“Why do I have to pay money to play Webkinz when I played it for free when I was a kid?”
As many people who played the game years ago are re-discovering their childhood fandom, this is a common complaint posted on social media. However, while it may have seemed to some that they were getting access to the game for free, in reality, they were not.
When Webkinz.com launched in 2005, the only way to play on the site was by registering a code that came attached to the plush pet they were adopting onto their account. Once a code was registered, the player could play for one full year from the date they adopted that pet. At the end of that year, the account became locked until another code was registered during a new pet adoption. An important side note is that multiple adoptions NEVER “stacked” multiple years of membership. So, adopting 10 pets on the same day only ever gave 1 year of membership—not 10 years.
Once the “Webkinz craze” hit around 2007, with so many new plush pets flying off the shelves and players’ collections constantly growing, most kids never got locked out of their account. Basically, they were continually adopting so many pets that their membership never ran out.
In 2009, once plush sales began to decline from their meteoric peak, Ganz introduced Deluxe Membership as a new way to subscribe to the Webkinz game without having to constantly purchase physical plush toys. While this form of membership came with many bonuses like monthly gifts and eStore Points for special items, the amount and variety of bonuses added to Deluxe Memberships has steadily increased over the years, while the fee has essentially remained the same.
In 2012, Webkinz transformed its membership structure to a “Freemium” model. While Deluxe and Full Membership basically remained the same, once those subscriptions ran out, players were no longer locked out of their accounts. Instead, they could continue as a free player, with limited access to certain items and features. Kids that wanted to create a new account could also for the first time adopt a free pet instead of registering a code. This is the membership model that Webkinz still uses today.
Want to know what all the differences are between being a Free Player, a Full Member, and a Deluxe Member? We created a handy list which you can see here.
Do YOU remember the days when the only way to play Webkinz was to purchase a plush toy? And what would you like me to report on next? Let me know in the comments below!
I love love love Webkinz, like most of you, I was hooked playing with my grandkids. They have moved on, but I still love my Webkinz world and all the challenges, games and my fellow players. I hope I can still play it even with all the updates and changes coming!! Thanks to all the team players who give their all to make Webkinz and Ganz what it is today, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I started playing in 2007. I remember my nieces calling every store around to see which one had webbies in… they were always sold out! I remember too on Christmas 2007 there were so many people trying to login, that you were in a waiting line lol. Oh that was a scary time.. you really didn’t know if you’d be able to login that day or not! So glad that changed! I went deluxe a few years after it was introduced, and never looked back. If you can afford to get it, the perks are worth it! If not, ww is still a ton of fun :)
I started playing Webkinz back in 2007 when the Webkinz craze hit it’s zenith. I wanted to see what Webkinz was all about since it was the big craze with all my students. I purchased my first Webkinz, the Clydesdale Horse, in September of 2007 and I have been hooked for life. In fact, that is why I use the Clydesdale Horse as my Webkinz Newz avatar. ♪♫LadyBeauty♪♫
I started playing in 2015. My first pet was a lion fish plushy. His name is Fishie. :) It took all of 10 minutes of playing to be hooked! I got a deluxe membership as a gift about a year later. I have had countless hours of fun with my Webkinz pets!! I am also very thankful for all the wonderful friends I have made through Webkinz. You guys are all great! I wish everyone here on Webkinz Newz and in Webkinz World, including Mandy, Michael, Steve and Sally, a very Happy New Year, and look forward to spending 2019 with you!
I bet some people are saying it was free because they never had to buy their own pets- they were probably always gifts and seemed “free” to them! I do like the newer options of playing, instead of needing to ever expand my enormous plush collection. My favorite memories of Webkinz are when I first started playing in 2007 and when Mazin’ Hamsters was around. Those were the good ole days!
I really liked Webkinz Friends. I would love it if it came back. Happy New Year everyone!
Thanks for the comprehensive list with the breakdown of which membership gets you which benefits. Very helpful! :D
I think this is a great system! And the deluxe membership is definitely worth it if you play daily, especially if you can get it on a sale!
I remember when Webkinz was only playable with a plush toy! I recently decide to check my account and the nostalgia hit. I have been playing arcade games, completing Kinzville academy classes, and competing in beauty pageants. I would like to know if there is a trend of early Webkinz players coming back!
There does seem to be. I’ve seen several posts of players who have been returning to the site. In my case it started with playing with my grandchildren and I just kept playing as they moved on for a while. Now I’m playing with one of my younger grandchildren! This really is fun for all ages!
If you look on Twitter..it seems that way! Rediscovering your youth and finding out it is adult friendly
Wooah-! That last photo brought me back! I started playing Webkinz around 2010, and I did lose an account because I stopped for a while, unfortunately, but luckily, I never lost my main one. Sad that Webkinz Friends also shut down.
if you still remember your user name and password you can still go back to that old account- friends of mine had “lost” accounts that we could still access!