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.
So then, does this mean it’ll be like an online exe file that we download and will connect to the same servers? Will everything be able to easily be transferred like items and rooms and pets? I’ve got an almost 10-year account, I don’t want to lose anything. Given that you now have a 3 year deadline to transfer all the functions of the website like the magical forest, gem hunting, the jobs etc, will this be a feasible deadline to make sure everything is done? Since this is quite a serious matter concerning the future of the game it would be quite reassuring to know what would happen. It would suuuuuuuuuuuuck if it became mobile only but I’m glad that isn’t the case, if only how that’ll be, through some specialised exe file or whatever else eludes me.
Hi Steve. Thank you for the update. I will now get my younger brother to transllate all of it into plain English! ♥♥♥foxpaws♥♥♥
Thanks for being upfront about all this. Starting this conversation will hopefully help ease some of our fears. With that said… I hope that you plan on converting the magical forest. I love doing all the things in there, from zum sightings to caring for them right down to collecting charms and doing pixie pod pachinko. I also hope you plan on keeping adventure park, I love that! Oh and gem collecting and Quizzy’s calendar. So many things! I hope you can get as much moved over as possible. All these things that I’ve been doing daily for so many years are importing to making it feel like the same Webkinz I have known and loved for so long. I am still sad about losing Mazin Hamsters and Dr. Quack’s clinic, I hope that too many more wont be added to that list.
Thank you Steve Webkinz. I’ve seen this coming for awhile now. Flash player had too many issues & hopefully they’ll come up with something better, someday… I’m no tech & don’t really get how apps work. Many questions arise. I assume that since you guys have already re-written the code for most of the room items in Webkinz World that our things will not be affected by the change. Good luck with the transition!
My nerd computer mind boggles at what you have undertaken, and what lies before you. Kudos to the tech team and the artistic staff for picking up the ball and running with it. I wish you all the best as you complete the transition to Flash-Free format. (Don’t you just love alliteration?)
Always appreciate alliteration, anytime!
Actually, I am more impressed with the fact that you extrapolated the truth from the fears and understood the work that lies ahead for these individuals and third party contractors! Most people see a dismantling, while you see a rebuild. Kudos to you, too! It’s very difficult to negotiate change and have people accept a new normal. I am sure every effort is being taken to retain as much of the Webkinz environment as they can. It’s going to be different, but different can also be better. I, too, am applauding Ganz’ industrious endeavour and am waiting with bated breath.
I sure hope that most if not all of the fun things in the current game will be able to be moved over to the new app version in time. Like Adventure Park & Magical Forest (taking care of my zums and collecting zummies, charms, figures, stars…etc.) I am still sad about the things we lost already, like Mazin’ Hamsters. It is a shame they were not converted over the same way the rest of the game is being worked on.
:O OMG! I’m kind of freaking out right now. Thank you, Steve for all the explanations and letting us know…so I’m like how much longer we can still play on our home computers/lap tops? What is Adobe’s reason for getting rid of flash player. I play Webkinz just about everyday, I have thousands of items that I don’t want to ever lose, just like everyone else doesn’t want to lose their stuff and everything…starting to get teary-eyed now TTYL :(
Steve, I’d mostly like to get reports from you on the progress of this transition to help us all feel at ease, keep us posted just like you did here, thanks again!
Hi Steve! Will be be able to get the app on the computer and play exactly how it is right now?
Online Webkinz is all I have for fun! I don’t know if I will be allowed to download an app on the computer just for Webkinz (I’m really the only one in my family that cares about Webkinz so much) and I have 114 Webkinz and 99 online if I counted correctly (because some were used that I got at thrift stores and fairs and places like that). I just got 6 new ones for Christmas that I absolutely adore (the spotted seal, boston terrier, candy googles, shark, blonde dachshund, and american buffalo), and I would hate to lose all my adorable webkinz that are online! Please don’t delete anything from our accounts! And I’ll miss the clubhouse very much (especially Kinzchat Plus!!!).
While it sucks that the current desktop game won’t be available after 2020, I’m glad they’re doing everything they can to convert the game to mobile. Most 15 year old games would call it quits by then. I already knew about all this from your Facebook and Tumblr posts but the transparency on WKN is nice. I’m glad Ganz cares about Webkinz enough to keep it running. I <3 Webkinz
I agree! I’m also glad it won’t just be for mobile (since I don’t have a mobile device) but also be able to be played on our desktops and laptops. That is great news.