It's been a good 12 years. I suppose all good games must come to a close at some point, although to be honest, a part of me silently hoped that it would never have to leave. Conversely, a big part of maturity is learning to accept that you're no longer a child, and I think that the shutdown of Club Penguin this past Thursday, March 30 helped to put this in perspective. Even so, it was sad to see the site prepare for shutdown, and because of this, I wanted to give it one last "waddle on" before it's put to sleep for good.
It was the birthplace of many memories, from refreshing trackers to try to meet Rockhopper, to finally beating Sensei to earn a black belt. It was a place to play games, strut your style, and meet other kids from across the world. Above all, it was genuinely a relaxing, fun place to be. You never had to pretend to be someone you weren't. It was all about being yourself, meeting new people, and just having a great time.
I played the game for four years, from 5th grade to 8th grade, and had an absolute ball while doing it. Though I started later than most, I was happy I had the opportunity to experience everything Club Penguin had to offer. I remember the first day that I logged in, made my way to the dojo, and earned my very first yellow belt in Card-Jitsu. I remember pestering my brother and my friends to make accounts and log in so that we could explore the overworld, make memories, and have fun together. I remember being psyched for all of the upcoming parties, particularly the medieval, anniversary, and fall fair parties. I don't regret the time that I spent on the island and am happy to have had the opportunity to experience it while I could.
While I'm not the biggest fan of its successor, Club Penguin Island, I understand the direction that Disney wants to take the game. Mobile gaming is a quickly growing sector of the gaming market, raking in about 16% of the market's revenue worldwide. However, the company's decision to effectively force players to purchase a membership to play the game is beyond baffling for me. Club Penguin thrived off of the inclusion of both free to play (F2P) players and paid members, and to require a membership to experience the mobile game is to not stay true to the spirit of what Club Penguin stood for. I sincerely hope that Disney changes its business plan and the way it manages Club Penguin Island.
Did you ever play Club Penguin? What do you think of Club Penguin's shutdown? Will you be trying Club Penguin Island? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
