Have you ever heard of "Webkinz"?

bluaki · October 17, 2007, 04:29:22 PM

Webkinz(.com) is a online pet game for young kids. It's a little like Neopets but aimed at a younger audience and more obsessive. The pets are obtained from access codes that are bundled with plushy animals, and the virtual version of the pet is what the kid plays with. The pet will die if the player doesn't log in more a few days, compelling the kid to become obsessed and log in frequently.

My sister just got four of those stupid webkinz plushies for her 8th birthday, now she is trying to force her way to be using the computer (she's already forgotten to do one homework assignment after three days and almost forgot another). According to her, she was the only kid in her class that didn't play on Webkinz up until this weekend when she started. She has to use the only computer in our house for it too :(
So pretty much, I have to not use the computer for about an hour or two every couple days while she's in my room playing it and learning how to get obsessed with games. I also have to be listening to the poor in-game voices while she's doing so and help every few minutes. I have to supervise whenever she's on the computer, because otherwise we'd get viruses, a reformatted drive, viruses, or whatever else she can do with hundreds of random clicks.

Tupin · October 17, 2007, 04:31:26 PM

This is why you only let small children get addicted to handheld/console games. :P And I hate fads that people will have forgotten about by next year. :|

bluaki · October 17, 2007, 04:35:02 PM

Quote from: Tuppyluver1 on October 17, 2007, 04:31:26 PM
This is why you only let small children get addicted to handheld/console games. :P And I hate fads that people will have forgotten about by next year. :|

My sister has a DS from 2006 Christmas and is freely able to play any of my English games, but she gets bored of each after 1-10 days, depending on the game.

Silverhawk79 · October 17, 2007, 04:44:07 PM

Enormous waste of money, if you ask me.

bluaki · October 17, 2007, 04:47:01 PM

Quote from: Silverhawk79 on October 17, 2007, 04:44:07 PM
Enormous waste of money, if you ask me.

Not much money, actually. The only fee is for the plushy animals, which need to be bought yearly.

WiinolikePS3 · October 17, 2007, 04:47:01 PM

Eh... they sound so... STUPID!

Well... I already knew about them, but.... making them die... it's just... wrong. If you pay good money, and they die...

HeroOfTimeO0 · October 17, 2007, 04:49:54 PM

Yeah my sister has one too. And she wants to get on all the time. x_x

I'm going to rip it to shreds.

Psilocybin · October 17, 2007, 04:52:24 PM

I swear, if they had forums i'd post a picture of a flaming plushie with it's head severed and on a stake.
:D
Hopefully scar some kids for life.

Totla · October 17, 2007, 06:13:09 PM

My sister has like, 10 of those. >_>

X-3 · October 17, 2007, 06:15:36 PM

I think my cousin has one of those.

It must be aimed for 1-year olds, considering Neopets is aimed at 3-year olds.