Almost all of us as Millenials and Gen Z were raised around technology. We love it and are constantly adapting to the world and new technologies around us. As we age, we sometimes forget about the online games we played and the things that brought us joy on the internet when we were younger. Sometimes, it's great to go back and reminisce on what we used to play. This allows us to see how far we've come and think of much simpler times. These are a few of the most popular online games when we were younger, and how they're doing now, many years later.
Neopets
www.youtube.comNeopets was an online pet trading and adopting game that started in 1999 and rose to popularity starting in 2005. The game had players create their own customized versions of species and interact with others. In 2010, the game slowly started dying off as most of the main fanbase grew out of the targeted age demographic and due to intense hacking. Now, Neopets is still active and there are updates made to the website.
Disney's ToonTown
Nerd BaconNot just a place in Disneyland, Disney's ToonTown was an online game where players were able to choose the toon they wished to play as. The MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game) saw thousands of people play every day from around the world. Released in 2003, the game continued to rise and be played by many and was praised for its ability to allow people to connect with those from different areas of the globe. However, because of Disney wanting to focus it's attention to another game, ToonTown was discontinued in 2013, much to the disappointment to many fans. As a result, people teamed up and created a carbon copy of ToonTown called ToonTown Rewritten a few months following its closure. This version of the game is still open for people to play today!
Poptropica
This game was one that allowed people to explore their inner Nancy Drew. This game had players explore secrets and uncover mysteries. The game was created from the same creator of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and was very popular during the time the books were popular as well. Aimed for people ages 6 to 15, the game continues to have players. Although not as popular as it once was in 2007, the game does have updates and new mysteries uploaded.
Club Penguin
Club Penguin was another on of Disney's online games, and a game that led to the demise of Disney's ToonTown. This game took off, but ultimately end up failing as Disney tried to modernize the game too much, turning it into an app. The over-complication of the game led to many people no longer being interested, and thus Disney closed the online version of the game in 2017. Much like Disney's ToonTown, fans of the game have created their own version, called Club Penguin Rewritten, where people are able to continue their penguin lives.
