Steve Webkinz here, as we wind down 2017, I thought this would be a good opportunity to look back at the evolution of the Webkinz mobile app!
Several years ago, some select Webkinz arcade games were converted to work as standalone apps on the Apple App Store. Each of those games had to be completely re-written in a new code format (“Objective-C”) because the original version, coded for Adobe Flash Player, was too “memory heavy” to work on mobile devices. And because all of Webkinz.com was written in “Flash”, it wasn’t possible for it to work in mobile app web browsers.
By this time, it was apparent that Flash Player had a limited future, which meant that Webkinz had to change in order to survive. We began investigating Adobe’s mobile coding system called “AIR”, which would allow for an easier conversion of Flash programs.
In 2013, we launched the Webkinz Pet Care app, a companion app to Webkinz World which allowed players to interact with pets on their Webkinz.com account using a mobile device. This initial version was very limited, with the ability to feed and dress your pet outside of the room. It has its own mobile Wheel of Wow and a small arcade with just three converted games which could award KinzCash when it synched up to an account.
The following year, we added bathing, a mobile WShop, and even a new pet room that was able to show the pet and a limited number of room items.
From the beginning, the Webkinz Pet Care app was intended to be the first step in a larger evolution for the game. In 2015, on the 10th anniversary of Webkinz World, we launched “Webkinz X”. It introduced the new concept of the Pet Care Heart, Family Score and milestone prizes, along with Pet Requests.
It also involved moving the new mobile room engine onto web and creating a new Dock. This was a massive undertaking, which required every item on the site to be converted into the new code format. With tens of thousands of items already in existence, third party contractors were brought in to help convert everything. Unfortunately, due to the complexity and scope of the work involved, the process wasn’t as efficient as planned. Many items that were supposed to be fixed either didn’t work properly or weren’t even appearing.
Since then, our team of artists and programmers has continued to fix items while converting and adding more features into the Webkinz mobile app. Most recently, we’ve added a new bath and sink activity, along with a brand new Adoption Center. Our mobile Arcade now also features a large number of games that can be played on the go!
This past year, it was officially announced by Adobe that they would be discontinuing Flash Player for web browsers in 2020. For Webkinz, once that happens, the mobile version of Webkinz will be the only version of the game. For those that still prefer to play on desktop or laptop computers, in 2018 we will be launching a version of the Webkinz mobile app that can be downloaded onto your computer and played without using a web browser.
Over the next two years, we will continue to move features over to the Webkinz mobile app, so that as much of the current game as possible can be enjoyed for years to come. Keep watching Webkinz Newz for all the updates about the continuing evolution of Webkinz!
This has been Steve Webkinz reporting for Webkinz Newz! What would you like me to report on in 2018? Let me know in the comments below.
Hope i can still play on my computer after the change with the new app. Wish Webkinz would invest in updating the computer version from flash rather than forcing us to convert to the mobile version, as many younger players don’t own smartphones.
I really dislike the mobile version. I may stop playing if that will be the only version of the game. …boorepko
Whoa, what, really?! I had no idea that we would basically only have the mobile version eventually. o_O Goodness.. I hope I’m up to date with that and download it on the computer when the time comes. Although, I must admit that having Webkinz on the phone sounds more convenient and kinda nice. As long as there is still a KinzChat+ Park!! >.<
Oy, I really hope that everything will still be there then, including the curio shop, and clubhouse, and obviously the kinzville park. And collection events and stuff. Those are some of the things that keep me playing Webkinz, including my friends here, of course.
Ah, me too, emi! I hope that the Ganz team is able to move all that stuff onto the app…. why, if they couldn’t/don’t move them on there… I’d be pretty upset, to say the least. Oh gosh, yes! Man, I so hope that they can figure out a way to add the Kinzville park (with kinzchat plus, of course) into the new apps! It’s the main way (besides the forums) that I can “stay in touch” with you guys… and if that were to go… I dunno how I’ll be able to chat with Poke and Flip and… ahhh… just the thought of it makes me upset XP
Yeah, I know! I would really miss pretty much anything that was removed, I feel like, but especially the park and stuff. XP I hope they can do it! It would be really sad if you weren’t able to talk to them!
I hope they keep the parties too! Not sure how much webkinz i’d still be playing if parties go.
Great report thank you Steve. I was wondering if someone from the Newz team could do a special report on ZumWhere in the Magical Forest , I always do the zum sighting but I have never understood how the Visit the Zums part of the game worked. Thanks for your help.
You have to have a Zumbuddy to enter that part of Zumwhere. Do you have a Zumbuddy?
I know things are getting more complicated every day but I would rather play on the desktop. Mobile devices don’t work well in our area! I love playing and appreciate all the work put into the Webkinz, so do your best!!!
And-thanks for informing us along the way, so we don’t go crazy like we did with webkinz x! lol
I assume that by the time the web browser version is discontinued, all or most of the gameplay features such as the arcade games and curio shop will be in the mobile app?
This is a living nightmare. Adobe is pure evil for ruining this game I have poured so much money and time and life into. ugh.
Wow, so does this mean that Webkinz will cease to be after 2020? The mobile version is much less, there is no way to do most of what I go to webkinz for. There is no daily activities, no curio shop, no park, no trading room (ok I don’t do much of that) the point is that none of these are on mobile. What will happen to them. I (well my parents) have spent a lot of money buying me pets and estore points (mom just got me some today for boxing day) but if I won’t be able to use any of this starting in 2020 then we have wasted a lot of money. I will miss all of this stuff. Is there no way to re-do it in another “whatever flashplayer is”
They’ll probably just make the web version of webkinz downloadable, like what Animal Jam has already done. The way of phrasing is odd though as it makes it seem like the mobile version will just be converted to PC? Maybe they’ll add some more things to the mobile game in the coming years to get it up to date with the website. I mean, if they were to ditch EVERYTHING in the browser version, what would the point of Webkinz X have been? Im confused heh
Wow! Thanks for the in-depth information on what has been happening in the background for the further development of Webkinz.
I think I will stop buying estore items until I see how well the rooms work after the conversion. I don’t want to use mobile!! I like desktop!! Please don’t break it!!
I am so glad that you have found ways to keep Webkinz going! I would so miss all my friends and pets if it ever had to go away. Thank you Ganz, for keeping out community going!!!