from a list.[6] Concerns have also been raised about the toys being a distraction in schools, causing the toys to be banned in some schools.[7] [8] Concerns were also raised when the once advertisement-free site [9] started displaying advertisements, previously only for their own additional game related products, but now also for movies, such as Alvin and the Chipmunks. Some of the "advertisements" promote responsibility or healthy living.

Webkinz Pets

Alley Cat, Beagle, Black and White Cat, Black Bear, Black Friesian, Black Lab, Black Poodle, Brown Arabian, Bull Dog, Bull Frog, Charcoal Cat, Cheeky Monkey, Chihuahua, Chocolate Lab, Clydesdale, Cocker Spaniel, Collie, Cow, Dalmation, Elephant, Frog, German Sheperd, Golden Retriever, Googles, Grey Arabian, Hippo, Huskey, Koala, Leopard, Lion, Love Frog, Monkey, Panda, Penguin, Persian Cat, Pig, Pink Pony, Pink Poodle, Pinto Horse, Polar Bear, Poodle, Pug, Rabbit, Raccoon, Seal,Spotted Frog, St Bernard, Tie Dye Frog, Tiger, Tree Frog, Turtle, White Terrier, Yellow Lab, and Yorkie.

Retired Pets: Basset Hound, Cheeky Cat, Cheeky Dog, Gold and White Cat, Gorilla, Gray and White Cat, Horse, Love Puppy, Pegasus, Unicorn, and Saint Bernard.

Seasonal Pets: Love Puppy, Sherbet Bunny,Love Frog, Black Cat,Reindeer, and Baby Chick.

References

  1. ^ Geiger, Debbe (2007-02-11). "Welcome to Webkinz world". Newsday. Retrieved 2007-04-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Hawn, Carleen (2007-03-23). "Time to play, money to spend". Business 2.0. Retrieved 2007-04-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Linn, Allison (2007-04-27). "Webkinz sparks a craze, and a shortage". MSNBC. Retrieved 2007-07-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Tiwari, Neha (2007-05-10). "Webkinz: I fell in love with a cyber alley cat". CNET. Retrieved 2007-07-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Is the Webkinz Craze Bad for Kids?". ABC News. 2007-04-12. Retrieved 2007-04-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Pardo, Steve (2007-04-11). "Kids hooked on Webkinz world". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2007-04-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ Seltz, Johanna (2007-04-08). "Toy causes classroom distraction". Retrieved 2007-07-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Lazarowitz, Elizabeth (2007-07-30). "Webkinz: Big money lessons for little kids". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2007-08-20. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Barakat, Matthew (2007-07-13). "Review: Webkinz pleases parents and children". MSNBC. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |ccessdate= ignored (help)

Webkinz is a game to play online

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