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.
I have to admit, this makes me very, very nervous.
Same…
Me too….
Very nervous!
Hi Steve Webkinz! I always enjoy your special reports; thank you for explaining all of this “hi-tech” stuff to us. I had already known Flash was going to be discontinued, and I had wondered about how Ganz would handle that. So thank you for explaining. The tech support team must be in a frenzy everyday—trying to fix player issues, game issues, and also trying to transition the game from Flash to an app. So, big shout out to Tech Support, because it sounds like they are doing triple time over there. From my own perspective: I’m nervous about this transition!!!! In your article, you said an app would be available to download onto the desktop, if desired….I hope that’s a sure thing and not a maybe, because I love playing on my desktop. I’m not tech savvy (Lord knows!!!), and I can’t even envision playing WW on a mobile. “Mobile” would be a smartphone, right? That’s a pretty tiny screen! (I actually have a smartphone—although it’s generally smarter than I am, so all I do on it is talk or text.) On a Smartphone, (even the larger screen models), I imagine the rooms would be small, and the pets, microscopic! How does one play games? Decorate? Dress pets? I’m thinking that would be difficult for us older players–first of all, we need to SEE: that gets tougher every year, let me tell you! And us older folks typically don’t have the dexterity to game on a smartphone. …Desktop (or laptop) is such an enjoyable way to play WW, for players of all ages. With a nice big screen–a comfy chair, and a table right beside for a beverage and a snack! (Gotta have my ‘creature comforts’—no Webkinz pet puns intended!) Also, playing on a desktop or laptop offers structured game time–which would probably be a very important consideration to parents. And too, as one player mentioned, not all youngsters have smart phones–nor should they, so the creation of a desktop app really needs to be a sure thing to ensure players of all ages can continue WW. Also,, as others mentioned today: would the mobile app and desktop app have all the games, activities, and features we now have? It’s taken Ganz 12 years to build this game into THE MOST enjoyable and charming gaming experience—you even give us snow in the winter, and leaves in the fall!—I can’t imagine the sorrow and backlash from our community if we lose activities or other amazing features that makes this game a total stand-out. So, as tech support attempts to rise to yet another challenge—they need to keep all that in mind during the transition: we can’t go backwards with WW–all of you guys have worked too hard, and all of us players have invested heart and soul. (Oh yeah, and money! LOL) Please keep us posted as significant development happens. Steve, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!
“Creature comforts” ~ you are funny! I don’t think we need to worry too much. There will no doubt be an adjustment period, but WW never goes “backwards”. I’ve finally accepted that this place will always be changing & evolving, as it always has. Sometimes I lose things I like in the changes, but something else that’s cool always is added somewhere. You are right about trying to play on a cell phone screen, it’s too small for me to do room decorating effectively. Games work okay though because all you see is the game itself while playing. Happy New Year!
You are so sweet 1Emerald1! Thank you for the post. “Adjustment periods” I can deal with—changes, evolutions in the game–no problem there. Glitches? No biggie. Any time I get them, I e-mail tech support and they always fix whatever problem I have. (seriously: I can’t say it enough: Three Cheers for Tech Support!) Issues with the game? No concern; this forum and the Ganz staff are always open to feedback. But the possibility—even the remote possibility–of NOT having Webkinz??? I shudder thinking of it. (and I’m not joking!) Webkinz has been a part of my life for over 10 years. It was the first game I ever played. And it is the only game I play to this day. (I’ve never been a game person.) There is just something very special about Webkinz. I enjoy it immensely. It chills me out, after a bad day, it boosts my spirits if I’m down, and it’s a billion times more entertaining than television shows. Thanks for your thoughts, 1Emerald1; I appreciate them very much. That’s another great things about Webkinz: the wonderful players!
We fall in love with things that become a part of our lives (it broke our hearts as parents when lego universe folded–what a wonderful world of his own our son had created)… and now, webkinz–let me give my two cents that the mobile app is the furthest cry from the real webkinz no matter how hard anyone works–SHAME ON ADOBE–SHAME, SHAME!!! i have lost count but possibly have by now $20K invested in something so elusive it could disappear at anytime–perhaps i am the crazy one, but it has been such an uplifting creative outlet. from some of the prior questions, if i lose items i will be too heart-broken to continue–i have a dock full of prized possessions to include flukes that possible no one else has & every box of everything that has appeared since i basically took over this account from my son, even as he still enjoyed it from time to time…my rooms are exquisite though i do not share them–need to figure out how to photo them & save though i have likely over 700 by now…THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ATTEMPTS & PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP UNTIL WE CAN KEEP OUR CURRENT ACCOUNTS ON THIS APP WE CAN PUT ON A COMPUTER, PLEASE!! i know i am not the only one helping to fund this project–hope it helps!! best, k.
Well said! Agree with you 100%, kaye10!
I completely agree! It was heartbreaking with Webkinz Friends folded. If this, in any way, becomes less of what it is, I will not only be heartbroken but angry because of the thousands of dollars I have spent over the years. Please keep our game as functional as it is now and keep on making it better!
Hi ADSLO1—Yes, my friends who were on Webkinz Friends were so sad when that ended. I was never on Webkinz Friends, because I don’t like Facebook–no disrespect intended to those who do, it’s just not my thing. But yes, agree with you, Webkinz Friends was so much fun for my friends who were on it, and they were disappointed when that ended. In thinking about this transition from Flash to app (clearly, I am thinking about it, I’ve posted a million times today lol) I’m realizing how essential the E-Store truly is to keeping Webkinz going….Ganz needs the revenue. Most of us have truly invested a lot of ‘real’ money in the purchase of pets, e-store points, and Webkinz clothes, trading cards, etc. I think it’s sometimes easy to forget that our money is going toward a purpose: helping to keep Ganz solvent. No joke: companies can’t make their business better if they can’t pay their bills or their employees. A few players on this forum had mentioned games that go defunct after a while, and I’m wondering if that was because the companies weren’t able to play their bills. So while I, too, often groan about the real money I have invested in Webkinz, I realize that it’s a hobby–(hobbies do cost money)–and also, that a company needs to get money to make money to stay afloat. Support your E-Store, everyone! lol
Same here kaye10. I’ve invested so much of myself over the years with Webkinz! Even though I’m a grandmother, Webkinz is my favorite pastime and only form of any social media interraction! I feel teary, nauseated, my blood pressure rising, my head pounding, and weak in the knees! I feel so stunned, I can’t put it into words, so I thank you, kaye10, for your heart-felt comment! And I agree with you: SHAME ON ADOBE! I don’t think there would be any way possible to do so, but I wish we, as a Webkinz family could send Adobe a petition expressing our opinions!
Thanks, Steve. I am attached to my iPhone and iPad so this is a positive for me!
Steve and team, Thank you so much for all the hard work in converting this over. I am sorry people are so mean and rude about the broken items, they just do not understand how complicated and time consuming this task is. Keep up the great work team! <3
Oh I can not wait to actually download this game into my computer. Personal dream of mine coming true?? lol~ Needa ask, Will it be an .exe download through this site only or on like the Microsoft store?
Webkinz online is going to close down in 2020? NOOOOOOOOO! Are they going to make webkinz mobile able for amazon appstore?
Wait….Will we still be able to do everything we can do now on the mobile version? Clubhouse? Webkinz Stadium? Magical Forest?
I REALLY hope so, webkinz is THE BEST and I’d DIE if we didn’t have those things!!
Hi Steve, Just a question, for the 2018 version that will be able to be played without a web browser; will we lose all our items or rooms when it is downloaded onto the desktop/laptop?
We won’t, since all our items etc are on our accounts rather than within the site itself(if that makes sense), so when webkinz is converted to a downloadable form, our accounts will work as normal like how they do on the mobile app.
I hope everything will be the same with the new version. I don’t have a phone to play it on and will need to use my computer – wouldn’t be able to see that little stuff on phone anyway. Sure hope we won’t lose anything – love playing on WW be it decorating rooms, playing games, all the cool stuff. thanks for all you do.
I would like to be able to sell back or remove pets. My account is getting really crowded and I want to make room for new pets and do not want to have to start a 2nd account. I would also like the ability to sell or relocate rooms.
I agree that it would be great to sell and relocate rooms.